Mayor Replies To Mr Lee

Southland Times, Issue 23074, 16 December 1936, Page 6

Mayor Replies To Mr Lee

HOUSING IN DUNEDIN (United Press Association) Dunedin, December 15. The opinion that housing conditions in Dunedin were no worse than in any of the other centres was expressed by the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), when replying to a statement by the Undersecretary to the Ministry of Housing (Mr J. A. Lee). The Mayor said that, as one who had lived and worked as a social worker for many years in Auckland, and for a brief period in Christchurch, he found that as bad as’ conditions were in Dunedin, they were not so bad as in the northern cities. One who had lived and worked in a poor area was much better able to judge than one who merely spent a couple of days in a city. EXPLOITATION ALLEGED ACTION OF HOUSE OWNERS (United Press Association) Auckland, December 15. A statement that the housing shortage was being used by some house owners to exploit people seeking homes was made today by the Minister in Charge of the Fair Rents Act (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong). He said evidence was accumulating th-t homeless people were being held to ransom by profiteers, and he was considering remedial measures. He advised tenants, who consider that their rents were too high, to consult the local office of the Labour Department.