"BAD LOOK-OUT"

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3668, 15 February 1940, Page 2

"BAD LOOK-OUT"

PEOPLE WITHOUT HOMES UNPROMISING POSITION "It is a most unpromising position for people, and for this country, that people with families find •it so difficult to get a home,” said #Fr W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the. Magistrate’s Court at New Plymouth, recently in the course of dealing with some applications f Dispossession of dwellings in which Ihe problem for the Magistrate was to decide whether upon the tenant Of* the landlord the greater hardship fell in the matter. "It is a bad look-out for this country,” continued Mr Woodward, "when people with families, who have done, and are doing their duty to t heir country, find it difficult to -•get another home when a landlord retjuires his property, for his own use.” Mr H. St. L. Reeves, who appeared in. one of the cases, said the posi - tion was an indictment of the present attitude towards people with families. “This sort of thing can’t go on,” he said. “This matter is one Of the most frequent troubles we <ome up against. Families are unMble to get homes, and the first question asked by the landlord is generally as to whether a tenant has any children.” He thought some Statement might be made which direct the attention of the powers that be to the very serious position. Mr Woodward added that from his judicial position he could say that he was in agreement with what Mr Reeves said. It was a serious thing for the future of the -country. “The matter is one for a ■change of general sentiment of the community and of the landlords,” said Mr Woodward, “and that must come about if the future of this country is to be at all secure.”