FAIR RENTS ACT

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22513, 23 November 1944, Page 4

FAIR RENTS ACT

AMENDMENT LIKELY HOMES FOR SERVICEMEN The prospect that within threo weeks legislation would be enacted exempting from the Fair Rents Act householders desirous of taking returned sen-icemen into their homes was referred to by Mr D. V. Bryant when addressing a meeting at Raglan last night. There was a large attendance at the meeting, called for the purpose of explaining the aims and objects of the Rehabilitation Civic League, of which Mr Bryant is the founder, and with a view to fostering the movement in the district. Mr Bryant said it had been pointed out this week that over 290 returned men were awaiting homes in Hamilton and when the Japanese menace was at its worst in 1942 Hamilton offered to house 12,000 evacuees from Auckland if the ocj casion arose. Surely people would co -operate in taking into their houses men who had assisted in combating the enemyFor two months the League had been negotiating with the Government on the subject, continued the speaker. He had in his possession a telegram Indicating that the Government was preparing legislation exempting from the Fair Rente Act householders willing to gives home 3 to returned men and their wives. This provision would apply during the period of emergency and housing shortage. As soon as the legislation was completed a big appeal to the public would be launched by the League. Freehold Terms Advice had also been received that the Government had arranged that every serviceman, who took up Government land, would have the option, of the leasehold or the freehold on terms similar to those given by the Waikato Land Settlement Society. There would be restriction to the extent that a property could not be transferred without the consent of the authorities. Mr Bryant said he desired to pay a tribute to the Government for having conceded the Waikato tenure over and above its leasehold policy. During the course of his address Mr Bryant said there was a great spirit of patriotism in Raglan, as shown by the aghievement of the district’s quotas in patriotic and war loan appeals. He traced the development of the League, formed with a view to filling a need for a civilian organisation to help in rehabilitating returned men. Meeting Pledges Support “That this meeting of Raglan residents expresses its approval of tho aims and objects of the Rehabilitation Civic League and pledges its support by promoting in every way possible the rehabilitation of servicemen in this district,” was a resolution carried unanimously. It was moved by Mr F. M. Hardie, president of the Raglan Returned Services Association, and seconded by Mr W. L. Young, of the Hamilton branch of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force Association. A sub-committee was elected, its members being the Rev. A. T. Kent, Messrs F. M. Hardie, F. Petchell, C. Anderson, G. P. Kenah and W. R. Moore. The debt owed by the people of the Dominion to the men who fought overseas was stressed by Dr. K. L. MacGregor, a director of tho League, who served in the Middle East for three years. Dr. MacGregor, who was a member of a surgical team at El Alamein, mentioned some of the wounds the doctors had treated. One day they worked for 23 hours. Ho said that to the soldiers who endured the suffering of wounds received in. battle, other hardships and the mental strain of being away from their home land, everybody in New Zealand owed a debt which they should endeavour to repay. It would be an honour for people to share their houses with returned servicemen, Dr. MacGregor continued. It was the duty of the people of the Dominion to see that all returned men who wished to go on farms should have that opportunity.