SHARED HOUSES

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22682, 9 August 1945, Page 6

SHARED HOUSES

HELP FOR SERVICEMEN ATTITUDE OF CIVIC LEAGUE Prevalent rumours concerning the Government’s intentions for the temporary relief of the people’s housing problems pending the erection of permanent homes, particularly as they affect returned servicemen and their families, were referred to by Mr D. V. Bryant, chairman of the Rehabilitation Civic League, yesterday. “Apparently,” said Mr Bryant, “there is a feeling abroad that unoccupied rooms will shortly be compulsorily commandeered for returned servicemen and others, but personally, after the league’s protracted negotiations with the Government. I wish to give these rumours an emphatic denial. For nine months prior to May 19 last the league was in constant negotiation with the Government concerning the league’s proposal to amend the Fair Rents Act whereby private householders, who were willing to make their spare rooms available for returned servicemen, would be relieved of its provision as far as tenancy was concerned. Mr Nash’s Assurance “During this period, not only did several of the Ministers concerned interview representatives of the league, but we also received many communications from the Government, and on May 19 the following telegram was received from Mr Nash: ‘The Government has authorised the Minister of Justice to prepare the necessary legislation to protect private citizens who let their homes or part of their homes to returned servicemen after June 1 next, to the extent that they will be able, if desired, to repossess the property let. The proposed provision will not in any way affect properties let for rental in the ordinary course but is exclusively to protect citizens who let part of their homes to relieve the present housing shortage.’ “During these negotiations,” continued Mr Bryant, “the league made a thorough investigation into the housing problem and came to the conclusion that there was no effective alternative to the suggestion put forward. It was unfortunate, therefore, that owing to legal intricacies the matter had to be delayed, as the return of so many men has made the need for accommodation even more pressing.” Mr Bryant said that during a recent visit to Auckland he was made aware of the large numbers of people there who were forced to live in single rooms at high rents. He ascertained that some of the women patients in Bryant Home, some with young children, came from rooms which had neither an electric heater nor a coal or gas fire. Unfair Criticism He did not think that it was fair to hurl criticism at the private householder who was not a house letter for not making his contribution before the amendment to the Act came into force, and he felt sure that the national spirit of helpfulness would prevail immediately the desired provision was made. * “It is readily agreed that the mixing of two or more families in one home is undesirable,” he said, “but seeing there is no alternative, *it is surely better to house our returned men and their families in decent rooms at a nominal rent rather than have them crammed into perhaps one room at an exorbitant rent as is so oic2n the case at present. “As soon as the legal provision becomes available the Civic League intends to make a Dominion-wide appeal and will do everything in its power to solve this problem. It will appeal to the churches to assist in the task. It should be clearly understood that such accommodation must be abandoned immediately houses become available, and the league will do everything it can to expedite the ’time when each family will have its own castle. After all, this is the only goal worth striving for.”