REPATRIATION PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 176, 21 April 1919, Page 6

REPATRIATION PROBLEMS

VIEWS OF THE TRADES COUNCIL. In its annual report the Wellington Trades and Labour Council refers as'follows to the problem of repatriation:— "The"council has identified itself with such activities as came within its scope in the matter of assisting tho'repatriation, of returned soldiers. This matter has given the officers of tho council a good (leal of concern. We have' to guard, first of all, against the exploitation by employers of those men who have returned and are not physically fit. Iu addition to that, tho question of suitable housing for those men who are returning with their wives and also those who wero married before leaving, has been a serious problem. Wellington has suffered from scarcity of housing accommodation for several years past. The acute shortage of cottages has been made much worse by the return of so many married soldiers. By the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act of 1918, an effort was made to prevent returned soldiers from being exploited by unscrupulous landlords. The Act stipulates that a returned soldier shall not be put out of a tenement for the purpose of raising the rent on an incoming tenant. The effect o| this clause, instead of helping the returned soldier, has prevented him from getting a iiouse from most landlords or their agents.* Returned soldiers are now being financed by the Lands Department to enable them to buv houses. This has had the effect of greatly inflating land values, because the vendor, in most cases, seems to think that it is good Government money and he might as well have a slice of it. There is another feature, and this is where the house is sold to a relumed soldier over the heads of tenants who have been iu the place for a long time. The outgoing tenant cannot find another house to shift into, and a feeling of resentment is thus created which is quite unfair to returned soldiers. The obvious duty of the Government and the local bodies throughout the Dominion is to build houses to meet the demand, and have an end of the present system ot playing into the hands 01' speculators. 'this : is one of the great questions which have to be faced by tho public as an after-war problem. W« have repeatedly stressed the need for a repatriation scheme during tho war. Now the soldiers are coming back by thousands, and little or no preparation has been made to receive them. This council urged the utilising of tho buildings at 1 rcnthani to meet immediate pressing housin" needs. Apparently the Government requires the camps for the purposo of making preparations for the next great way. It may be noted, incidentally, that tho daily newspapers contain columns of names of army officers who are being promoted in rank and pay since the war concluded. It would almost sem as it the National Government is helping its friends to dig into soldiering positions. It will be the duty of the working people to challenge this military policy at the earliest possible, opportunity, rho war has been fought in vain if we are to have a 'repetition of the armaments and military-competitions of the last thirty years."