THE HOUSE FAMINE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 251, 17 July 1919, Page 4

THE HOUSE FAMINE

STRONG LABOUR PROTEST. Arising out of u, communication received by the Wellington Labour Representation Committee irom the Tenants' Protection League (which was signed by ail the delegates to the Government Printing Ottice Association) an animated discussion on the present housing crisis took place at the Trades Hall last evening, it was pointed out by several of the delegates tnat they had received notices to vacate their homes, and this was said to be the case with hundreds of other workers. On top of this was the continual dread and uncertainty of tliu people who rented houses, that they were likely to receive notice ai; any time as a result of the continued speculative selling of houses over the tenants' heads. Another result of the scarcity of houses was the terrible overcrowding that was prevailing. One delegate instanced numerous cases where overcrowding was rampant, which had brought aixiut tnc position of tenants exploiting the sub-tenants of rooms-:. Five, six, and .seven perjjns in one and two rooms were instanced, which, it was pointed out, was dangerous o the health of the community. At the conclusion of the discussion the followiug resolution was carried unanimously witli instructions to the executive to organise, iu conjunction with other working-class bodies, a protest meeting at the Town Hall:— "That the attention of the Government and the City Council be once moio duocec! to the alarming house famine in ■\\elmgton- to the fact that the return of every draft of the ExyaJitfonary force is intensifying the ttmule problem; to the cruel and merciless exploitation of the people by the houseowners; to tlio exxvsfive rents being charged; to the evil bonus system; to tho disgraceful and dilapidated condition of many oi th" houses; to the rat plague infesting many dwellings; to he serious, dangerous and insanitary overcrowding which prevails in many purls of the «ty (faiuilii« of d'vo and six being huddled into one room); and to the eviction of women and children from their homes, lho Wellington Labour Representation Committee, in the name of the workmg-c.as.s of tho city, calls upon tho National Gov«nir.ent and the City Council to address tUn -elves without any further delay, to the ptobiem of remedying the existing unspeakably evil state of affairs, and to immediately proceed, jointly or separately' with an adequate housing scheme f or Wellington. It further asks the bovornuicnt to extend the privilege at present applying to soldiers and their (lotiondui4, and make illegal the ejection of any amilv until such time as', homes are provided for all families; and to pi, r( on the Statute Book of tho co'inin trengthened form the provision, i xing rent which are a present on - odicd in tilt War Regulations, lms C o,u'nittecen, P haticallypon,.so« {.at 11,.. patience of the people- has .mewl} en'ovovstrained, and that the crentet responsibly in the presen i intolerutje situation rests upon both the national and civil legislations."