HOMES WANTED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 17, 15 October 1919, Page 8

HOMES WANTED

THE USE OF MILITARY HUTS

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT INQUIRING

The difficult situation of people who aro being turned out of rented homes, required for occupation by the owners, and who cannot secure other dwellings, was mentioned in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. E. Semple (Wellington South). Mr. Semplo rend a letter on tho subject from a tenant and suggested that tho Government should arrange to make some of tho hutments at Trenthain Camp available for the use of homeless people. The position in Wellington, he said, was very serious indeed. The Prime Minister replied that the possibility of utilising the hutments at Trentham was being considered by (he Defence Department. The Defence Minister had instructed his officers to report as to whether the camp buildings could be mado available for residential purposes and whether they were suitable. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) n.4-ed if the Government had considered the advisability of extending'tho protection given last vear to returned soldiers and their dependnnts, who could not bo turned out of rented houses as long as they complied with the covenants of the lease. , „ " . . Mr. Mnseev replied that the provision was still in* existence. His recollection was that it either was permanent or did not expire for a considerable time. Mr. Fraser: I want the provision extended to persons other than siAHers and their dependants. Mr. Luke pursued the matter further. Re asked the Minister of Defence whether it would be possible to have tho huts taken down and moved to Wellington. Tlo said thnt he had v ; sited the camp at Trentham with Mr. Ell, and they had come to the conclusion that those huts Ufi feet long could bo cut up into three four-roomed cottages. He urged that the Defence Department permit_ this to be done as a means of alleviating quickly the housing shortage in the city. Sir James Allen gnve the same reply that ho had previously given, that the matter was under consideration, nnd that he could not at once givo a decisive answer.