HARD LINES!

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 19 June 1919, Page 3

HARD LINES!

The shortage of houses anywhere near the city, referred to in some of my recent letters, now extends to furnished and unfurnished apartments. But, the conditions being what they are, that, of course, was to be expected. When a troop-train arrived here the other day with returned soldiers aboard those of them whose homes are in the country districts near Auckland wished to put in the week-end here, but found it almost impossible to get board and lodging accommodation for even a night or two. Apartments advertised as vacant in the morning paper are frequently let before noon, same day. Just recently the landlady of an apartment house in Grafton Road was interviewed by some new arrivals, a lady and her three children. They had reached Auckland that day and had been tramping about for hours trying to find accommodation, but all in vain. "If you cannot put us up," said the lady, despairingly, " there is only one thing left for us to do, as it is now six o'clock —we shall have to camp in the Domain for the night." The landlady, taking pity on these unfortunates, made room for them, temporarily. But to return to the soldiers, it is certainly hard lines that men who have been risking life and limb for us at the Front have to beg for a shakedown when they return to Auckland en route for their homes.