EMPTY HOUSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26627, 25 November 1947, Page 9

EMPTY HOUSES

Sir—With the derails of the _r° ya l w . occupying so much space in la veek’s papers, it is surprising how much ■oncern P is P being shown over Parliaments iroposed legislation in connection with he Getting of empty houses Asthe wife a returned serviceman boarding in a S&SMfc.’ffiS'SßSf rest psussM’ag re unoccupied for the greater part of he year it is impossible to acquire one ■ither to rent or buy. The owners of "hese houses are probably some of the jatriotlc people who, during the war, said, ? Yes go and fight for your country and ve will do all in our power to rehabilia What U ar°e n they r thinking now? Do they •ealise if there men who are now with>ut homes had not gone overseas and ? ou£ht for their country, which is also hecountry of these house-owners, they nav not have had their seaside residences, ir fheir palatial city homes? These owners maintain they require their seaside hornes ’or their holidays, but if they appreciated ; h e sacrifices of these servicemen surely i few holidays in these homes would be i mnall sacrifice to enable a family to home for 12 months of the year The question will likely be . agked ‘ Would q ' Homeless,’ if she had a seaside residence in addition to a city home, be prepared to make a home for a servicenan? ” The answer is, Yes. I happen o appreciate the sacrifice of these men laving lost a loved one overseas, and laving a partially disabled husband and br i°t th has been amusing to see, since the publication of the proposed legislation, he number of people arriving by cars, some for the week-end, some for the day, and some for a matter °f houra Why? Is it because they wish us t( ? heir houses are frequently occupied, or s it their endeavour to help Britain by a 10 per cent, petrol saving?-!