HOUSING PROBLEM

Southland Times, Issue 18851, 17 June 1920, Page 6

HOUSING PROBLEM

PROTECTION OF SOLDIERS. CURIOUS ANOMALY IN THE LAW. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 16. “In view of the acute shortage of houses, this association urges the Government to continue the protection given to returned soldiers by the War Regulations Act of 1914 against ejectment from rented dwellings for a further period of twelve months as from August 2 last.” The foregoing clause in the requests of the Returned Soldiers' Association presented to the Men|>ers of Parliament Committee to-day induced a brief discussion on a curious aspect of the soldiers freedom from ejectment. Mr D. G. Sullivan said that cases were occurring in which a soldier with a wife and several children could not get into a house which he owned because it was occupied by a soldier with a wife only. He asked whether the Association would agree to a modification of the Act by which the man with the wife and children would have the right to eject the other man. Dr Thacker said the owner of a house could eject anybody if he required the house to live in. “No,” said Mr Sullivan. “The owner cannot get in. at all if a soldier is in possession. Sir Francis Bell told us that definitely.” Mr W. E. Loadley, secretary of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, supported Mr Sullivan’s statements, remarking that he himself was in the position of renting a house and the owner could not get in because he would not go out. lie added that the association would agree to a modification of the’Act giving preference to the returned man with the family. Dr Thacker suggested that the returned men should try to get preference for workers’ homos. Mr Leadley replied that the association merely asked for the continuance of protection from ejectment. The soldiers did not want to have all the jam and leave the crust to the working people, who were really entitled to preference in regard to workers’ homes.