SIXTEEN IN A COTTAGE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3338, 17 November 1919, Page 6

SIXTEEN IN A COTTAGE.

:?_.—:O_..._._—:. THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

REVELATION AT HAMILTON‘

HA.M'I'LTON, Nov .14‘

-The shocking conditions under which some people live was revealed in a letter received by the Waikato Hospital Board at its meeting to-day from the assistant director of education.

L The letter stated that 16 persons were occupying a four-1-oomed cottage. Two girls slept in one room; a woman and four sons in another; and inthe -third bedroom were a man, his Wife, and seven children.

At the time when an officer of the Departnient visited the house it was very dirty, and the children were so “dirty when they Went to school that they had to be sent home. As it was the intention of the Education Depart—. ment to halve the children admitted to an industrial school unless the conditions ‘of the home are improved. the Writer askedthe board to interest itself in the case, as the board would be liable for the maintenance of the children should they become a charge on the Government. Action was being deferred pending advice from the board.

- The secretary reported that the original tenant—-a widow——’had taken, the second woman in out of sympathy. Later the man and seven children ar--rived there, and all endeavours to gct them out had so far failed. Steps were taken to get ‘the scoml party out -of th premises. _ . The ‘board confirmed the action of the seérbtary in the matter.