THE HOUSING QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1921, Page 7

THE HOUSING QUESTION.

WILL TENANCY PROVISIONS BE MODIFIED? (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Oct. 7. Was it the intention of the Government this session to bring down legislation altering the regulations dealing with the occupancy of houses? asked Mr. T. D. Burnett (Temuka) in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Burnett said that the regulations had been brought into force on account of the war, and the protection they had afforded to tenants had been in a very large measure abused. He read to the House a letter he had received from a railway ganger. The writer stated that he had bought a house about twelve months ago so that he might be close to his work. There was a returned soldier in occupation and the writer could not get possession. He had told the soldier of another house available for the latter, but the soldier had simply laughed and refused to move. He understood that there were many working men in a similar position. They saved for years to buy a home, and when they bought it someone else got the benefit. The Minister of Labor (Hon. G. J. Anderson) said that the Government was considering the matter. He quite agreed with nearly all that was stated in the letter. Interference with individual liberty tended to check enterprise, and unless something was done to relieve the situation the housing difficulty would probably continue. He could not, however, say that the Government would remove the restrictions in favor of returned soldiers. At the same time, the restrictions might be removed even in their case where another house was available. If a soldier could get another house that was equally good, he could not see any reason for which the soldier should not shift. The Government was considering the whole matter and in due course the House would be acquainted of any decision arrived at.