SOLDIER TENANTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1922, Page 4

SOLDIER TENANTS.

WANT PROTECTION RESTORED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Sept. 14. Suggestions that the protection formerly afforded returned soldier tenants should be restored were made by a deputation from the association, introduced by Mr. -G. Mitchell, M.P., to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labor to-day. The Prime Minister said the Government had been blamed for its legislation by people who claimed that it had discouraged people from building for investment and that the scarcity of houses made for the higher rentals. The Government had to think of that side of the question as well as the other. It was out of the question for the Government to build houses for all the population, therefore it did not want to discourage the people who might be willing to invest their capital in houses. He was sorry that a flaw had been discovered in the Act. and he would have been better pleased if the law had gone on until December 31, but it was the duty of the judge to interpret the Act as he found it. It was now for the Cabinet to decide whether the Act should be reinstated for the period originally intended, December 31, or as now asked, until July 31. Mr. Mitchell: There is another solution: the re-onening of the Discharged •Soldiers’ Settlement Act for building. Mr. Massey said the people would be surprised at the amount of money he was finding for house-building.