LIFE IN CARAVAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 October 1943, Page 4

LIFE IN CARAVAN

STORY OF DISPLACED FAMILY UNABLE TO GET STATE HOUSE. MENTIONED IN SUPREME COURT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.! WELLINGTON, This Day. A case in which a man, his wife and three young children have been obliged, according to counsel, Mr G. C. Kent, to live in a caravan, and later in an office in the city, because of failure to obtain a State house, came before the Chief Justice Sir. M. Myers in the Supreme Court today, when Eric Wheaton, aged 29, now a motordriver in tthc R.N.Z.A.F., appeared for sentence on two charges of stealing cars.

Mr Kent said that four years ago prisoner was living in a house in the suburbs, which was condemned. He could get no other accommodation, but having built a caravan in the drive way alongside the house, he shifted into it with his wife and family and lived in the drive-way, and later in a paddock at Miramar, for about 18 months. Prisoner had had to send two young children to a home and was now living with his wife and his eldest child, aged eight, in a private-owned fiat. Sir. M. Myers said he did not know if there was any kind of priority where by people with families could get State houses. It did seem extraordinary that a man with a family could not get one. There might, of course, be a reason. He would like to know, and would remand prisoner for a week, so that all available relevant information could be got.