By BONNIE ABOLA
FOUR magistrates in Lae will have new houses by next month.
PNG Magisterial Services (PNGMS) recently bought a property worth K700,000 for four of its magistrates.
Chief magistrate John Numapo, who was at the site, said the PNGMS had bought houses in Mt Hagen, Goroka and Alotau.
The block of four flats at Erima Street was previously owned by Hornibrook Niugini Ltd.
Each unit has three bedrooms, is fully furnished with white goods and has electricity and running water.
Mr Numapo said PNGMS would continue to buy houses for magistrates and court staff.
His move came in the wake of a stop-work last month by Lae staff of the magisterial service, angry at the National Housing Corporation’s (NHC) eviction of a senior officer from a house at Gurney Street, Eriku.
The NHC had ordered the eviction for non-payment of rental.
The house is currently occupied by another court staff and Mr Numapo is intent on keeping it.
Lae’s NHC manager Simeon Dikama said the previous tenant vacated the property with an outstanding of K14,900.