LOCAL ELECTIONS SUSPENDED

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 172, 20 July 1916, Page 7

LOCAL ELECTIONS SUSPENDED

TEMPORARY TEACHERS AND POLICE. KE'XT LIMITATION LAW. -By Telegraph—Parliamentary Keporter.) WELLIXGTOX. Wednesday. ■ The War Legislation Amendment Bill, introduced by Governor's Message tonight, contains, many important provisions. Mr. A. L. Herdman, w ho explained it, stated that the first part ; deals with rents, practically incorporating the provisions of the English Act restricting rents operating as from ; August 3rd, 1014. The settlement of soldiere on the land would be made , easier than under the existing laws I Another section empowered the Minister ifor Education to employ persons tern- j Iporanly in schools to replace teachers' J gone to the front. Section 4 preserved j the rights of public servants and rail- , waymen in the superannuation funds while on active service. Part 5 makes, provision for postponing all elections of j membere of local authorities, including; mayoralty, that would, but lor this section, take place before August 31st,! 1917. Difficulties had arisen over the Fencing Act, because of the high price of fencing materials. These wiifhe met! ■by another section. Clause 18 was de- ' signed to protect the rights of members of Parliament who went to the front, securing payment of the honorarium and ensuring that their names remained on the electoral roll. Another clause authorised payments by local authorities j for recruiting operations. Clause 21 pro- i vided that apprenticeship articles he not; broken during the apprentice's absence on active service. Clause 22 protects J mining privilege*. Clause 23 authorised '■ ■ the Commissioner of Police to raise an | auxiliary force of temporary constables. , iif necessary. Single men would not be! . asked to join the forte, therefore it j . might be necessary to suspend the age \ • limit.

Dr. Tbacker: What about women' 1 police? !' The Minister: That must stand over in the meantime. I am making inquiries. Mr. Herdman added that another clause dealt with eoldiers' wills. The law was that a will written in a book or other informal way could not apply to real estate. The bill provided that a soldier's will could effectively cover real estate. The bill was read a first time RENT LIMITATION STANDARD. | Rent, a3 denned in the bill, is the rent j paid on August 3rd, 1914. The Act wjll remain operative till six months after the end of the wa,r. Landlords cannot raise the rent about the standard, nor transfer to the tenant liabilities which have the effect of increasing their payment, but where the landlord has, eincc the commencement of the war, incurred expenditure on improvement or structural alteration to a dwellinghouse. not including expenditure on decoration or repairs, an increase of rent at the rate not exceeding 8 per centum per annum on the amount so expended shall not be deemed to be an increase for the purposes of this Act. Where the landlord pays rates chargeable on the occupier of any dwellinghouse, an increase of rent shall not be deemed to 'be an increase for the purposes of this Act if the amount does not exceed the actual extra amount paid as rates. Before such increases be charged, the tenant shall receive a statement showing particulars,' and any question arising will be determined "by a stipendiary magistrate. Orders for the recovery and possession of dwellings shall not be issued so long as the tenant takes reasonable care of the premises, and pays the standard rent, though the Court may issue an order if satisfied the premises are reasonably Tequired by the landlord for the occupation of himself or some person in his employ, or some other ground deemed satisfactory by the Court making such order.