RENT RESTRICTION

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 27, 31 July 1924, Page 11

RENT RESTRICTION

AMENDMENTS IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

THE BELL PASSED,

The Rent Restriction Bill was introduced in the Legislative Council yesterday from the House of Representatives. In.asking that the measure be allowed to pass through all its stages on that day, the Leader of the Council (Sir Francis Bell) pointed' out that the present legislation^ expired on the following day, and that it was necessary to securo the Governor-General's signature to the new Bill not later than Thursday.

Sir Francis explained the objects of the Bill, which extended the law until 31st xlugust, 1925, and described the effect of two amendments which it was desired to effect in the Council. The first prevented the possibility of the jurisdiction of a landlord in the determination of the capital value of a. dwelling being ■ ousted by agreement between a landlord and a tenant. It was also proposed to add a new clause to amend the the; Housing Amendment Act, 1921-22, so as to prevent an owner from obtaining possession of a dwelling on misrepresenting that he desired it for his own occupation. Sir Francis said that the amendment rendered it unlawful for a landlord who obtained an order for possession to occupy or sell or make any other such agreement within six months after the contract, unless by order of a Magistrate. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee, which reported it without further amendment.

AMENDMENTS ACCEPTED. In Committee on the Bill, the Hon. C. H. Izard objected to a provision which made the legislation retrospective. He protested against such a practice unless very good reason was shown. _ Sir Francis Bell said that retrospection was rendered necessary on account ot a number of cases in which the jurisdiction of the Magistrate had been ousted and an absurd capital value having been fixed.

The Bill was reported as amended, read a third time, and passed. When the Bill as amended came up subsequently in the House of Representatives the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. -J. Anderson) said that the amendments had been inserted to meet suggestions made. when it was previously before the House;

■Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) said that the- amendments considerably strengthened the«effect of the Bill He regretted, however, that tho Minister had.not seen fit to give effect to a suggestion that provision should bo made to protect people with small incomes and large families from being ejected by misuse of the clause enabling the landlord to secure possession for his own use, by requiring the Labour Department to prosecute. The amendments made in the Legislative Council were approved.