FAIR RENTS ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 53, 30 August 1940, Page 6

FAIR RENTS ACT

YEAR'S EXTENSION

STRONG PROTEST

BAR TO BUILDING

"We have been extending the Act for I do not know how long; it goes out every year and is re-enacted. I think a better name would be the 'Unfair Rents Act,' " said tlie Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) when referring in the House of Representatives yesterday to a clause of the Statutes Amendment Bill, which continues the Fair Rents Act, 1936, until September 30, 1941. "The Government likes to give its Bills nice names, such as Social Security," he added.

j The Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. iG. Sullivan): Who christened the Fair .Rents Bill? j Mr. Hamilton: I know who is extend-' {ing it. I doubt whether I get corresjpondence on any other subject that gives me more concern than applications to obtain possession of houses. JThe Act causes many difficulties. Why j re-enact it year after year? Why not ! drop it and let us get back to normal '(business methods? The legislation is one of the greatest hindrances to the] building of homes. j Mr. Hamilton instanced the case of (a man suffering, from tuberculosis,! who, .after purchasing a house, was unable to obtain possession. "The tenant was protected and sat tight," he said. The injustices were greater than the benefits of the legislation. Houses built after June, 1936, were not protected, so that one house could j be obtained for, say, 30s a week while a neighbouring house, no better in construction; could be rented at double that figure. The Minister of Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong): Do "you want to bring them all in? Mr. Hamilton: One is protected, the other is not. The question should be reconsidered and a better method than the present found., "UNFAIR LEGISLATION." "I can think of no more unfair legislation that has been placed on the ■ Statute Book than the Fair Rents Act,"' Mr. S. G. Holland (National, Christchurch North) said. The Act was a! body blow at the house builder and house renter. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. j Fraser): The honourable gentleman will vote against the clause? Mr. Holland: I will be happy to do so. The effect of the legislation, Mr. Holland added, was to destroy the incentive that every citizen should have to own a house of his own. Mr. Fraser: The legislation was first introduced by a National Government. Mr. Holland said that legislation had been passed, but it was not the legislation before them. Was it fair that some tenancies should be affected while tenancies made subsequent to the passing of the Act escaped? Mr. Fraser: The legislation passed by the last Government was the same as the present legislation. Mr. Holland: And that was why the Prime Minister said the Government should be turned out of office.

A Fair Rents Act that was fair was desirable, he concluded, and quoted cases to show that the present Act did not operate fairly., "THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE." The Rev. A- H. Nordmeyer (Government, Oamaru) said that Mr. Holland had been so unusually provocative that even he was moved mildly to protest. It was true that Mr. Holland was able to quote cases where the Fair Rents Act did not always work out equitably, but the only alternative to the Act was to allow people to be thrown out on to the streets. Did the honourable member want that? Government members: Of course he does. Mr. Nordmeyer. said he left it to the House to judge. Replying, the Attorney-General (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) said' that the latest report of the Labour Department clearly indicated the need for the Act. It showed that the Department's inspectors had dealt with 6000-odd cases. Further objection was raised to this clause in the Committee stages by the Opposition, who forced the House to a division. The clause was retained by 24 votes to 17.