IN PARLIAMENT

Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3677, 22 March 1932, Page 6

IN PARLIAMENT

Yesterday’s Sitting MORTGAGORS AND TENANTS TO GET LEGISLATIVE RELIEF ITS GENERAL PRINCIPLE (Per Presd Association). Wellington, Maich 21. To-njght, the House entered on consideration of the Governent’s second policy measure I>y starting -u'io second reading debate on the Mortgagors and Tenants Relief Bill. The Bill \vn s discussed In- several speakers before 'the midnight adjournment, and tilthoiis’i parts of it came in for comment, it was accepted as being a necessary part of any legislative plan aiming at economic reconstruction. POWERS OF BILL Broadly, the measure extends the powers contained! in last year’s legislation, making access to the courts easier for mortgagors, and extending to tenants of land under lease the privilege of applying for a review oi tbeir obligations. Tn acknowledging that- legislation of this nature might tend to discourage investment ,particularly in rural securities, the Premier pointed out that the extraordinary times called for drastic steps adding, however, that the Government felt that the Bill would bfo helpful, and that its primary justification lay in the fact that it would assist in maintaining production on the land. VOICE OF LABOUR Although Labour speakers found fault with s°m° provisions, tjhey were not prepared to- say that- the Bill was undesirable. One Labour interjector offered the opinion that the Bill was harmless, but others con&ideied it (lid not far enough in that it made no- real provision lor an arbitrary deduction in interest and lent. BILL'S PROSPECTS - Mr Forhe s said at the adjournmen that he hoped to have it passed bj to-night to enable it to go to the Legislative Council to-morrow.