LANDLORD’S RIGHTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 July 1932, Page 7

LANDLORD’S RIGHTS

, “RELIC OF THE PAST.” [FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, July 28. „On a claim based on the provisions of the Distress for Rent Act, of 1737, passed in the reign of George the Second, under a section described by Mr McNeil, S;M., as “a relic of the past,” James Dean Davidson, a landlord, succeeded at the Magistrate’s Court in establishing his right to obtain from a tenant, W. A. Hamilton, double the value of his furniture, owing to the fact that Hamilton was held to have removed it from Davidson’s house when he knew that Davidson intended to seize it by way of distress-for arrears of rent.’

Mr. McNeil, who heard the case, also held that, in addition to the sum of £lB5, which was Davidson’s estimate of the double value of the furniture, Hamilton was apparently liable for arrears of rent amounting to £62. Although Mr. McNeil held that the plaintiff, Davidson, must succeed in his action, he reserved the matter of fixing the amount actually to be paid by the defendant, Hamilton, until the position had been discussed by the solicitors for both sides, and the defendant had had an opportunity of giving his estimate of the value of the furniture. Mr. McNeil said he would like to hear argument as to whether, or not, both the rent and double value could, ' under the circumstances, be claimed.,