FAIR RENTS BILL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 148, 8 June 1936, Page 9

FAIR RENTS BILL

All Stages Completed in

the House

SATURDAY’S SITTING (By Tt!«tr*ph—PreM Association.) WELLINGTON, June 6. The House of Representatives coninued consideration of the Fair Bents Jill in committee to-day. Mr Wright said that provision should >e made for the time a house stood vacant in fixing the rent. Mr Broadfoot criticised the provision .xempting modern fiats from the operations of the Bill and said that such temporary measures as the Bill, had a nasty habit of becoming semipermanent. He did not think that the Bill applied equitably to both landlord and tenant. He thought the landlord wee the forgotten person and that the tenant was provided for to an overdue extent. Sir Alfred Ransom said that Hie more generous landlords would have to continue their concessions during a period of prosperity while the hard landlord would get protection undet the Bill. He thought that some provision should be made for the unemployed, who received rates of wages that did not allow them reasonably Ic pay their rent. Mr J. Hargest (Nat., Awarua) said it was not possible for the Government to build bonnes during a period of rising prices and let them at economic rents. Mr Wright thought that shop-rents should be included in the Bill, m there were some landlords who had no consciences at all. He thought that a special Court should be set to deal with shops. Mr Polson said that houses could not be built for £lOOO and let for 10 shillings a week. The short title of the Bill was passed on ths voices. Speaking on clause five, which restricted the raising of rent, Mr Bodkin moved an amendment that if landlord and tenant agreed as to a fair rent for a dwelling or part of one, and if such agreement were made in writing in the presence of and witnessed by an inspector of factories, then the agreement should be binding upon the parties during the term of tenancy and should have all the effect of an order of the Court. Mr Mason said he would give the matter, which was not inconsistent with the spirit of the legislation; very sympathetic consideration, and Mr Bodkin withdrew his amendment. The Bt. Hon. G. W. Forbes moved aa amendment to clause seven (which mentions the considerations to be taken into account in fixing the fair rent of a dwelling) in the direction of fixing a rent which it would be equitable for the premises to earn instead of for the tenant to pay. Mr W. J. Polson (Nat., Stratford) said it might mean that a tenant was in a house the equitable rent of which was far above his means to pay, and it would now- mean that the rent would have to be reduced to suit his circumstances. That would be most unfair to the landlord. The Hon. W. E. Barnard pointed out that the clause provided that a magistrate, in fixing the rent, should take into consideration the relative circumstances of the landlord and tenant. The amendment was lost by 42 votes to 11. When the clause dealing with recovery of possession of a dwelling was reached the Minister moved an amendment the effect of which was to negative the necessity of notice in r ease where a tenant was failing to take reasonable care of the premises or where the tenant was guilty of conduct annoying or causing a nuisance to the neighbours. This was agreed to. Mr Bodkin moved an amendment that the ground for possession of premises should be that they were required for occupation by an employee of the landlord. Mr Mason said he would consider the

matter favourably, and the amendment was withdrawn.

Mr S. G. Holland (Nat., Christchurch North) moved an amendment in the direction of allowing an inspector of factories to make application on behalf of either landlord or tenant, and Mr Mason said he would go into the matter with the Minister of Labour, whereupon the amendment was withdrawn.

A new clause providing that the Act should be administered by the Labour Department was agreed to. The Bill was reported to the House with amendments.

The Distress and Replevin Amendment Bill was put through the committee stages without amendment. Both Bills were read the third time and passed.