DEFAULTING TENANTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22413, 8 May 1936, Page 12

DEFAULTING TENANTS

NEW BILL'S PROVISIONS LEGISLATION CRITICISED Adverse criticism of the provisions of the Distress and Replevin Amendment Bill was voiced at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce yesterday. The matter bad previously been discussed by the chamber's Parliamentary and Taxation Committee, which reported that the bill absolutely pnvtected the household furniture {up to £SO value) of persons on whom distress for rent was being made, instead of making it a proviso that the protection was to apply only if the premises wore vacated. It was felt that the bringing into force of such an amendment would entail the necessity of resorting to the Court in every case and would unduly prolong the eviction of unsatisfactory defaulting tenants. Mr. W. R. Fee said he considered the bill too drastic. The ownership of houses was not vested in the wealthy people of the Dominion and there was need to protect property owners against undesirable tenants who might take unfair advantage of privileges afforded by the new legislation. Mr. Gainor Jackson said the question was of Dominion importance. On his motion, it was decided that the chairman, Mr. A. A. Ross, and Mr. Fee should draft a letter to the Associated Chambers of Commerce requesting them to take the matter up with the Government.

The difficulty of securing the names of persons against whom stay orders are in force also was considered. It was resolved to write to the Associated Chambers recommending that while the existing legislation stands provision should be made for the names of all persons against whom stay orders had been granted to be recorded in the Supreme Court of the district where the land was situated and made available for perusal on the payment of a suitable search fee.