RENT ROBBBERS

NZ Truth, Issue 569, 13 May 1916, Page 4

RENT ROBBBERS

when New Zealand claimed to lead the other parts of the Empire, if not the world, m legislation intended for the protection and betterment of the poorer members of the community. Apparently that time is past, and New Zealand lias receded from the honorable and qnerous position it once filled m the qyes of the world's democratic refprmors. The wives and mother^ qf Govan, women who have no votes, have compelled the Imperial Parliament to d.P. that -which the women of New Zealand, With votes and a quarter of a century qf political training, aided by their h\is4 bands, have failed to make Massey'a Ministry grant, m spite of its boast that i\ was out for a "square deal"; and, later, have failed to nia.kq the National Ministry, that galaxy of all the talents, j that posie of practical and non-parti-zan politicians, concede. The housemothers of Govan simply orjjan.ise^l a rent strike. Their example was foUpwed'b.y the wqrkink-clas? wpmen m 9tj\e : r Scots towns, and swb^egyenitiy the a§ji? tatlop spread to England. T^e rper- | chant class recq^nlsed.that if jhe work-: ler.ha^ to pay Increased reptqut of ijig Ijrfjltecl waives, tl^en hi§ grocer, butcher aqp; ba,k.er >Ver© Uk^ly tq .suffer, if not I b,y th© Piling up pf bad debts, then by the reduction of consumption. So the i merchants threw the weight of their in- | fluence on the side of the tenants. .The qmployera of labor, fearing that' evictions would disorganise industry, also came tq the rescue of the tenants, and | threatepod, if tho landlords, trustees and factors Of house property persisted Ip Enforcing their demands for increased rentals, to build houses for their' etn- [ ployees at nominal rentals after the war ; and rob the present property pwnerp q| i the ffeese' which at present lay them I f olden eggs. A Fair Rent B|ll wa^ jiurrio^jy rushed thrqufh the House of Cqmmfips apd tjie hquse ren>payeVa. of Britain ]}ad WQn— thariks tq the Plpck 4nd persistonpy of the housermothers of Govan, ,:'-.- . : :;.^ •,,:; '•■.-. •■■'■■' / •■".'■ : ■'■ • ♦ ■ ■- /■;* ■.-'■ SuFely it will not b® necessary m this land of boas^eg advanced legislation and demqcratiP. institutions, to go 40 the sam§ e^lrfme actions m order to compel ihe Jfatjqnal Government to justly aj>fl prpmptly with this question npw that two members— one a follower qf Mr ; an.f} one a follower qf gir Jq^eph War^— have given notjpe thftt tt»«y '-'intenfl to introduce Bills fqr t^a. purpose "of pitting a check on this fqrm of e^qessfye exploitation. And : jiot befpre it was fanted., A^ S«ch a time of national crisis when sq many of New Zealand's husbands and sqnj have n^ade or are In the way of maHing the supremo sacrifice on P^hftlf Of the 43mpirp, -'tis nothing sliort of infamy -that '...heir dependents, m m^y cases, Bhquld be charged Inpreased rents, fqr hpuses which for years hsye been &t the rackrent limit; Immediately qn .. i,he out-, break Qf ■ ftqaUHttep the flnanpiers and city inerchaTvt^ ap4 apepiit^tprs' '. got their prftplpus J»Jorator}uni through the. House, an 4. thiJß scoured from anxiety ip that direction., they 'we're free to devote their energies m finding ways and means to ft^rther exploit the less fprtunate masses. It is to be- hoped that whlohever Bill finds favor with tfie memberg, that it will adopt all the. good points of the British Act, This flxes the rents of working men's homes at the figure ruling m August, 1914, and forbids any increase therein until three months after the deplaratlon qi peace. Owing to the great number of our dwelling houses bearing m,prt-; I gages, m.any pf whAQll may gQ^e qp for renewal .'{luring; the war period, th? IVToratarium Act can bo qperat«4 j to prevent an excessive inorease In Interest rates, or a Qlfl-uge should be inserted m Mr. Wilford's Limitation of Rents Bill, or Mr. R. A. fright's Rents Restriction Bill, which will have this effect. . j ■ ,- „ •' ■ ■ . *-.-.'» - - If the National Government Is wiao it will give one or ether of these much needed measures a speedy passage through the House. In order to saye time and relieve many homes from an unfair and excessive burden, it might bo wise if the Prime Minister would bring abqut a conference between Messrs. .Wright and .Wilford m order that the Cabinet might bring down as a Government measure a BUI evolved from an amalgam of the. best and more equitable olaus.es of their, respective proposed measures. The need for relief is urgent for the burden Is great. If the National Government acts with promptitude m this matter and expedites the passage of such a measure it will go a long way to rehabilitate Itself as a National Government In the eyes of the Democracy of New Zealand,.

(HE NEED Of IMMEDIATE LEGBIATION

It Is not nepesjjary tha^t "Truta" should indorse tho Iconoclastic reformer's asaortion that "All rent Is robbery" m order t? JyuMftr- i^ff opposition to the canipaign' 'ot . increasing rente \yhlcU bougo P.ropertx Owoera, tTUSteea and agenis itayo indulged In, wluico shortly 'after the outbreak of the Would \Yttr. ' At ftrst the rises asHed wero vecy raodest, ruwUng Into not moro than two j shilling* a week, but son\o ojf tho recent Increases have amounted to HO per c«jnL, und. m uoveraJ cases brought under our notice as much iv» 25 por cent has been <l«iwn4e4 «r»"l ulvcn. TUcse iucreoses hi^vo. been universal and Wich distress can bo attrlbutod to UU» extra chacgo plu» tho Increased cose of tho neeijssarieji of life, apart from houiso accoi^modicitlo!n. If the lnordl«ito desire at the house-ownor to screw tho uttermost farthing In ront out of tho tenant l» allowed unfettered Indulgence. wo will soon have our cities disgraced with tho opectacio of several families living m one house — a state o! things, considering tho nature of our d.welllng-houmMh which would rc*uH m conditions ilfiy dourcea raoro rcprohenslblo than tho tcnoment systom of tho 014 Tho KmpJro Is In need of men, and In order to have men flt fot the Empire's n<M*l and dutlo*. It Is necftseary that we should rear healthy, robust children. Such children cannot \»0 reared In i«ucn»cnt* not U\ ovvrcrovded cottßgo homes. If the city authorities or the Health Department ofliclalM havo «ot tbo power 10 interfere and proven: overcrowding taking pIAC«, th* soontv PnxUiLmeat caufdm

such powers upon them the better. "Truth" would urge", however, that H would bo wiser, and certainly mora equitable for tho legislative asBombly to seek ways and moans of remo.vlntr tho causes of. or causes likely to lead to, OY*r- | crowding. These causes, at the present I 'time, are two— lnsufficient wagoo aud excessive rents. The two are really one —economic inability. Wo do not deny that tho question Is one bristling with diOlcuUloa, but difficulties exist to bo negotiated. ■ « * • In several cases coming before tho Arbitration Court, tho union secretaries have produced tables of figures, showtag the price* of groceries and clothing. These tables show that tho coat of living has Increased during: the lasts seventeen months by over 22 per cent. Tho President of the Arbitration Court, Mr. Justlco Stringer, wo understand, has accepted such figures an correct. If an addition of 10 per cent, bo added {or Increased rent It wIH not ov?r r roach tho mark, and h will givo those interested a somewhat fairer, If !<*» cheerful, view of tho doprecisitlon which has tnkon place m tho purcbwitnK power of th<» proletarian plu^B pay »lnco ho »ftt hi* »on to flghi for tho Rmplre. Tlioo waa In our political hlHtory when ituch a- condition of tittuint would have Klv«n ri»i» to immediate and effective action In the leKteUttivo chamber. But a Pharaob haa nrls<on thut know* not Joycph, and ho thu »>,\cch*tvc exploitation of those who h.ivp to pay bout^nuiu got* tnorr'.ly ou, Tirno waa