The Fair Rent Bill.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6358, 12 September 1895, Page 2

The Fair Rent Bill.

(by telegraph.) (from ot7r own correspondent.) Wellington, September 11. The Hon. Mr M'Kenzie's Bill "to provide means for fixing a fair rent for land," which has just been cirsulated, is a measure intended to be of general application to all public and private landsrural, urban, or suburban. It provides for the division of the colony into fair rent districts, for each ot which a board of members shall be constituted. The board is to be nominated by the Governor-in-.Council, and the president shall be a Stipendiary Magistrate, who shall have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote. A quorum cannot be constituted without the president, but, in his unavoidable absence, the Governor shall appoint a Judge of the Supreme Court or District Court to take his place. The board is to sit twice a year, and is to have authority to deal with the rent of all land in the district which is held under written lease for a term of years of which at least two years have expired, and two remainj unexpired when application is made. Either the landlord or tenant may apply to have a fair rent fixed, but the party applying must first have asked the other party to come to private agreement as to a fair rent, and the other paf&y must have failed or neglected to do so. The board shall hear evidence on oath or otherwise, may inspect the land affected by application, hear parties by themselves or counsel, all proceedings being open to the public works unless otherwise ordered. In determining a fair rent the board is to consider the quality situation, and accessibility of the land, cost of production, price of produce, state of trade, and all other applicable considerations, and fair rent is defined to be in the case of agricultural and pastoral land such rent as a tenant can be fairly expected to make over and above the cost of cultivation, interest on capital invested, and maintenance of himself and family, while in the case of town and suburban land it means such rent as a tenant can pay, having regard to the site of the buildings and the business or residential advantages of the property. Application to fix a fair rent shall act as a bar to proceedings for the ejectment of a tenant, or for breach of covenant in respect to non-payment of rent until the matter is finally determined. All orders of the Fair Rent Board shall have the same force as an order of the Supreme Court, and the decision of the Board shall be final and conclusive until a fresh application is made, which either party tp the lease may make at anytime. Members of the Board and the necessary officials are to be paid such salaries as may be agreed upon and all fees paid under the Act are to go to the consolidated fund. Power is given to every local authority to agree with its tenants privately as to a fair rent, but such agreements are subject to confirmation of the Board. The report of every Board's proceedings is to be annually laid before Parliament.