BRITISH RENTS BILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19200, 17 June 1924, Page 8

BRITISH RENTS BILL.

DUTIES OF LOCAL BODIES. Labour in administrative power is finding it difficult in Britain to translate into solid practice the platform ideals of Labour orators in respect of housing All the schemes for a housing millennium, so far, have had to be amended with some path less ness, and the Labour Government is also discovering that it is difficult to devise practical legislation for the restric tion of rent. There w r ere several lively meetings of the Standing Committee A of the House of Commons last month, when the Rent Restrictions Bill was discussed. The main bone of contention was a proposed amendment giving power to the council of a county borough to determine whether control within its area should be ended or extended beyond 1925, subject to the sanction of the Minister of Health. Some interesting statements were made in the course of contentious discussion. Lord Eustace Percy declared that one of the great evils of the housing question was that while housing played a great part in Parliament it played a very slight part in the municipalities, which were only too glad to shove olf responsibility on to the national Government by saying it was a national question. Mr Maidy done.-, who was in charge of the Bill, said there wore two vital facts in this matter of housing. The 44 millions population of Great Britain was increasing at a greater rate than half a million a year, and on tlie bsis of live persons per cottage they would require at least 100,000 new house; a year to keep pace with a normal increase of population. The additional fact, was that at least 1,(XX),000 houses in Great Britain were absolutely unfit for human habitation, but local authorities could not close them because tlie people had nowhere else to go. To meet that need they would requiie another 100.000 houses a year to close 10 per cent, of the unlit houses every year. That meant a total of 200,000 new houses every year for 10 years to come. He admitted it was a big programme, but they must tackle it to keep with the population. Conservative cheers greeted Mr Mardy Jones's declaration that those on his side recognised that the sooner they got rid of control !ho better for the country. But while the present shortage of houses continued. he added, they could not got decontrol.

“ If,” bo said to the Conservatives opposite, ” you wnl help us to get the houses we will help you !o got decontrol. —(Ironical Opposition cheers.) Tlie whole question of decontrol turns on the question of new houses.—(Cheers and counter-cheers.) Mr Mardy Jones developed some heat as he spoke of sonic landlords, and described them as “ rack renters,” adding: “The Rents Acts are absolutely necessary to protect the tenant population against these vultures, who are sucking the blood of tho poor people of our country.”