PROTECTION FOR TENANTS.

Wairarapa Age, 5 July 1932, Page 5

PROTECTION FOR TENANTS.

POSSIBLE REVISION OF LAW.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF EMPLOYMENT.

WELLINGTON’, July 4. There is a likelihood that the Government will next session undertake the revision of the Distress and Replevin Act to give greater protection to tenants in dwellings, according to a statement by the Acting-Minister of Employment (the Hon. A. Hamilton) in his reply to a deputation from Wellington relief workers and the Property Owners' Association to-day. The Minister said he intended looking into the A.ct to see if it could be amended so as to give assistance to tenants.

Attempts have been made by Mr. P. Fraser, Labour member for Wellington Central, to have the Act amended in order to enable tenants to take their cases before the Court before being turned out of their houses and sold up by the landlord through the bailiff. The Minister informed Mr. Fraser that he was going to investigate the purport of, the Act and he acknowledged the efforts made by Mr. Fraser to have the measure amended. Under the law in its present form, there is no need for a landlord to take a defaulting tenant to court. All he is obliged to do is to appoint a bailiff and, if the tenant willing to leave, the landlord may sell his effects, but he must leave the tenant with £5O. If, on the other hand, the tenant is unwilling to leave, the landlord may sell all his effects as well as evict him. The object of Mr. Fraser's amendments, which were incorporated- in a Private Bill introduced by him during the 1931 main session, was to make it obligatory for the landlord to take the case to Court, so that it could bo decided before a Magistrate. The Bill passed the House of Representatives, but it was reported adversely upon by the Statutes Revision Committee of the Legislative Council and rejected.—(P.A.)