H.—ll.

SERVANTS' REGISTRY OFFICES ACT. There are 104 offices registered in New Zealand—an increase of twenty. The usual visits of in spection were made during the year to see that the Act is generally complied with. RENT-RESTRICTION. There were 551 applications received from tenants for inquiry (previous year, 605). The following table shows the results of the investigations :—

In addition to the above, there was a small number of cases that were not completed at the end of the year. Two cases were reported where|owners wished to sell dwellings after obtaining possession for their own occupation, but in each case the owner applied for and obtained permission from the Magistrate to sell. The rent-restriction provisions as hitherto in operation were continued by the Rent Restriction Act, 1926, until the Ist August, 1927. After that date this Act will provide (1) that the standard rent shall be determined on the 7 per cent, on the capital value of the dwellinghouse as at the date of such determination (instead of on the 1914 value), exclusive of rates, insurance, repairs, and depreciation; (2) that the Act shall cease to operate except where, on the application of the tenant, a Magistrate otherwise orders; in deciding the question the Magistrate shall have regard to the greater hardship that may be caused to either party concerned. Inspectors in some of the districts report a continued shortage of houses, and the hardship that would still be caused to tenants if the law were terminated. It should again be noted that in any case the Act does not apply to houses first let after the 9th November, 1920. FOOTWEAR REGULATION ACT. There were 1,616 general inspections made throughout the Dominion under this Act, and stocks of footwear were carefully examined. There were four prosecutions, and fines totalling £20 were ordered. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AOT. The number of premises inspected during the year is 10,180 (previous year 9,067). The total fees calleoted for testing and verifying appliances were £5,989 2s. 3d., an increase of £1,139 6s. sd. over last year. Proceedings were taken against twenty-nine traders, and twenty-seven convictions were obtained; penalties, £53 55.The reciprocal arrangement with other English-speaking countries mentioned last year, by which information is exchanged regarding new legislation, regulations, and methods of administration, has been continued. This has proved .especially valuable in regard to new appliances, and also to old-types with y new devices introduced into them; in every such case an illustration and full description are -'Obtained from the country in which it was first introduced.

14

Number in which Rents umbe f ™ whl( * Rent ? demanded were reduced. demanded were deemed Total Number justified. Number m whlch nQ La v *■' At instance of x> -n x x Proceedings Applications. B Department By By Department fatm , g Court, without reference Court, without reference to Court. t0 Court ' Auckland .. .. 96 1 73 .. 8 14 Wellington .. 302 12 110 4 32 144 Christchurch 28 2 14 .. 1 11 Dunedin .. .. 58 .. 45 .. 6 7 Hamilton Gisborne .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 Napier . . . . 22 . . 18 . . 2 2 Masterton .. .. 9 .. 4 .. .. 5 New Plymouth .. 5 .. 5 .. Wanganui Palmerston North 10 . . 2 . . 6 2 Nelson .. .. 4 .. 2 .. .. 2 Greymouth .. 5 .. 4 .. .. 1 Timaru .. .. 5 .. 2 .. .. 3 Oamaru .. .. 3 .. 2 1 Invercargill .. 3 .. 1 .. .. 2 551 15 282 5 55 194 !_ * For example: Cases found to be outside scope of Act, owner having sold to another for latter's own occupation.