HOUSING BILL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16984, 5 November 1920, Page 7

HOUSING BILL.

MORE GOVERNMENT AMENDMENTS. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.' 1 ) WELLINGTON, November 4. A number of amendments were introduced in the House this afternoon by Governor-General's message. The Minister in charge, Sir William ITerries, explained that they consisted largely of alterations asked for by different members. Clause 8 gave power to the Housing Department to spend money in providing lighting, drainago, and water, where it was building a number of houses. This was extended also to include heating. It also gave the Department the same power in respect to houses thai/ it had already built. An extension was made to the clause enabling the Government to lend money to public utility societies for housing purposes. The Bill as passed provided that the Government could advance money up to 7,5 per cent of the value of the land owned by the society, or any member who had received a scction under the scheme. This was now to bo altered to make the limit for advances the improved value of tho land in each case, so that the Government could advance up to To per cent of tho value, including improvements. The clause permitting a sub-tenant or sublessee renting a room 'or portion of a house to apply to a magistrate to_ determine a fair rent was being amplified bv giving authority to an inspector of factories to make an application in that direction on behalf of tho sub-tenant or sub-lessee, the result being that the Department could intervene to have a. fair rent fixed in such a case. Some new clauses were inserted, the object of tho first being to givo the Department the right to suo for the recovery of 'itn:paid instalments of money advanced under the Act. A further clause had been inserted to meet the request made while the Bill was before tho House on behalf of harbour boards. It provided that for the purpose of acacqniring land and erecting houses any harbour board might with the consent of the Minister for Marine, and without taking a poll of the ratepayers, borrow monev on debentures or on mortgage on tlve land on which the dwellings were to be erected. It*also enabled the State to advance money on this socuritv without reouirins: the security of a special rate. The Minister added that lie did not know that the boards , would be able to borrow much money on this securitv, but tho power was being «riven to them as asked. Several members, he added, had in eommittee that the limit of £10.000 on the borrowing powers of municinnlities should be increased. Tt was found that this was not necessarv, ns there was no such limit placed bv the Act. It_ was simply a limit placed bv the lendini? departments of the State. Tt was only necessary to get over the Minister °f Finance to <rot over the £10.000 limit. A member: But he" is .harder to get over than you are. Sir William Herries: "Well, tio amendment of the Act is needed." He nrlrWl the amendments were nil rinht. Thov had all been for, and he thought that, tho harbour boards would he fitis/ied with what was being do«r> for them. The amendments were acrreed to and fovward«d to the "F><ris!*+ive Council, where they ..were dealt with immediately and also arrreed to.