WAR NECESSITIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2828, 20 July 1916, Page 6

WAR NECESSITIES

LOCAL ELECTIONS POSTPONED

RESTRICTION OF RENT

PRE-WAR STANDARD THE BASIS

A vory important Bill dealing with a variety of subjocts in no way related was rnfroduced into tho_ House of tfepresentatlvcs by Governor's Mefsago . last night. The title was the War Legislation Amendment Bill.

The first part of the Bill provides for restriction on tho increase of vent during tho war, and the main operative clause is as follows:— „ (1) Where 'tho rent of a dwellinglouse to which this part of this Act applies has been since the commencement, of the present war, or is; hereafter during the continuance of this part of this Act, increased abovo the standard rent as hereinafter defined, tho amount by which the rent payable exceeds the amount which would havo been payable had tho increase not been mafto shall, notwithstanding any agreement 'to the contrary, bo irrecoverable:~ Provided that — (a) This part of this Act sliall not apply to any rent which accrued due before the passing of this Act; and (b) Where tho landlord has sinco the commcnoement of tho present war incurred, or.' during the continuance of this part of this Act incurs, expenditure on the improvement or structural alteration of a dwellinghouse (not including expenditure on decoration or repairs), an increase of ■ rent at a rate not exceeding 8 per cent, per annum on the amount so expended shall not be deemed to »e an increase for tho purposes of this . part of this Act. (2) Any transfer to a tenant of any burden or liability .previously borne by the landlord shall for tho purposes of this part of this Act be treated as an alteration of rent, and where, as the result of such a transfer, the terms on which a dwelling-house is 'held are on the whole less favourable to tho tenant than the previous. terms the rent shall bo deemed to be increased,, whether or not tho sum periodically payable by way of rent is increased, and any increase of rent in respect of any transfer tu a landlord of any burden or liability previously bomo by the tenant where, as tho result of sucli transfer, the,terms on which a dwelling'liouse is hold are on tho whole not leas favourable to the tenant than the previous terms shall be deemed not to bo an increase of rent for tho purposes of this part of this Act. If any question arises' under this subsection it shall ho determined by a Stipendiary Magistrate, whose decisiou shall be final and conclusive. ' (3) Where the landlord pays the rates chargeable on tho occupier of any ilwel-ling-house an increase of tho rent of the dwelling-house shall not ho deemed to be an increase for the purposes of this part of this Aot if the amount of the increase docs not exceed any increase in .the . amount for the time being payable by the landlord in respect of such rates over the corresponding amount paid •in respect of tho yearly, half-yearly, or other period which included the third day of August, 1914. Matters of Detail.

1 Even in those cases where increases of rent may be permitted, tho landlord must give twenty-eight days', notice, and the increased rout is not to bo recoverable until after the expiry of the period of notice. No fine or premium is .to 6e chargeablo in. respect of tho renewal of tenaucy, and in ' cases where any such payment is made in respect of any such dwellinghouse after tlio passing of tho Act, then tho amount shall be recoverable by the tenant by whom it was made from tho landlord. No tenant may bo ejectcd under order, of tlio Court so long as ho pays rent at tho agreed rate, except on the ground that iie has lailed to tako care of tho premises or has been guilty of waste, or has been guilty of conduct which is a nuisance «r an annoyance to neighbours, or unless it could be shown that the premises are "reasonably required" by tho landlord for the occupation of himself or of some person in liis employ, or on some ether ground which may bo deemed satisfactory by the Court making such an order. "Standard rent" is defiued as the rent at Which, the dwelling-house was let on August 3, 1911, or, il it was not let oil that date, the rent at which' it. was last let before'that date; or iri tlio case of a dwelling-house which was lirst let after August 3, 191J, 1 tho rent at.which it was lirst lot.f Tlio Act applies not only to a house, but to a part of a house let aai a separate dwelling, but it doc 6 not apply to any hoi&o the standard rent of which exceeds JilOA per annum, or to any house let at a rent which includes payments in respect of board, attendance, or uso of furniture. All these, provisions wits, respect to rent are to remain in force until six months after tlio' conclusion of the war with Germany.'

Soldiers and Land. Part 2 of the Bill is intended to make it easier for soldiers on active service to obtain land from tho . Crown. It is provided that agents may apply for land on b'lialf of persons engaged on military service beyond New Zealand, if prior to the war they wero bona-fide residents of New Zealand., The age-limit prescribed for applicants for land under the Land Settlement Act is not to apply t'o apolicants who have been engaged on military service. Power is asked for by the Minister of Lands to postpone for such period as he may think fit the due dates of payment of instalments of principal and interest by licensees of Crown land, who are members of the Expeditionary Force. Shortage of Tcachcrs. Part 3 of the Bill proposes to make it'lawful for all Education Board during the period of the war, and lor six months thereafter, to appoint as temporary teachers such persous as it thinks fit, whether 'certificated teachers, or persons holding licenses to teach or not. Theso applications are to be terminable on one month's notice, and they are not to continue under any circumstances for mora than twelve mouths after the terininaliuii of the present war. The Minister of Education, it is provided, may temporarily modify the scale of staffing allotted for schools in particular grades or classes. In respect of additional duties cast upon any teacher on account of such reduction in stalling, an allowance may be paid in addition to salary. There is a provision also relating to tho payment of salaries to tho teachers in secondary schools.

Superannuation Funds. Auotber part of the Bill gives to men who have retired from any branch of the Public Service, in order to enlist, and who have withdrawn their contributions to their superannuation fund, the right under certain circumstances to rejoin the fund as if their services had been continuous. This right is completo if the mall is afterward.') appointed to the Service from which ho retires, ami if within one year from the date of his reappointment or from the passing of the Act (whichever shall bo tho later), there is pifid into tho fund by him or on his behalf llio amount he drew from tho fund 011 his retirement. Miscellaneous Clauses. Tho statutory elections of members of local authorities that ivould take placo beiorp August 1, 1017, arc, it is proposed, to Iki postponed for ono year, and the term of ollice of tho existing members are accordingly, to be extended for a year. There are special provisions to provide for exceptional cases. Owing to the high cost of fencing material since the outbreak of war cases of hardship have arisen in conncction with tho administration of the Fencing Act. A cluuso in this Bill provides that the minimum price payable under tho reusing Act in respect of the half-cost of orecting a fence shall be such sum as may bo fixed by tho Governor by Ordcr-in-Council. Another of tho miscellaneous clauses provides that the name of a member of Parliament absent from New Zealand on active service shall not be removed from tho electoral roll of the district in which he is an elector. The honorarium payable to members of Parliament is to continue to bo paid to members who are in tho forces. [ A clause makes a special provision

for tho legitimation of the illegitimate children of soldiers.

The payments made by local bodies for expenses in connection with recruiting a.ro to l:c validated. .Special provision is ma<lc> for tho extension of the term of indentures of an apprentice who, while still an apprentice, becomes a member of tlie Expeditionary Force. The proposal is that indentures aro to bo suspended during the period wlion tho man is on active servjeo. Provision is mado for tho protection of mining privileges while tho holders aro engaged on military' servico. Difficulty is being experienced in recruiting the polico force. It is impossible now to ask single mon to join tho force, and thoro is an ago limit which prevents (lie employment of middle-aged men. 'J'his Bill contains a clause empowering tlie appointment of temporary members of the polico force. Tho last section of tlio Bill empowers soldiers to dispose of land by such wills as would otherwise only bo valid as disposing of personalty.