FAIR RENTS ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 22, 26 July 1945, Page 9

FAIR RENTS ACT

AMENDMENT TO .BE MADE

TEMPORARY LODGINGS

When an Opposition member in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon moved the addition of a clause to the Finance Bill with the object of waiving some of the provisions of the Fair Rents Act in order to give returned servicemen temporary accommodation in houses or rooms, it was revealed that the Government, proposes to legislate on these lines. "Did he steal your thunder?" asked an Opposition member when the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) objected to the new clause' as being; unsuitable for a Finance Bill..

The House had completed committee consideration of the Bill when Mr. E. P. Aderman (National,- New Plymouth) moved that a new clause be added enabling a house owner who was unwilling to let-rooms or a dwelling for an indefinite term, to make an agreement with a returned serviceman, subject to approval by a Magistrate, for a term of occupation not exceeding 12 months. He stated that the housing position was acute in New Plymouth, and that proposal would at any rate provide some temporary relief, as.it would throw open some dwellings which the owners would not make available without the safeguard against indefinite occupation. The Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) said that provisions of a similar nature were under the consideration of the Government, and instructions had been giveii to draft an amendment to the Fair Rents Act.

Mi-. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford) said the amendment had been brought down by Mr. Aderman at the request of the R.S.A. From every part of New Zealand stories were heard daily of what was happening. As the men came back from overseas the housing situation became more urgent. If the Government gave a promise to put such a clause in the Bill the member for New Plymouth would withdraw the amendment.

AN IMPORTANT MATTER

The Prime Minister said an important question had been raised, and he must have, time to examine the amendment. He was not aware how it would operate. He thought the member for New Plymouth had done a service in bringing the amendment forward. He would certainly look at the matter before the Bill went to another place, and if it could not be included in the Bill it would be dealt with without any avoidable delay.

In withdrawing the amendment, Mr. Aderman said the spirit in which the Prime Minister had replied was the spirit in which 'the amendment was put forward. There had been no demonstration associated with his action in proposing the amendment.