RENTED HOUSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1919, Page 6

RENTED HOUSES.

AND PROPOSED RESTRICTIONS.

Wellington. Oct. 30.

In the Housing Bill as it stands at present there is a provision which allows the Court to refuse to give an order for ejectment if, in the opinion of the Magistrate, the execution of such an order would cause undue hardship to the tenant. Presumably the Magistrate will be in duty bound to consider the hardships also of the owner of the premises. l A deputation waited on the Prime Minister yesterday morning on behalf of the Dominion Estate Agents' Association, to point out to him that the refusal of an order for possession might quite often cause hardship to the owner.

The speakers for the deputation told the Minister that the new rule might often in operation cause great hardship to owners of small properties, who, were qyito frequently people of small 'means. It was suggested that the Bill was asking the individual to hear a burden which ought to belong to the community. Owners of properties had had no increased profits by the letting of their houses since the war started, and on the other hand they had to face the increased cost of labor, materials, etc., necessary to keep the properties in proper repair. A very large number of small investors had invested their savings in house property in the past, and if they were now further restricted by the present proposed legislation they would undoubtedly suffer, further. The restrictions at present were so serious that in very many cases owners would not let their houses unless they could got possession again when the term expired, and there was no inducement to people to buil.l houses.

Mr. Massey, in reply, stated that tha Bill could now be amended by GovernorGeneral's message only, hut the proposed legislation was only a temporary measure, and would expire, probably, by next August. He did not think any individual hardship would accrue from it. People with families were sutl'ering great, hardships in being turned out of houses when they could not get others, but he admitted that- similar instances existed oil the reverse side.

I Tlie deputation gave instances of hardships to sub-tenants and others, and the case of .1 soldier whose place was let whilst at the front, but when he returned he found, another, returned soldier in possession, who, however, refused to give up the premises. Jt was also pointed out that owners could not let their houses for short periods when absent temporarily with a certainty of getting possession again on their return. Mr. Massev promised to give careful consideration tj the points stressed by the deputation and consult his colleagues on them.