THE HOUSING LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1922, Page 5

THE HOUSING LAW.

AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT. TENANTS WITH A CHILD. QUESTION OF THEIR RIGHTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Housing matters were discussed in Parliament to-night, when the Housing Bill was taken in committee. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) moved to strike out sub-section two of clause seven repealing section fifty-six of the principal Act and section 22 of the amending Act of 1920. He asked that this legislation be suspended until next session, by which time a census of empty houses could be made, and the House would then have the fullest information on which to act. At present it was asked to repeal the existing law while more or less in the dark as to the actual position. Mr. Fraser contended that the only solution of the housing problem in the absence of sufficient houses was to give magistrates power to say whether an occupier would suffer undue hardship if compelled to vacate a house. That had been a great safeguard in the past, and he asked the Minister not to take that power away until it is definitely ascertained that there are sufficient houses for all.

This view was supported by several members, but the amendment was defeated by 30 votes to 22.

Minister said he was considering having a clause inserted in the Bill when it reaches the Legislative Council, providing a penalty for anyone who obtains a house under clause seven and lets the same within six months.

On the Minister’s motion paragraph (g) of sub-section one, which reads “Any other ground that may be deemed sufficient by the magistrate making the order,” on an application for recovery of a dwelling house was struck out.

Mr. J. A. Young (Waikato) moved new clauses to enable electric power boards to acquire land and erect dwellings for their employees. This was lost on the voices. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) moved a new clause making it unlawful for any person owning a vacant dwellinghouse to refuse to let if to any man or woman of good character who has a child or children. The Minister said the matter was one of great difficulty, and though all would agree with the I intentions of the clause he feared it would have little effect. He would look into the matter and see if it was possible to insert a clause on these lines when the Bill reaches the Legislative Council.

Mr. Parry accepted this assurance, and the amendment was allowed to drop out on the voices.

Mr Fraser suggested an amendment designed to check the practice of putting inferior furniture into empty houses and requiring tenants to purchase same. This was rejected on the voices. The Bill was reported, read a third time and passed.