RENT AND POSSESSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1922, Page 7

RENT AND POSSESSION.

ANOTHER TENANCY CASE. A couple of hours were occupied at the sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at New Plymouth yesterday afternoon in hearing the claim of W. J. Shepherd for £lB, arrears of rent, and possession of the premises from R. Lumsden, watchmaker, of Devon Street. The sum of £l4 had been paid into Court. The difficulties in this case had arisen through defendant’s alleged refusal to give up the premises ocrupied by him.. Plaintiff said he had required the premises for his own business and had arranged with defendant to shift into a new shop he was erecting next door. According to plaintiff, Lumsden had taken a rather keen interest in the new building and various alterations he had suggested had been given effect to. It transpired during the cross-examination that his plans for taking the shop had fallen through and in anticipation of Lumsden taking the new shop he had offered the premises to let, and had received an offer of £3 per week. But the defendant had backd out of the shift. .Further, it eame out that, there was living accommodation at the back of the shop. A notice to quit had been served on the defendant and plaintiff had not accepted the rent sent to him. Mr. F. E. Wilson, for the defence, relied on the war legislation for the protection of tenants. He contended that the place- came under the designation of a dwelling and characterised the present case as one of profiteering. Here was a man trying to get his tenants out in order to increase the rent by 50 per cent. The Magistrate gave judgment for £4, with costs £2 9s on the amount claimed, and deferred judgment on the claim for possession for one month.