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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MINUTES.
The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Council were confirmed.
NEW MEMBERS.
The Hon. Mr. J. A. Fraser, M.C. (Attorney General, Acting) and the Hon. Dr. P. S. Selwyn-Clarke, M.C. (Director of Medical Services) took the Oath of Allegiance and assumed their seats as members of the Council.
RENTS COMMISSION.
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.-Honourable Members,-As you are aware, there has recently been considerable public discussion in local newspapers and elsewhere of charges for rent which are said to be generally rising, with inequitable results in certain cases. Moreover, individual representations have been made to me and, as I am cognisant, to certain members of this and the Executive Council, bearing upon the same points. During this week I have conferred upon this subject with persons interested therein and, this morning, with my Executive Council,
Several suggestions have been received from various quarters that legislation should be passed at once which would give greater protection to the holders of existing tenancies than that which common law and local statutes now provide and, conversely, would restrict the existing rights and powers of landlords. On the other hand, recognition is generally given to the fact that any such legislation would be unusual and drastic in its effect and might easily have repercussions which would inflict more harm than benefit in the end.
These issues have been carefully considered by Government, that is to say, the Governor in Executive Council, and the conclusion reached unanimously there is that while there is evidence that rents have risen and are rising and that tenants in certain cases are put into difficulty, not to say hardship, on that account, closer and more systematic investigation of the facts in relation to all relevant circumstances is necessary before such a far-reaching measure can properly be presented to this Council. I have, therefore, decided to appoint at once a small Commission empowered to receive and to analyse complaints by either of the parties to a tenancy agreement who considers himself aggrieved or injured by steps taken by the other party.
Should the report of that Commission-and I hope that it will be able to reach its conclusions rapidly---convince Government that action is necessary along the lines which I have mentioned, a bill will be put before you with all possible expedition.
STANDING LAW COMMITTEE.
THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.-By Your Excellency's direction I ris to announce the appointment of the Standing Law Committee for 1938.
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