STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 470, 11 July 1902, Page 3

STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

A GOVERNMENT MEASURE. SPEECH BY ACTING-PREMIER. By Tolcgraph —Pross Association. Wellington, last night. In tho House of Representatives this afternoon Sir Josoph Ward moved tho socond reading of tho Stato Firo Insurance Bill. Ho submitted that tho stock argument that the Stato ought not to In - torforo with private enterprise should not stand in tho way of progressive rofortn. Othor Stato departments had boon carried on successfully, and ho believed that a Stato Fire Insurance Oflico would fix a maximum scale of charges, and prevont them being raised to an abnormal height. Ho did not think a Stato office would prove injurious to private companies. Mr James Allen objected to involving the colony in raising nioro money, a big loan, in such a vonturo, as it was quite possiblo thnt all the initial capital would by largo lossos bo lost in tho first year. It had not boen shown that Stato fire insurance could Do carriod on successfully. A long dobato ensued, and was interupted by tho 5.80 adjournment. BILL READ A SECOND TIME. ON THE VOICES. Later. —After further dobato to-night the Stato Fire Insurance Bill was road a second timo on tho voices.