PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 969, 15 August 1903, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. 1 The House met at 2.30. i Ministers gave notice of the introduction of a number of Bills, among them being the Electoral Act Amendment, Regulations of Local Elections, Amendment of the Lands for Settlement Act, Amendment of the Teachers Superannuation Fund, and the Referendum. Mr Seddon intimated that the Financial Statement debate would not bo started beforo Tuesday. Questions occupied the rest of the afternoon. j FIRE INSURANCE 'BILL. The House resumed at 7.80. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Fire Insurance Bill. Ho complained that tho private companies wore charging abnormally high rates, and in some districts they had refused to insure. The hugo profits paid by private companies was a sufficient answer to the conten- I tion that fire insurance businoss by the Stato would not pay. In faco of these I high profits, ho considered tho colony ran no risk whatever of losing money in the venture. Ho was assured tho Government Department would not experience I any difficulty in obtaining re insurance. Mr Duthie thought the Government were entering upon a dangerous undertaking.