A MUNICIPAL SQUABBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8181, 14 August 1906, Page 2

A MUNICIPAL SQUABBLE.

AN INSURANCE QUESTION.

At the last meeting of the School Commissioners the Mayor and some councillors of New Plymouth interviewed the members in reference to (he (matter of the insurance on the baths. Last year the buildings were insured in tlie State, but in fixing tins year's insurances the council endeavoured to sharo them out more evenly amongst the looal agents.' Accordingly the cover was allotted to the Standard for £SOO. The lease from the Commissioners provided that before changing the office three days' notice must be given, and the sanction .if the Board obtained. This was not ■lone, and the secretary to the Board took out a policy for i'7so in the Alliance office, for which ho was i™cnt, after cunsulting with the board's solicitor and chairman. The council took exception to this action ; hence the deputation. In the discussion, Mr Major referred sarcastically to the council's method of placing its risks. Mr Jennings was of opinion that, whilst tho council seemed to have committed an error in the first place, the chairman aud clerk had not improved matters by placing the insurance with the secretary's office. The secretary mentioned that under no circumstances would the Alliance Insurance Company take the risk again. After further discussion, tho Board decided "That the New Plymouth liorough Council be written to, to the effect that the initial difficulty was caused by misapprehension of the position by tho borough, and that the Board's secretary, instructed by the Chairman, took the necessary steps to cover the risk. That the Council be tsked to remit tho premium paid by the Board, and be inEormed that if the Council will submit tho name of an insurance company bnforo tho present policy expires, and advise the amount proposed to bo insured, this Board will, if tho same be in order, sanctiou a change if desired by the Council." Tho incident did not finish there j it came up again at the Borough Council meeting on Monday night, the Mayor complaining that tho buildings were over insure! The rate charged, too, vn s excessive.

Cr, Monteatn moved that the decision of the School Commissions be referred to the Works Committee. I fe knew the Council should have given three day's notice, but he complained that the secretary to the Commissioners had seized the opportunity to secure the risk for his own office when such action was not necessary The Board's interests were being fully conseryed by fie coyer already taken out by the Council.

Mr Bellringer considered this a matter for the Works Committee, who, he thought, had got the Council into a mess, and should bo left to get it out. Eventually the Council decided to refer tho matter to the Works CommHtee, and tho Town Clerk will notify the companies of the added insurance,