PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 136, 26 October 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY. OCTOBER 25. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. The Council met at 2.30. WASHING UP. The Town Boards Amendment and Widows Pensions Bill were put through their final stages. The Defence Amendment Bili was recommitted, and a new clause inserted, on the motion of the Minister, to provide that where an individual is arrested for default of payment of a fine and costs, the Minister may, as a condition of discharging him, Tequire him to pay the -whole or part of such fine as the Minister determines; notwithstanding that he may have been detained in military custody and been discharged by Ministerial warrant, such person shall remain liable for the payment of fines, and such payments may be enforced by attachment order or otherwise, but if the person is detained in military custody for the full period specified in tie warrant of military custody he shall be discharged from all liability to pay such fine or costs. The Bill was reported with amendments and the third reading carried.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House met at 2.30. The Imprest Bill was introduced by Governor's Message. Mr. Ell enquired as to the methods being pursued by the State Fire Insurance Department. The Department) saved £130.000 a year to the country. He desired to know whether the Advances Department insisted on properties being insured in the State Fire Office.

Mr. Allen stated that people who borroiwed from the Advances Office were told that they must insure their properties, and that preference must bo given to the State Office.

Replying to Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Allen said that he estimated that a sum of £142,000 would be available for the .Supplementary Estimates.

Mr. Fisher stated that there was no power in the hands of the Advances Department to tie up its clients to the State Fire Office. Mr. Isitt said that clients of the Advances Department should be compelled to insure with the State Fire Office. Dr. Newman held a similar opinion. He thought that -the Minister was assisting large private concerns. Mr."Allen said that he had done all he could to make the Government Departments as successful as possible. The Act laid it down that clients could select any reputable office in which to insure. The defining of "a reputable office" was left to the Minister. He could not possibly refuse consent to a client insuring in what was a reputable office. Mr. Ell: Your predecessors did. Mr. Allen: Thev did not. Mr. Ell: I'll prove it.

Mr. Forbes stated that he knew that the. Superintendent of the Advances Department insisted that insurance should be effected in the State Office. Mr. Wilford said that he would take the first available opportunity of moving an amendment to the present Act which would strike out the words "or in any other reputable company," making it imperative that the Department's clients shall insure with the State Office. He was looking forward to the day when insurance would be in the hands of the State.

"Mr. Atniore thought that if a. borrower could get his property insured at a lower rate than that charged by the State Office he should be allowed 'to do so. Otherwise he should be compelled to insure in the State Office. The present Government say: "It is preferable that you should insure with the C-overnment Office." Mr. Fisher said that (he State Fire Insurance Office had bluffed everyone for years. They had nothing to do with loans, as they were not the mortgagors. He believed that every bit of Government business should go through State offices. The House adjourned at v>M. The House r«iHiii«l at 7.3«. The debate on fhe Imprest Bill was continued. Replying to Mr. MaeDonald, Mr. Allen said that every opportunity would be given to enable officers of junior cadets to sit for commissions in Territorials. The Bill was put through all its stages. The amendments made by the Council in the Widows ronton* Amendment Bill find Defence Amendment Tiill wore agreed <JO.