EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1942, Page 4

EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

PROTECTION AGAINST LOSS ENQUIRY MADE IN PARLIAMENT. PRINCIPLE OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An extension of the protection afforded by the War Damage Act so as to cover damage to buildings or personal property which may result from earthquake activity was suggested in a question of which notice was given by Mr Robertson (Government, Masterton). The question was directed to the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, and associated with Mr Robertson in his inquiry were Mr Roberts (Government, Wairarapa), Mr Barnard (Democratic Labour, .Napier), and Mr Cullen (Government, Hawke’s Bay). They suggested that if the scope of the War Damage Act could not be enlarged to give the necessary protection then this might be done by makingprovision independent of that Act. In a note t.o their question they said the principle of collective responsioiliiy in the case of earthquake loss was recognised in the original draft of the Hawke’s Bay Earthquake Act, 1931, and last wack’s happenings confirmed the need for some suitable provision in the interest at least of people of small means.