NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 291, 2 September 1908, Page 9

NEWS AND NOTES.

STATE FIRE INSURANCE. In tho Stato Firo Insuranco Account on tho Estimates is an item "Genoral manager, £800." _ Mr. Hardy asked tho Minister who was going to draw that sum sinco tho managor had resigned. The .Hon. J. Millar 6£id that Mr. Richardson, in charge of tho Government Lifo Insuranco Department, was temporarily controlling the Department. No appointment had been made. Mr. Hardy: "Is it intended to appoint another general manager?" The I'Minister said- tho matter was under consideration. Nothing deflnito had heen_ done, but it was possiblo that a reorfzamsa.tion of tho /vholo branch would take placo. The-vote was put on the Estimates n case another general manager should bo appointed. Tho , Minister was asked furthor if he proposed a different policy. Ho replied that there were certain proposals being considered, but as to whethor it would not bo bettor to place tho Department undor a soparato manager or retain it under Mr. Richardson's control had yet to be decided.

BANKRUPTCY LAWS. A petition, was presented to- the House yesterday by Mr. Baumo from the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Auckland merchants, asking for a- commission of inquiry as to what amendments to tho bankruptcy laws of the Dominion aro desirable. It is asked that the commission should consist of the senior official assignee of 'tho Dominion, with one or two leading merchants and a similar number of experienced accountants, and it should bo empowered to prepare, or cause to be prepared, a new Bill in substitution for the present Bankruptcy Act. Two days' leave. of absence was granted yesterday to Mr. G. Laurenson, membor for Lyttelton, on account of urgent public business. That modesty is not a failing of tho longsuffering residents of tho "Roadless North' 1 is evident from a petition which was presented to tho House to-day by Mr. .Houston on behalf of a number of suppliers to tho Kaitaia Co-operative. Dairy Factory. They, point out that tho bad state of tho road leading to tho factory hampers them in reaching tho factory. They accordingly ask Parliament for the sum of one thousand pounds for the purpose of repairing and metalling tho road. Mr. Ell told the House last' night that at the same time as there was a penalty under statute law of £5 for killing a stoat or a weasel, one of tho. Christchurch road boards —either Templeton or Ricearton—had advertised a reward of Is. a head for. every stoat or weasel killed in the district.