YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19005, 29 July 1925, Page 9

YESTERDAY'S PARLIAMENT

In the House of Representatives the Hon. R. F. Rollard moved the second reading of the Fire Brigades’ Bill, which, he said, was mainly a consolidating measure, but several amendments were included. Provision was made for the. dissolution of a fire district and the re-vesting by an Order in Council of its property and liabilities Sn any other fire board then exercising jurisdiction over the area formerly comprised in the fire district, or, if there were no board, in the local authority in the district where the area was situated. The following persons were included among those not eligible for election on fire boards: —Anyone holding any office or place of profit under the gift of the board, and those interested or concerned in contracts made by the board (other than in the interests in loan raised by the board). Absence without leave from four consecutive meetings would render a member liable to lose his seat. With the consent of the Minister, the board might establish a capital expenditure fund for which throe commissioners would he appointed who would deal with all moneys that might bo appropriated by the board for the fund. Expenditure. out of this fund would be approved by the Minister. The board might, with the consent of the Minister, for the purpose of paying gratuities or pensions to firemen, establish a deferred payment fund. No servant or agent of any insurance company could be appointed secretary of a (ire board.

Mr J). G. Sullivan complained that the Bill proposed that the Government subsidy to city fire boards should remain at £2OO, which had not been increased since 1907. In the meantime the responsibility of fire boards and the value of Government property to be protected bad greatly increased. He asked that this subsidy he adequately increased.—Sir John Luke contended that if a city council desired to look after its own fire-extinguishing arrangements it should not be compelled to accept a fire hoard. If a city council performed the functions of a fire board, then the insurance companies doing business in that city should be compelled to pay their contribution just as they did towards the fire board.—ln replying, the Minister said that there was no intention of disestablishing municipal fire brigades and crushing them under the Fire Boards Act.—The Bill was read a second time. In the evening the Budget Debate began, the House rising at 11 p.m.