PROPERTY LAW.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 180, 15 July 1927, Page 7

PROPERTY LAW.

AMENDMENT BILL. READ THE FIRST (Special to “Tribune.”) Parliament Buildings, July 14. The Property Law Amendment Bill, introduced and read a first time in the House ol Representatives, is designed, in one respect, to amend the law as to the .grants of rights ol access over land of light and air. By the present law such a grant cannot be made for a longer period than 22 years.

The object of the final clause in the bill is the adoption of the rule of law recently enacted in England with respect to persons who may die in the same calamity. Prior to the commencement of that Act. the rule in England was. as it still is in New Zealand, that where two people perish by the same calamity, then, in the absence of evidence on the point, there is no presumption as to the order in which they died, or that they died at the same time. The onus of proof lies on the party who asserts the survival or concurrent disease or predecease, as the case may be. The rule established in England by the Act of 1.925 and now proposed to be adopted here, is that in the absence of evidence establishing tile contrary, the younger of two persons losing his life in a common disaster shall be deemed to have survived the elder.

STATE FIRE INSURANCE. ANNUAL REPORT TABLED. BRIEF DEBATE IN THE HOUSE. Wellington. July 14. The Minister-in-charge laid on the table of the House of Representatives this afternoon the annual report of the State Fire Insurance Office. Mr G. W. Forbes. Leader of the Nationalists, urged that some system of compulsory motor insurance be adopted in connection with the State Office. Mr H. E. Holland. Leader of the Opposition urged that fire insurance should be made a State monopoly in New Zealand.

Mr T. M. Wilford (Hutt) urged the Minister to be careful before he attempted to interfere with big inturance offices. In Britain there was no more vital arm of finance than the insurance companies, and they always took an important part in the raising of New Zealand loans. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) asked the Minister to consider whether New Zealand was going to be eternally tied to. the apron strings of British financiers. He should give every consideration to the views expressed by the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) asked whether the office could not institute a more progressive policy in the matter of premiums. At present the office evidently worked in wit.h other offices, and to some extent the policy of the department was dictated by private companies. He also asked whether the bulk of reinsurances were held bv Lloyd’s, who were competing keenly with the State Office. LLOYD’S AGENCY. QUESTION OF COMPETITIVE BASIS. (Special to “Tribune.”) Parliament Buildings July 15. Following a discussion in the House of Representatives yesterday upon the subject of insurance risks and the participation of the State Fire and Accident Insurance Office intimated that the question of Lloyd’s Agency being placed on the same competitive basis as insurance companies was being considered. The Hon. W. Nosworthv said rhe Government was qqite open to consider whether any change in the operation or improvement of the office wag necessary. The Minister said he was prepare-, to consider the suggestion that compulsory insurance should be required of drivers of motor-cars to provide against possible compensation cases arising out of accidents. The matter

was being considered bv Cabinet at the present time. As regards Lloyd’s, there was no question that there was no eompanv in the world that couH compete with that organisation, as it was not a company but an association which was able to effect insurance at a lower rate than any company in the world. They kept cutting and cutting rates and so could effectively compete with any company in the world. Mr Nosworthv said the whole matter was being considered. The point had been raised as to whether Lloyd’s should be allowed to operate on terms other than those of the insurance companies. Mr G. W. Forbeg (Hurunui: It is cheap insurance. Tlie Minister agreed that that was ro. Personally he did not believe in paving nnv more for insurance than he could help. He expressed the opinion that most of the companies had had a pretty good run in the past.