PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4427, 6 August 1901, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

FIRE BRIGADES. Should Mr Witheford's Fire Brigades Bill reach the second reading stage, the House will have an opportunity of debating the oft-discussed question as to the liability of insurance companies m respect of lire brigades. The Bill makes it the duty of these companies to pay one-third of tho cost of the brigades, the remainder to be charged in the proportion of one-third each against the Consolidated Fund and the municipalities. Any borough council or other local authority shall have the right to apply that any district may ho declared a fire district for the purposes of this Act; and when this fire district is established a Fire Brigade Board shall be constituted, which is to have full control of the fire brigade of such district. Thi;: hoard is to comprise three members — one appointed by the Governor, one elected by the insurance companies and the third* the Mayor of the city or borough having tho largest population within the fire district. In order that the amount to bo contributed by each insurance company may be ascertained, every such company is to transmit annually to the board a return showing the amount of premiums received for the year, after the amount of premiums paid in re insurance to any other company has been deducted; and £5 per day is the penalty for neglect to furnish this return. The contributions are to be paid quarterly to the board. The proceedings of any Fire Brigade Board shall be subject to the approval of the Minister charged With the administration of the Act. At this stage of the session, the icutlook for private members’ Bills, especially any measure of such importance as this one, is not at all hopeful. ' LOCAL GOVERNMENT. The committee 1 appointed to consider the Counties Bill has begun to take evidence, the first witness examined being a county, chairman from the West Coast. Another meeting is to be held on Wednesday. Mr McNab has been appointed chairman. The duty before the committee is a formidable one, especially as many witnesses are to he examined. OTHER BILLS. The Labour Bills Committee of the House is tp meet to-morrow at 10.30 a.m. to begin taking evidence regarding the Factories Bill. In view of the flood of petitions against the provisions of the Shops and Offices Bill, relating to banks, mercantile offices and warehouse*, the Labour Bills Committee of the Legislative Council has recommended that these provisions should be removed from the Bill.