POLITICAL.

Patea Mail, Volume XXXIX, 3 July 1914, Page 1

POLITICAL.

INSURANCE CLAIMS. Payment In Full Urged. The alleged unwillingness of certain fire insurance companies (o p'ay-claims for total loss was the subject matter of a question of w. icb Mr T. Buxton gave, notice in the Houae of Repieaentatives yesterday. ■ ->, Mr Buxton will - atk' the Prime Minister; —" Whether he will consider the advisableness cf biinging in legislation to compel insurance companies doing business in New. Zsaland to pay put the full lace value of any policy issued, they having accepted payment of premium fur the amount set forth on such policy should the iropeity so covered by any insurance company be totally destroyed by fire and the insured not desiring the property to be restored or replaced, bnt to be paid ic cash as purchased by premium paid ?”

" It ia w-jii known.” said Mr Bax- | ton in an explanatory note, “ that some companies doing business in New Z aland compete unfairly by accepting risks in excess of ao:u*il inurance values, relying on (Ttspating cl.daio and getting a settlement on a reduction of the claim under the policy, for which full premiums may have beeu paid for tea or twenty yeais ; and, further, where a reduce!. n <>l the claim has been agreed upon, no retutn of premium is made.” STATE COAL. A Mine That Failed. In he State Ooal Mines report of last year appeared the following sentence :. “ Owing to the exhaustion of hard coal, and the poor quality of the soft coal rendering it unsaleable, operations at Seddonvilie must shortly be abandoned.” The decision foreshadowed in the report has .now been aoted upon, and the mine ia to be sold. The mine itself is of little value, but the plant is regarded as saleable. Mr G. Y. Pearce (Patea) has given notice to move for a return showing what loss, if any, was made in the purchase and sale of the Saddoaville State coal mine, and the loss, it any, made in the sale of coal fro m this mine. THE NEW PLYMOUTH MAIL. Two members have put questions |4o the Minister of Kail ways regarding the New Plymouth mail train, Mr

Okey asking whether the general manager of rvil ways has reported upon the possibility «t speeding up the mail trains iunu ng between Wellington aud Nrw Plymouth, and if it is decided it> slioiten the tiae taken between these two places will he state the date whui it is/propos d to make* such alter ioa, waile Mr ■Wilkinson asked the Minister whether he will recon si kr the que<tan of establishing a dining oar~ service on mail trains between' Wanganui and New Plymouth, as owing to the possibility of a speeding-up of the present service it is pcanbie that the present inadequate facilities for obtaining refreshments will be further curtailed, which will be detrimental to the interests of the travelling public.