PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18393, 29 July 1931, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

STATE FIRE OFFICE. earthquake payments. EXTENSION OF POLICY URGED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Discussing the report of the State Fire Office in the House of Representatives to-day, the Leader of the Labour Party, Mr 11. E. Holland, mentioned the fact that the State Office had decided to pay for fire damage resulting from Hie Hawk’s Bay earthquake, whereas the private companies had not only decided not to pay, but had criticised the action of the State Office. Mr Holland said the experience of the Hawke’s Bay earthquake should be sufficient argument for making fire insurance a State monopoly in New ■ Zealand. He could not understand why it was not made mandatory that properties over which State mortgages were held should be insured with the State Office. If this was done, it would make it possible for the State Office to reduce its premiums. The Hon. W. Downie Stewart (Reform —Dunedin West) said the attitude taken up by Mr Holland was that people should jie able to recoup for something they had not insured against. The fact that the State saw fit to make cx gratia payments did not mean that private companies should do likewise. It might just as well be said that because one held a fire policy one should be entitled to recoup if a burglary was suffered. Sir Apirana Ngala, in charge of the department, said the Government bad been informed that the risk against which the insurance had been .taken out would not cover the kind of fire that had taken place in consequence of the earthquake, and payments had been made ex gratia. The action of the Government had been belittled by some companies, but at the time it was felt that people had some claim on the office over and beyond the mere conditions of the policy. It yvas a time of crisis, and it was felt that if 'the funds of the office permitted something should be done. Mr R. A. Wrignt (Reform —Wellington Suburbs) declared if the private offices had been forced to pay out it might have ruined some of them. They were business concerns, and had - to take, the risk of- their clients having fires for profit. ■ He was in favour of universal earthquake insurance, but there were people in the south of- the South Island who be r lieved they would never have earthquakes of great severity there,_ .and consequently did not wish to join a universal scheme. The Hon. H. Atrnore, Minister of Education, referring to earthquake insurance, said the premiums varied more on account of the structures insured than on account of the locality. MEMBERS’ VOTES. QUERIED IN HOUSE. ALLEGED PECUNIARY INTEREST. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A point of order relating to the voting on the Meat Export Control Amendment Bill on Friday was raised by Mr W. D. Lysnar (Independent —Gisborne) in the -House of Representatives to-day. Mr Lysnar said since Friday he had ascertained that Mr D. Jones (Reform —Mid-Canterbury) and Mr A. Hamilton (Reform —Wallace) had voted against the hill. He contended they were financially interested in the quesiion before the House, and, according to the Standing Orders, no member was entitled to vote on any question in which lie had a pecuniary interest. Mr Lysnar said Mr Jones was chairman of the Meat Board, and received salary of over £6OO a year, and Mr Hamilton was a member of the board, and received over £2OO a year. The Speaker said any question raised against -members on the ground o'f pecuniary (interest should have been raised at the time the division was taken. It was too late to raise it at the next sitting. While he did not wish to pass judgment on the issue, he would draw Air! Lysnar’s attention to the fact that the payments made to Messrs Jones and Hamilton were made in respect of offices held and not as individuals, and might be considered similar to the honorarium of a member of Parliament. PROVIDENT FUND. jV ■ !.: LOCAL BODY PENSIONS. ADJUSTMENT THROUGH “CUTS.”’ (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The National Provident Fund Amendment Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives this evening by Governor-General’s Message. Outlining the provisions of tire bill, the Hon. J. B. Donald, the PostmasterGeneral, said when the National Provident Fund Act was passed it had not been anticipated that salaries would be reduced. The bill would adjust local bodies’ pensions schemes to enable local bodies and ttiose benefiting from the fund to contribute on a lower scale with a corresponding reduction in pensions. Mr M. J. Savage (Labour —-Auckland West) : Will local bodies be compelled to effect reductions, or may they remain as at present? The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes: They may remain as at present if they wish. The bill was read a first time.

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. (Ry Telegraph. —Press Association.) WELL INGTON. Tuesday. On the motion of the Prime Minister, (lie lit. lion. O. W. Forbes, the House of Representatives to-day appointed Hie following Select Committee to consider the Standing Orders:— The Speaker, Hie Prime Minister, the Ht. Hon. J. (>. Coates, Sir Apirana Ngala. the Hons. S. G. Smith and W. Downie Stewart, Messrs P. Fraser. It. F. Holland, J. McCombs, J. A. Nash. W. A. Rodkin and It. C. R, Mason. On the further motion of Mr Forbes it was decided that Ihc committee he instructed to consider the arrangement on the Order Paper of private members' bills.