The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-07

ITO require Pender 10 pay witnesses
half the lawful fees where no true bill
lis found. To max the facsimile sig
nature Of a notary in New Hanove his
lawful signature. To allow the county
boards of education to fix time for hold
ling schools. To incorporate the Chris
titan University. To incorporate Lenoir
Icollege, Catawba county. To regulate
Iapportionment of school fund OF Neck
llenburg. To allow Asheboro Academy
trustees to sell lands for the graded
lschool. To establish a new school dis
ltrict in Hereford. To provide for the
establishment Of rural public school
libraries. To allow the state board of
leducation to publish certain text books
regarding the history and literature of
North Carolina and to fix the price Of
these. To relieve T. n. Christian,
school teacher in Caswell; also S. E.
lHogshead of Clay and Maurice Little
Iof Arson. To allow Robson to bor-
row money from the schoo fund. To
incorporate Faison Male Academy. To
ichange boundary of Fairview township,
~IBuncombe county. To regulate atten-
dance on schoo in Yadkin. To incor-
Iporate Bowman Academy at Bakers
iville. To amend the law of 1875 regard
lij5 SCiIOOi Opc III tHeIohct. ~
~lcTeate a new school district in Union.
Ito allow Buncombe's Board of Educa-
ition to pay certain debts. To regulate
fees of witnesses, in Catawba. To al
How Montgomery to pay for making
certain dockets. To regulate fees of
~Icounty commissioners in Currituck. To
Iallow commissioners OF several coun-
tiles, Pennsylvania, Madison, Swain
lTJauvvaod aud sTacLcnn car1a onnnon-
t~sation for call meetings as for regular
Jones. To pay the sheriff OF Halifax.
ITO regulate the fees of the register Of
Mash and the commissioners of Nash.
ITO pay the sheriff Of Wayne a salary
lir addition to his fees.
FIRE INSURANCE BILL.
The bill to prevent fire insurance
companies from limiting the commits
lsions of agents received from other
fire insurance companies came up with
an ~unfavorable report with a minority
report favorable. Bragaw opposed the
bill and asked that it's passage be de-
llayed. Williams favored the bill. Toms
moved it's re-reference to the Insurance
lccmmittee which Odell opposed. Webb
lSaid it was conceded that the state in
I%surance commissioner knew more about
insurance h a any other man in the
Estate and that the insurance depart
lment it was well known was better
regulated than that of any other state
iof the south and that he insurance
commissioner thought the bill a danger
Ious piece of legislation, and an
precedent, inexpedient, and one which
would have the effect Of tearing the
Estates insurance companies all TO
lpieces; that it was recognized that there
were not enough insurance companies
i'm the state to satisfy the business de-
lmands and it was also known that
NORTH Carolina had lower insurance
rates tina any other southern states.
webb said in conclusion that he would
take Commissioner Young's opinion in
preference of that of any advocates Of
the bill. Oden said he did not hear the
commissioner say all that Webb report
ed. Eller said h could not recall al.
that was said, but remembered that
Commissioner Young stated that the
bill would be like starting a fire in an
old field and would have the tendency
Ito upset the states admirable insurance
system. Scales, the author Of the bill
lsaid that when it was before the COM
Imittee he had but a few nut to dis
ISuoS L III NoliCo """s SAA0N ~ A
been asked to be notified when the vote
was taken, but failed to be present
when the bill was considered. That he
Twas a member Of the committee and
that as only two members were pres
emit beside the chairman, if he had been
Iallowed to vote, half a minute after
the vote was taken the vote would have
lbeen favorable instead OF unfavorable.
LAS it was there was a tie between the
1.-TWO members and the chairman had
Ivoted in the negative. Scales a let
tiers from over SO fire insurance agents
urging the passage of the bill for their
protection as they had been threatened
Ito discharge by the foreign insurance
companies, if they did not sign agree
Iments limiting their commissions; that
THE insurance commissioner a said
this was a good bill but might have the
Ieffect Of driving out some Of the big
INSURANCE companies; that Toms oppos-
led the bill and had made the motion to
ire-refer it in order to kill it and that
this statement could not be denied;
that the committee which considered
the bill was a joint one and that the
House representatives had unanimous
ly favored it. Eller said that as chair
man of the committee he had no
active part regarding the bill. That
Webb of the committee had been asked
ito be excused from voting and as he
WAS opposed to the bill, if Scales could
have voted Webb could have voted
also, and the result would have been
a tie, and that the chairman would
have been obliged to decide it; that the
bill would neither increase nor reduce
insurance rates in the state nor injure
the people.
The motion to refer was lost and
the bill went on second reading. Bra
!. gaw did not fancy this measure to
give aid by the Legislature to infant
insurance companies, declaring that
these had become financial successes
independently, and that if this bill
should become a law small insurance
businesses would Spring up ell over