§ Mr. WATTasked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been called to a case tried at Addlestone on 10th of January last and reported, Poole v. the General Accident Corporation of Perth, for the price of a mare insured by the latter company; whether he is aware that the company insisted on the case being 220W decided by arbiters, thus depriving the insurer of his right to appeal to the Law Courts of the land; if so, will he, in view of frequency of this line of action by insurance companies, introduce legislation making it illegal for insurance companies dealing with farmers to insist on an arbitration clause being put in their policies?
§ Mr. BURNSI have been asked by my right hon. Friend the Attorney-General to answer this question. My attention has not been called to the case of Poole v. the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation, Limited. I am aware that an arbitration clause is frequently inserted in insurance policies, but on the information at present before me I see no ground for the introduction by the Board of Trade of legislation making such clauses illegal.