An insurance company for which be was agent were gradually limiting their opera tions in the town. There was, however, one difficulty persons would have to contend with — some buildings, which would yet stand many years, would not bear a roof of tiles or slates, although they might bear a galvanised iron roof. He had, however, been told by persons of expe rience that galvanised iron was no protection against fire, for as soon as the flames came near, it curled up, and exposed the contents of the building to the flames. Mr. Looney said the step proposed was a very good and cheap one ; but he would not wait till the shingles were taken off before compelling people to roof with no i-combustible materials, but fix a much shorter time, say in two years. Mr. Hirst should support the resolution, but totally disagreed with Mr. Gledhill's opinion of iron houses. Mr. Upjohn thought it would be the first step towards direct taxation if they obliged people to strip off their roofs directly. The measure might be necessary in a large town, where the houses were close together, but not here. One view of the 'question had not been thought of. Shingles were' produced here, but the other materials had to be imported. This sort of thing was somewhat premature ; it would be imposiug a tax upon persons to compel everyone to new roof his house. He would, however, oblige all persona who erected new houses to roof them with non combustible material. Mr. Elliott could not agree altogether with the last speaker, because, if it were necessary to cbver new buildings with non-oombustible mate rial it was also necessary to cover the old. Great care should be taken in reference to fire, but the question entirely rested with the people of the town, and he thought the Council should be entirely guided by the opinions of the town members on the question. Mr. Lawrence said the proposal was a good one as far as it went, but it would be excessively oppressive to oblige all persons to remove their shingles at once. Mr. Kinqdon should support the resolution as it stood. He could not see the force of the argument that all new buildings should be covered with non-combustible materials, aud the houses that required re-roofing not be so covered. 