The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1886. Government Insurance.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1297, 24 July 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1886. Government Insurance.

The Committee appointed to enquire into the working ot the Government Insurance Association under the present Board has brought up a report, the salient points of which have been published. As regards the acquisition of building sites, the Committee finds that the Department was practically committed to the majority or these extravagant purchases before the Board took office. These purchases have entailed an outlay of and, with the exception of the Wellington building, the premises are not used for offices by the Association. It appears from the evidence, that all these purchases were made wilh the object of securing sites for the erection of imposing buildings, on the ground that such were necessary to 1 influence and promote business. The Committee, on the other hand, considers the erection of costly buildings, with the idea of thereby attracting business, unnecessary and reccommends that only such buildings be provided as I may be requisite for the proper and I convenient conduct of the Association’s I business. The Committee further I considers it advisable that any future I purchases of land or buildings, and all I salaries of officials, should be submitted I for the approval of Parliament, The j Committee submits ihe following reso- J lutions for the consideration of the J House:] — That the present Board j should be abolished ; that the general management of the j business should be entrusted to an I officer of high character and attainments, possessing experience in the

business of insurance; that the Act of 1874 be re-enacted, subject to the recommendations of this Committee ;

that not less than one-half of the funds of the Association should be invested in Government securities and in debentures of public bodies in New Zealand, secured by rates; that the remainder of the funds should be invested in advances on policies and on mortgage of freehold property in New Zealand, provided that no such mortgage shall exceed 10,000, and the money lent shall not exceed one-half he market value of such property; j that all moneys lent on mortgage should be invested in the various Provincial Districts as nearly as practicable in the proportion in which the same have been derived from such districts, provided I this can be done without loss to the Association; that applications for loans not exceeding secured upon real property should have priority over applications for larger sums; that for I dealing with investments a special Board should be appointed, such Board to consist of the Minister in charge of the Department, the General Mma-

ger, the Surveyor-General, the Property Tax Commissioner, and the Public Trustee; that no investment by mort-

gage or loan should be made without the unanimous vote of all the membeis of the Board present at the meeting at

which such loan is considered, and that in all cases the assent of not less than three members shall be required ; that canvassing for lives should be continued, and that encouragement should be given to the issue of small policies. The resolutions submitted by ti e Committee will be discussed during the present session of Parliament and it is probable that the reforms suggested will be initiated at an early date.

The fourth of the series of popular entertainment will be held in St Stephen’s schoolroom on Monday evening. We understand that a very attractive programme has been prepared.

The dress of Mrs jMoDonald, wife of ft ship’s carpenter, eaught fire while she was burning some rubbish at Dunedin yesterday and not noticing it she went outside, when it blazed up, and burned her so seriously that her recovery is doubtful.

At a meeting of the Moa Creek Gold Mining Company held at Bangiora yesterday it was decided to wind up the company. It is probable, however, that another eompany will be formed to work the reel.

At a meeting of the Auckland unemployed a resolution was carried soliciting the Government to let ths Kuiti sontraot of the North Island Trunk Railway to the unemployed in short sections. The City Council has referred to the Streets Committee the question of providing work for the unemployed by instructing them to select works in the eity which could be gone on with.

A telegram received from Auckland last night states that Prof. Thomas, with Lunden as guide, succeeded in getting to the lip of

the crater at the bottom of the Tarawera mountain. He states that the crater in Rotomahana more extensive thantormerly. In crossing over the fissures quantities of steam and fumes impregnated the air to snob an extent as almost to stifle them. Professor Thomas describes the craters and geysers up to near Okaro Lake as in full operation and grand in the extreme. Ha intends making a

second journey. Mrs E. Wakefield's jewellry, that was stolen from the house of her father, Mr Hall, at Papauui, was found in a paddock near the house yesterday afternoon. The police are very reticent, and lull particulars are not to band, but it is stated that the documents that were with the jewellry were not with the articles recovered. The whole affair appears very mysterious, as it is difficult to imagine what the object of the thief could be.

A telegram received from Dunedin to-day states that Mr J. Hyde Harris died this morning. The deceased gentleman was at one time Superintendent of Otago Railway and Attorney-General in the Colonial Executive. He was the father of Mr J. E. H. Harris, for some time a solicitor in this town.

The second Ingleside meeting in connection with the Ashburton Caledonian Society was hold in the Town Hall lait night. There was again a very large attendance, and the proceedings were even more enjoyable than those at the highly successful initial meeting. Fully 400 people visited the ball during the evening, and they all appeared highly pleased by the genial Highland hospitality with which they were received. Vocal and instrumental music, dancing, and welcome refreshments provided the materials for a most enjoyable evening. Songs were contributed by Misses T. Butler, M. Butler, Janet Dick and Kidd, and Messrs H. A. Gates and Matbeson; instrumental pieces by Mesdames Dunn, Claridge, Miss Kidd, and Messrs Wood and Kneen, and national dances were performed by Messrs D. McLean, F. Gallie, and Mcßae (3). The pipe music was provided by Messrs McKay, McQueen and Tolmie. The refreshments were dispensed by Mr and Mrs Morrison. Messrs C. Reid and A. Patterson made efficient M.C.s, Mr McLean Dunn acted as musical director, and the ever genial President, Mr D. McLean, exercised a general superintendence.

We are sorry to learn, says an American paper, that a German chemist has succeeded in making first-ra'.e brandy out of sawdust. We are a friend of the temperance movement, and we want it to succeed, but what chance will it have when a man can take a rip saw, and go out and get drunk with a fence rail? What is the use of the Prohibitory Liquor Law if a man is able to make brandy smashes out of the shingles of his roof, or if he can get delirium tremens by drinking the legs of bis kitchen chairs ? You may shut an inebriate out of a gin-shop, and keep him away from taverns, but if he can become uproarious on boiled sawdust and dessicated window-sills, any effort at reform mast necessarily be a failure.

Several oases of petty thieving have baen reported lately The other evening ,a ham and side of baeon werej taken from a house in the vicinity of the gasworks. The thief, evidently alarmed at something, dropped portion of his spoil, but retained the bam. A gentleman in the same neighborhood a short time ago lost a number of fowls, and another a quantity of baoon.

A correspondent writes to the Otago Daily Times complaining of adulterated poison. He obtained, be says, some strychnine for destroying small birds, and poisoned a quantity of wheat, but after a fair trial he determined to give the grain to his fowls, which are said to be thriving on their novel diet.

A football match was played yesterday between teams representing the Catholic and Borough Schools, and resulted in a victory for the former by 2 goals and 2 tries to nil. For the winners B. Henry, MoTeagus, JButler, Bayley, and Healy, and for the Borough School Q. Moss, J. Burns, and A. Arthur played well. The bodies of Cameron and the boy Hansen, buried by the fall of the tunnel at Kawaru Georgs, were recovered yesterday. The man was not disfigured much, but the boy was fearfully crushed.

A Hokitita telegram says that a valuable discovery has been made at Olivem Range Several large lodes of ore, containing a white, malleable metal, have been found by Douglas, a well-known > Samples have been sent to Dr Hector fo T rnat> ,s.

The long service and good conduct medals for presentation to volunteers are being manufactured in Wellington. The first was struck yesterday morning, and is of pure Thames silver.

I A deputation from the Wellington Hotel and Property Protection Society waited on Jobnstom and Co., agents for the Union Insurance Company yesterday, with reference to the services of Mr Mcßae in connection with tho recent eruption at Wairoa. Mr Johnston received the deputation very courteously, and promised to do all in his power to favors ibly represent Mr Mcßae’s oa.se to the Board a f Directors.

A set tier at Waitakerei having informed Superintendent Thomson that a man like Caflrey, perpetrator of tho Great Barrier murder, had been seen in the Waitakerei ranges, a party of police have been sent out to scour the ranges. The whole of the crew of the Petrel are now discharged. The mate, Foley, remains in Auckland, Mendoza now becoming first mate.