INSURANCE COMBINED WITH RELIGION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 11

INSURANCE COMBINED WITH RELIGION

Salvation Army’s Life Office FORMER DIRECTOR VISITS NEW ZEALAND Recently managing director of the Salvation Army Insurance Society, which is believed to be a unique combination of religion and insurance, Commissioner D. Cuthbert. London, arrived trt Wellington yesterday on special business for General Evan geline Booth. He has already visited the main centres of Australia and after a week in New Zealand will leave for Vancouver, Toronto, New York and London.

The Salvation Army Insurance Society, Commissioner Cuthbert explained. did life insurance business in competition with other insurance offices in England, and its policy-holders included -men and women of all denominations. Its funds amounted to £7,000.000, it had paid out £11,000,000 in claims, and its premium income was £1,500,000 a year. The charter was taken over from another office, it being known formerly as the Methodist and General. The object of the undertaking was to supplement the income for the work of the Salvation Army, and 10 per cent, of the profits were paid to the army, while the other 90 per cent, went to the . policy-holders as bonuses. Many sympathizers with the Salvation Army in England took out policies with it because the iproflts went to the army. Its representatives visited 300,000 English homes every week.

Commissioner Cuthbert, who has been an officer of the Salvation Army for 54 years, and thus remembers the days when its workers were execrated in England, retired from active service in October, but was requested by General Booth to continue duty for two more years, which made him available to undertake such a task as bis present one. The purpose of the visit was to maintain contact between the general and those in charge of the work overseas. She was unable to come again herself and sent her commissioners in her place. Commissioner Cuthbert will meet officers and retired officers of the Salvation Army in Wellington tomorrow afternoon, and will be publicly welcomed tomorrow night. On Saturday he will visit Whatman’s Children’s Home, Mastertoil. On Sunday afternoon he will visit Hastings and on Sunday night Napier. On Monday he will continue to Putaruru, where the Salvation Army maintains a home for boys, and to Auckland, sailing from Auckland for Vancouver on Tuesday.