The Daily Telegraph TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3745, 17 July 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1883.

It appears from a return laid upon the table of the House on Thursday last, that some enquiry is at length to bo made into the working of tho Government Life Assurance Department. In tho interests of the general public an enquiry cannot come too soon, nor, when it docs come, bo too searching in its investigation. In the meantime the return affords food for reflection, not only to those who have a direct monetary interest in the success of tho Government Assurance Department, but also to that very much larger body of the general public, who, as representing the State, will have to mako good to the assured any deficiency that may possibly be caused by maladministration. From papers called for by certain independent members and submitted by the Treasurer to the House, it will be found that, whilst the very sufficient salary of £800 per annum is paid to the Commissioner —the ostensible head of the department—and some £(300 to the secretary—the working man of tho concern — the sum of £550 is paid as "salary" to Mr George Thorne, junr., forperformance of the duties of " Superintendent of Agents," whilst it seems he is, at the same time, permitted to absorbfromthe earnings of Travelling and Resident Agents no less a sum than £'IoQ2 for tho year, and which appears in the return to the credit of Mr Thorne as "commission." It was stated in the public prints some fow months ago that Mr George Thorne "farmed" i the Government Assurance Department, but no one believed that, such an atrocity could be permitted under the very fair and responsible system of government at present enjoyed in this colony. Truth, however, is often more strange than fiction, and the people of New Zealand have now to discover that a subordinate officer in a subordinate department of the State is in receipt of a State income larger than that paid to any other official in the colony, the Governor alone excepted. Of course more, very much more, has yet to bo heard of Mr George Thorno'n very peculiar position in the Assurance Department. The wonder now is how the Commissioner, aud, beyond him, tho Treasurer, will be able to explain how it was that they allowed the Superintendent of Agents to obtain so largo an income from " commission." Commission for what? For work dono by himself; or is this "commission" mado up to him by deductions from tho commissions on work done by tho agents ovor whom he is the Superintendent? We arc'given to understand that tho Department allows 20a per eont on tho business dono, or, in other words, ono pound for every hundred pounds assured by " new lives." Out of this one per cent tho hardworking agent, who does all tho work of "getting lives," receives 15s by way of commission, and this commission is all he receives by way of salary, and out of which ho has to - pay his travelling expenses. The other 5s goes where? It is hardly crediblo, but it has often enough been stated, and so far as wo know has never been contradicted, that this 5s goes to the Superintendent of Agonts to supplement a salary. of £550 ! Such an arrangement muafcbe most unjust to tho working agents, and cannot be advantageous to tho department. If Mr Thome's duties and responsibilities ore ..HU'-'li that £550 salary £3 not sufficient, by all means increase his Spay, but not at the expense of the agonts. If the agents aro well enough remunerated by

a commission of 15s per cent., let tho £2502 " commission " that goes to Mr Thome bo paid into the department. It is to be hoped that the enquiry just commenced will not terminate until a full and fair investigation has been made into the working of tho whole business.