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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2497, 16 February 1871, Page 2

Ox Pit. —What the Daily Times is pleased to call an act of rowdyism—the tearing down of sonic offensive placards which had been pasfp 1 up on the window of a well-known chemist's shop in the City—is likely to form the groundwork of an amusing case iu the Mayor’s Court. Mayoraty.—Mr John St‘Neil i has been elected Mayor of Hal lutba without opposition. Mayor’s Court. — At this Court this morning, before his "Worship the Mayor, Win 1 odd and Thus. Beuchrass, for drunkenness, were discharged with a caution. Tub Port Chalmers Election.— The returns from Blueskin make Mr Macaiulrcw’s majority <)S. The number of votes polled there was—Maeandrew, 15; Jago, 44. Cricket.—The return Bpitcfy between the Tokomairiro and Albion Clubs will be played ou Saturday next. The Citizens play their return match with the Warehousemen on the same day. Bazaar. — We hear that steps will shortly be taken to get up a bazaar, the funds 'derivable from which will be given in aid of the tyidows and families of fallen soldiers on both sides in the Franco-German war. A Gallant Kesoue. — We are informed that r.s the ship Otago was being towed out yesterday, a steerage passenger, fell overboard. Captain Hart, of the (leelong, perceiving the accident, at once stopped tlm tug ; and ,although there was a strong wind and a nasty sea on at the time the second officer, followed by one of the boys of the Otago, sprung overboard and placed a lifebuoy over the mail’s head and shoulders, thus supporting him until all three were ivscused by the pilot boat, which happened to he close hanly. We regret that we have not been able to ascertain the names of the parties concerned, as such gallant conduct deserves the highest praise. Princess Theatre. • —• Robertson’s best coined}’, “Caste,” was played at the theatre last night to a poor attendance, spite of which, consequent upon the excellent acting, the performance was carried through with great sprit—the approval of the audience, which was frequently marked, culminating iu a well deserved call on iho fall of the curtain. Ksther Cedes, in the bauds of Miss Carry George, is all that can he desired —graceful and womanly ; Mrs Bryer, as the brisk and vigorous Polly Kochs, is very effective; and the “Old Eccles” of Mr Lawrence is perhaps one of that gentleman’s best assumptions. The “Bough Diamond” was the afterpiece, in which the vagaries of Margery (Mbs Cany George) and Cousin Joe (Mr Walter Hill) met with the decided approval of the pit. Boucicault’s drama of “ Janet Pride” will be performed this evening. The iSupERiNTENUENcv - -Mr Macantlrew’s meetings in tjfo Waikouaiti district were far more successful that the Daily Times would have us believe. Wo prefer to accept the opinion of the Wailconaili Herald (a journal thoroughly opposed to .Mr Macau,drew), which states that at the conclusion of the i'aimer,>tqn meeting Mr Matthew Todd proposed, and Mr C!c.cl>ra»)P seconded—- “ that Mr Maeandrew is a tit and proper person to be re-elected Superintendent of the Province of 0ta.0.” The mm ion on being put was declared carried. The largo majority of those present, however, did not hold np their hands, and so far signllied neither assent nor dissent. The meeting, as it hroke np, gave the almost lirst sign of disapprobation by repealed hisses, which were mingled with applause. We give the Palmerston public, how ever, credit for better sense than the display of tv hat wo consider’ not strictly in accordance with the rule- of fair play, auel believe the slight uproar cina-

nated from those who are “birds of passage,” and who may have been disappointed and unsuccessful in their Colonial career. <>n the whole, however, a very fair hearing was accordel to Mr Macandrew. At the termination of the Wakonaiti meeting Mr Ritchie proposed, and Mr J. Black seconded, a motion to the effect “That Mr Macandrew was a lit and proper person to be re elected to the office of .Superintendent.” There were wore sonic signs of dissent and uproar, and Mr Macandrew told the meeting that under the present system of vote by ballot he regarded the vote of confidence business as a mere farce. He asked them to res.rvc their opinions for the ballot-box, and proposed a vote of tbaks to the chairman, which was unanimously earned. Mr Ritchie’s motion was therefore not put to the meeting, which hurriedly broke up --A settler, writing from Blncskin, s>ys ' 'l he largest meeting that ever took place at Blueskin was held at the Waitati Hotel on Saturday evening last, the 11th inst. The object of this meeting, as you may guess, was to hear Mr Macandrew’s address as a candidate for the vSnperintendeucy. I will not enter into details, but jut mention that the meeting was a great success, and Mr Macandrew carried everything before him, so much so that great cheering took place when he depar ted for Dunedin at a late hour. —We have been shown a private telegram received in town to-day, which runs as follows Mr Macandrew addressed a successful meeting at Moa Flat on Wednesday, and another on the same evening at Teviot. Justice (Shallow and his friends mustered in great force, but were evidently at a dircount. An insult ng motion was passed, thanks to the storekeepers’ influence ; but the feeling of the meeting was far from hostile. Mr Macandrew is sure of a imjority here. Messrs Beigliton and Mackay were conclusively sat upon. ” Life Assurance. —Mr B. Short, the travelling agent and lecturer of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, delivered a lecture illustrative of the advantages of life assurance, last evening, in the Masonic Hall, which was crowded in eery part, several persona standing outside the hall. There was a large number of ladies pr. sent, and the Mayor presided. Mr Short, to use the words of the printed report circulated by the lecturer, “spoke in an easy, fimut, and conversational style.” His introductory remarks partook largely of an anecch'tical character ; and the remainder of his lecture being a bare repetition of that delivered by him in Christchurch, a report of which has been freely distributed, we need only give a few of Iris observations. After explaining the mode of working assurance companies, the lecturer pointed out. the difference between proprietary assurance companies and those established on the principle of mutual assurance. In the proprietary companies, the profits were divided partly between the shareholders and partly between the policyholders, while in the case of a few less liberal the whole of the profits went to the shareholders, whereas, in the mutual, after the claims and working expenses had been paid, the whole of the prolits went to the policyholders, in the shape of bonuses. In fact, he might mention that Chambers in his paper on Life Assurance gave a very decided advantage to the mutual assurance companies. In the proprietary companies, the policyholder had no control over the money whi li he had subscribed, during his whole life, whereas iu the Mutual Assurance Company, the policyvholder had ful] control; he could vote at any of the meetings. A policy-holdof in New Zealand could vote iu Sydney by means of a proxy. In proprietary companies it was only the shareholders who had control, or could vote. The Australian Mutual Provident Association, which was first started by a philanthropic gentleman in Now South Wales, had been in existence about twentytwo years, and he was happy to tell them that the realised assets of the assurance branch’fund were equal to 70 per cent, op the gijtire assurance premiums received hy the society. T3;oy had in hand over L7()0,000 invested iti'lovarniufcut cind other safe and profitable securities. They had, besides the assurance fund, also a guarantee fund of 1,50,000. He might state that the gross income of the society for the past year was L 200.000, whilst the amount paid to liquidate death claims did not exceed LSI,OOO, and not one farthing of the profits went into the paeje-fe of any shareholder, but the amount went ay bofluseg to the policy holders. Every member bad a vote lor each Ll'OO he insured for, and be could vote for every director that was elected. He wanted his friends in New Zealand to notice th fact that the Australian Mutual Provident Society was as much for New Zealand as it was fur the Colony where it was started. It was important thp risk should be distributed as widely and as evenly as possible, and tor this reason : supposing an epidemic to sweep over one Colony, carrying off a large number of persons, if the risk was not confined to that Colony, but distributed over several others, the risk of non-payment of claims would he much less than if confined to the Colony where the epidemic had raged. Ho might state that (boy had alreaity invested between 1.00,01)0 and i.70 000 in Now Zoabvid securities. and contemplated founding a Board • f Directors fur Now Zealand. Ho then explained at great length the various tables under which assurances could be cftected, the advantages the Society offered compared with proprietary offices and the Government scheme, and dwelt particularly on the great advantages offered by his Society under the endowment for children principle. The lecturer was frequently applauded, and at the close a cordial vote of thanks was moved by Mr W. A. Tobnio, seconded by Mr Reynolds, and carried by acclamation.