The Fielding Star. THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1886. Government Insurance Board

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 137, 29 April 1886, Page 2

The Fielding Star. THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1886. Government Insurance Board

Polioyholders in the above cannot fail to rejoice that a change is about to be attempted in its management. The Board, as at present constituted with its majority of Government nominees, has so far proved a failure, as was foreshadowed in these columns as soon as the Act, constituting such Board, was passed. The resignation of Mr 6. V. Shannon, a nominated member, in consequence of a resolution being passed in favor of restoring the whole control of the business to the Government, has brought affairs to a climax. For ourselves, in a recent article on this question, we said that we were in favor of this resolution on the grounds that «f two evils it was best to cheose the least. If the Association were entirely in the hands of the Government, which in their turn are (nominally) in the hands of Parliament, which represents the peeple, the policyholders would be better off than when their affairs were in the hands of a Board actually responsible to no one. For the information of our readers we will now give the actual position of affairs : — After the annual meeting of policyholders, which will be held about the middle of June, a special meeting will be held, at which three propositions will be submitted : 1. To hand back the Association to the Government. 2. Another hybrid board, to consist of three elective and three nominated members, the Government to have the right to appoint the chairman. 3. An elective board, or a board with a preponderance of elective members, to elect its own chairman. After discussion at the special meeting these propositions will be submitted to a vote of the policyholders throughout the colony. I

It appears to us that the delay which must necessarily follow by the adoption of this course, is not without its object, which may be to make it too late to do anything during this session of Parliament. The great point to be aimed at is the removal of the affairs of the board beyond political influence of all kinds. Let them be conducted on purely business principles with a view only to the profitable investment of the surplus revenue of the association. Our readers will observe that Mr Shannon is in favor of a board to be elected by the policyholders only, giving the power of veto t« the Government in certain cases only. These views must be acceptable to a large majority who are really desiraus of exercising, through their representatives on the board, real control over its affairs. That the association and its present constitution will be the subject of query in the House we have every expectation, but whether the members will accept or make any amendments in the Act at the instance of either the members of the board, or of the policy holders, remains to be seen. If, however, Mr Shannon is elected to the Board on the merits of the policy he has laid down, and the policyholders as a whole affirm the general principles be has enunciated, thero can be no reasonable doubt members of Parliament would be largely guided by the general will of the polieyholders.