The Globe. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1044, 30 October 1877, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1877.

The recent fire at the Auckland Lunatic Asylum directed attention to a question of some importance —the insuring of Government property throughout the colony. Begarding the value of that property many different opinions seem to prevail. Last session the question was raised, but since then nothing definite lias been done. It was the opinion of honorable members thai it would cost nearly £;JO,000 per annum to insure nil the (Government property throughout the colony. No one will, we think, urge the payment of such a large sum every year, as the destruction by an occasional fire would cost less to make good than the payment Gf such large premiums. There are several courses open to the Government. They may continue as they are doing at present, making no provision, except in one or two escep.

tional cases, for tire; they may insure all Grovemnient property up to a certain value; they may set aside a certain sum annually as an insurance fund, and thus become their own insurers, or as has been suggested by the Daily Times, they may insure buildings, which are above a certain value, say £3OOO, leaving the smaller ones as they are at present. This suggestion appears worthy of consideration at the hands of the Government. At a comparatively small cost the more valuable buildings belonging to the Government would be insured, and thus a loss such as was incurred by the fire at the Lunatic Asylum at Auckland provided against. The risk of fire amongst the smaller buildings is much less than among the larger, as they are mostly scattered throughout the country, and situated in detached positions. Even were one or two of them burned down annually, the cost of rebuilding them would be much less than insuring all such buildings throughout the colony. _ e r After several days silence we again have news from the seat of war. Interest of course still centres round Plevna, and the doings of the contending armies there. About a week ago our telegrams announced that General Todleben proposed to starve the Turkish army in^Plevna; that it was reported that the troops were thoroughly emaciated, and the condition of the garrison deplorable; and that the Russians were gradually closing round the town. The news which we publish this afternoon tells a different story. The Roumanian troops have thrice unsuccessfully attacked the Grravitza redoubt; a Russian attack on the Turkish forts on the right of Plevna had been repulsed with heavy loss ; while a similar attack on the east of Plevna was also repulsed. It is evident, therefore, that so far from being on the point of surrendering, the Turkish forces in Plevna are not only able to defend themselves, but are in a position to keep up communication with the outside world. Not long ago Chef ket Pasha succeeded in reaching "West Plevna with powerful reinforcements, some 35,000 men strong, showing that the road to Sophia was open and in Turkish hands. Prom Asia Minor conflicting accounts reach us. One report states that there has been a complete collapse of the Turkish forces under Mukhtar Pasha, resulting in enormous loss in killed and prisoners; that Kars has been surrounded, and that negotiations for the surrender of the fortress have been opened. On the other hand a Turkish official despatch denies that Rescind Pasha has capitulated, and is instead occupying a position in conjunction with Mukhtar Pasha. It is evident, we think, that the Turks have suffered a severe reverse in this quarter, for the full extent of which ■we nmst await fuller information. In any case, as is pointed out by a well informed writer in a Northern contemporary, " These battles are greatly to be deplored, for at this time of the year they can lead to no important results, and are nothing more than a wanton sacrifice of human life. The high lands of Kurdistan are by this time being covered with snow, which will preclude any operations of an offensive character on each side during the coming winter."