THE GLOBE. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1872, 23 February 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1880.

The re-arrangement of the San Francisco mail service, by which a saving of two full days in the journey from Great Britain to Auckland is effected, apparently without any increase of cost, is a matter upon which the Government is to be congratulated. The journey to Auckland will now be accomplished in thirtynine days, and it is anticipated that yet another day may be saved between San Francisco and Auckland. There is, however, another step yet to be taken before the service can be considered altogether satisfactory, that is, the acceleration of the intorprovincial delivery after the mail has reached New Zealand. It is an absurd thing that five days, or a little less than a third of the time in which the mails are carried from London to San Francisco, should be occupied in transmitting them from Auckland to Lyttelton. It is therefore satisfactory to know that negotiations are at present going on with the Union Company for the purpose of saving two more days in this direction. It is of course to be expected that the carriers will make some additional charge for the quicker service, but surely the public benefit secured is apparent enough to silence grumbling on this head. If speed in a mail service is a desideratum at all, it would be a piece of the utmost folly, after bringing the mail more than half round the world at top speed and at great expense, to waste the good effect of its prompt transport over this great distance by a little foolish economy in its carriage over the last few miles. It is surprising that the colony has so long endured with patience the needless delay that takes place between Auckland and the southern ports. The carriers, of course, are in no way to blame, as they simply fulfil the terms of their contract, whatever that may be, and will no doubt be quite willing to quicken their speed for a consideration. Supposing, however, that reasonable terms cannot be arranged, could a more satisfactory permanent use be found for that marine bone of contention, the Hinemoa, than to employ her upon this service once a month ? We cannot help thinking that the second Government steamer, the Stella, could, besides discharging her proper lighthouse service, do all that was necessary in the way of urgent Government business during the intervals in which the Hinemoa might be occupied with the carriage of the mails.

It has been lately announced by telegrams and otherwise that an Accident Insurance Company, having its headquarters in Auckland, has been established in New Zealand. This is, we believe, the first institution of the kind in this group of colonies, and its commencement is a matter upon which the public are to be congratulated. As many persons do not understand the precise difference between this and an ordinary life insurance company, it may be useful to explain that it accepts insurances against accident oaly. By moderate payments a person may insure for any sum in case ef accidental death, or for compensation in the form of weekly payments in case of accidental disablement. In a paragraph published last week, the various classes of risk which the society takes were sufficiently described. It may be mentioned now that the English society, established upon an analogous basis, is universally recognised at Home as one of the most useful among British insurance institutions. In these colonies the number of deaths from accident bear an enormously high ratio to the total mortality, and as to the cases of accidental disablement, a glance at almost any day's newspapers will suffice to convince the incredulous what a field such a society as this has before it. Scarcely a day goes by that we do not hear of some " family brought into want through an accident to the husband or father, and the records of the charitable aid officers' department, and of the various benevolent societies of the colony, show that a very large proportion of the distress in the colony is attributable to this cause alone. By the establishment of the Accident Insurance Company a means of avoiding this risk, and one which is placed within the reach of any careful man, is furnished, and it is almost a matter for regret that there are no means of compelling all, who have families dependent upon them and otherwise unprovided for, to take advantage of the facilities afforded. With respect to the directorate of the new company, it may be stated that it comprises some of the most substantial and best known merchants of Auckland. In the circular prospectus which has been issued, a number of excellent reasons are given why people should patronise the company. In the following, however, it appears that the company in its zeal to protect us from accident, has itself met with an accident to its grammar, which is, we trust, not incurable ; —" Every sensible man should provide against the contingency of accidents (killed or not)." We venture to suggest that the managers would do well to reconstruct this wise saying in accordance with recognised usage; otherwise its excellent intention is apt to bo marred. We have drawn particular attention to this undertaking because it appears to us to be one of such exceptional utility to the public as to take it out of the category of ordinary business enterprises carried on simply for the sake of profit. It is eminently a matter of State concern that all who are not in an independent position should make such provision against accident as will prevent them, or their families becoming objects of public charity.