Fire Insurance.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 15, 16 June 1885, Page 2

Fire Insurance.

Aptibiic mtetiiig to consider the best means :tofh.clo£t m! order to secure a reduction of the existing high "Sre iiisui'- ' atice tariff m this district was held m Mr Mowlein's .office last evening. Present— "Messrs -Wollerraan, Eoss, Colville, Venn, Whitehead, Walton, Park, Kibblewhite, Milverton, Tingey, Kerslake, G. 1\ Hawkins, Hosking (2), Hall, Allinghatn, and Wray, Mr Walton proposed'- that Mr Park take the chair seconded by -Mr Whitehead, and carried. Resolved on motion of Mr Tingey that Mr Walton act as Hon. Secretary. The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting and also a letter from the Peilding Association and copy of resolution passed there as follows : — Dear Sir, — A rxfeetmg of persons interested m the matter of insurance was held here on Friday evening last with a view of taking steps to induce some Foreign Insurance Office not represented m tne Wellington District to establish agencies m the several townships m the Mauawatu 'District and accept risks at the same irafces of premium as those now m lorce ? iii- the Wjinganni District. In pursuance of a resolution passed at such meeting a copy of which is herewith enclosed I beg to request that for the purpose of co-operating.. with : the Feilding people m obtaining a reduction of insurance rates m this district- you will cause & meeting ot those persons iv your township interest m the movement to be held at ah carry-date at which a delegate from Feilding will attend with the object of explaining what steps it is proposed to take m the matter. In the event of your complying with this request will you be good enough to let me know on what date you propose to nold a meeting. — I am, &0., W. A, Sandiland. , That Mr Sandiland write to Mr Pnr- [ kiss, of Halcombe, asking him to call a I meeting of persons interested m insurance with a view of co-operating with Feilding m obtaining a reduction of the I insurance premiums paid m the Manawatu District and that Mr J. C. Thompson be appointed a delegate to represent Feixding on such meeting.

The Chairman further -- remarked that Mr Walton he noticed had canvassed the town ana* received a number of names of persons m business willing to assist m the proposed agitation ; he thought he coiild not do better than introdnce the Feilding delegate (Mr J. Cs Thompson) ;who would explain the action they had tjatfen there. .... Mr Thompson said ' that previous to ,the meeting being held Mr tjewers'nad suggested his. writing to Mr ..Bai^i, ,of . .Wanganni,. and ascertaining 'from nfm Vhat assistance the people of that, ; t6w'n had given to the movement set on foot there m connection with this matter -some time ago, and he had received^ reply that to ensure any success they must have through unanimity and reconimenclinpf that they should offer their business altogether to the Royal on conditions of a satisfactory reduction of premiums. The Feilding people had held a; meeting and had a good attendance. He might state that he had taken some, pains to ascertain the tariffs ruling m the districts, and found the Rangitikei people could insure 40 to 50 per cent, lower than m Manawatu and another strange fact had come to his knowledge ; within the past few days viz,, that Woodville enjoyed the samo tariff as the Wangamji! district. As an instance hotels m Palmerston were insured for 65s and m Wood ville 42s 6d. He thought it strange that Manawatu should quietly submit to this imposition all these years. They were paying upwards of £1000 per year ontjof tins district than m Rangitikei. Ho -was sorry to see bv the papers that the. Melbourne Companies had been holding a meeting he a proposal to join with New Zealand offices; he hoped something better than the present .patchy system would be decided on. In Feilding they had proposed to get all the property m the place possible insured m an outside office. The Australian Alliance had been mentioned. The people of Feeding had determined to oppose strenuously the tyranny that existed and hoped to be assisted by Palmerston m their efforts.

The Chairman called for expressions of opinion from those present. He himself might mention that m Canterbury they ha 9 jßiicceedod m securing a reduction of the tariff 20 to 25 per cent by joint action m ottering all their business to one o£fice. Mr Thompson stated that the Feilding peopTe had determined not to give the rmk to a Jocal office if possible. . Mr Hawkins wished to know, the differenfce m the existing tariffs. . -....jjjljr, Thompson gave an instance of a Foilfljna: resident paying m different dis-ti-\c& 42s fid and 32s 6d on the 'same ; kind .of property. 'Mr Colvillo did not think it' would be aWy''Jharm m making the offer to one of tlio local companies. ■ .. . : |... -:^fr Kibblewhito questioned the advisability of giving the business for a period of three years. Mr Thompson said that unless this was done there would be small inducement to an outside office to take the business at reduction. Mr Whitehoad remarkod that he paid 15a on a house ;and on one adjoining, simply because he sent bread out of it, he was

asked 47s Gd, therefore lie did not inauro at all. Mr Thompson believed that nine-tenths oE tlio business people were under-insured through the iniquitous rates of premiums ruling". The chairman remarked thiit m the Square there was two or three thousand going out annually for insurance, andf-.tr his part ho would" willingly support any outside Company that would otter inducement. Probably if a canvass was made by Mr Walton sufficient support would be received to work upon. He himself would guarantee to insure for £2500 to .■fr'SOOO. If he had a lire that night he was not half insured and would lose.considerably, and he believed there were hundreds m the same position. Mr Ross said that soeing the rates of insurance ruling on each side of this district were much lower than we had to pay, he did not think that if communicated with the local companies would refuse to re-consider thoir tariff; he would suggest that before anything definite was done, a list of insurers m the district be made out showing the amount of insurance and that same be forwarded to the local companies with a request to know the reason why the tariff charged was so much higher than id adjoining townships. He thought it scarcely fair to communicate with an outside company before ascertaining from the local offices a definite reply- . , V The Chairman said the companies had been spoken to repeatedly about the matter. ' . , ■ . Mr Ross said, probably, but he believed that it. had been verbally, and that no definite reply m writing had ever been re ceived. He believed tbey were all underinsured and if the tariff were 50 percent, lower he would insure 50 per cent. more. Mr Thompson remarked that an insurer m Feilding wrote to his Company asking i what he should do m the face of the I meeting about to be held antagonistic to them, and was told by letter to take no notice whatever of it. Mr Walton said this discourtesy was repeatedly taking place and would continue to until they made some stand. • The chairman believed that no doubt the reasons of the existing high tariff was on account of the town having been a bush district once, and that where iron roofs took the place of shingle they Tiad not m consequence reduced the tariff. Mr Venn intormed the chairman that m thosa days the tariff was cheaper and it was since then they had raised the rates. v Mr Hawkins 'thought that some one interested had better make a proposition; he was noli a large insurer himself ; the thing was kept up by a combination and the only way out of the difficulty was to maKe a combined stand against it ; he would propose that this meeting heartily concur with the action taken by ihe Feildin? people, and pledges itself -to cooperate with them m the matter of opposing the high rates of fire insurance premiums. Mr Venn seconded the proposition. He (Mr Venn) might remark that •he was paying about i'6o annually for insurance, and would be prepared to give the same to any outside office charging lower- rates. The resolution was carried unanimonsly. Mr Hawkins said he would change his insurance to whatever office could be arranged with ; he thought that it would be better now to ascertain what could be offered to any company willing to contract with them; unless something definite could be offered he did not think they would take any notice of the matter. He would propose the following resolution — That this town and district be canvassed to ascertain the support which insurers would give to any office offering to undertake risks at the rates ruling m Wanganui and Woodville districts for 3 years ; risks to be accepted as they expire m other offices and that the sisrning of this memo shall be deemed a pledge by the severalj parties to . support the movement. In reply to a query irom Mr Hall, Mr Thomson stated that the difference of rates charged m Rangitikei and Mana-. watu was about 50 per cent. In Bulls places of business could be insured for 22s 6d, when m Feilding you would •be charged 87s Cd. Mr Venn suggested that the following bo added to the resolution — That an outside office to have preference. Mr Colville said this was he thought understood at least m Feilding. Mr Thompson informed the meeting that this feeling of opposition to the local offices being treated with wasjsuperficial ; what they were anxious for, was a reduction m the tariff, and if that could be secured locally, he had no doubt they would be satisfied. Mr Colville then seconded the motion, which was put to the meeting and carried unanimously. The Chairman remarked he supposed that this would conclude the business.

Mr Hawkins naively suggested that something definite had better be arrived at m reference to expenses to prevent any t after bother. Mr Walton informed the meeting that 'So for the only expenses were advertising I and use of Hall. i Mr Thompson stated that he had been promised rornuneration^from Feilding, but if the scheme was unsuccessful he would not charge anything. Mr Walton proposed that Awahuri and Ashursfc should be canvassed. Mr Thompson said that Ashurst would be worked by itself. Mr Warne had undertaken to send a list of names of peraons who were willing to co-operate. I . It was decided to canvass Palmerston and suburbs, during the coming week, and hold a meeting on Monday next, same time and place, when Mr Walton . would lay before them the results of his canvass. A vote of thanks to the chair and Mr Thompson (Feilding delegate), brought the meeting to a close.