THE GOVERNMENT INSURANCE BOARD.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 80, 13 December 1884, Page 6

THE GOVERNMENT INSURANCE BOARD.

Wellington, December 5. The " Post " of yesterday evening censures the Government for the delay in connection with the Insurance Association Board. It says :-— " The delay has ovidently been in tentional ; and we now learn that the election is not to bo held until the first week in January. The object is apparent j it is to prevent the representatives of the policyholders having any voice in the business at the first meeting of the Board. The Association comes into existence on the Ist day of January and thereafter has to be conducted by the Board, which must therefore necessarily meet immediately after that date. The first meetine will be an important one, and apparently the Government is anxious that only its own officers and nominees should take part in the business then to be transacted, We can understand the desirableness of this from an official point of view, but it will nevertheless be a fraud upon the policy holders if any business whatever is done until their representatives are present to act upon the Board. Unfortunately, J ho Act allows the Board to act although its members are not completed but the evident intention was that the Board should be completely formed before the Ist of January ; indeed, the first clause contains an express provision to enable these to be done. We never did believe that the Government contemplated giving the policy-holders any real control over the business of the Ass®ciation, and we have more than once pointed out that the Act is so worded as to really retain all power in the hands of the Government."