A.M.P. Society.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7752, 2 March 1905, Page 2

A.M.P. Society.

OPENING THE LOCAL BRANCH. It is gratifying to be assured of the continued prosperity of the district, and as such assurunce, the opening of the New Plymouth branch of the A.M.l'. Society will be pleasurable to every resident, whether he be a policy holder or not, In order fittingly to mark i'he occasion, several representative policy-holders were invited to a pleasant function whichi took place at the society's offices. Brougham-street on Wednesday,. There were present : Messrs J. Duncan (a member of the New Zealand directorate), E. W. Lowe (resident secretary lor New Zealand), U. Cock (Mayor of New Plymouth), U. H. Morgan, N. K. MacUiarmid, F. P. Corkilli, C. W. Jovett, Ab. Goldwatcr, W. L. NewMan, W, C. Weston, T. S. iVeSton, E. Griffiths, W. L. Kitzherbert, \V. 1). Webster, J. C. IVeliK'toi;. E. I'. Webster T. E. Mannering, Sullivan (canvasser to the society), E. Snowtrail, F, ,S, Johns, I. U. Hoy, J. 11. Qiiilliu.il], A. U. Steed, Jay. H. Duckleton, J. Ellis, J. S. McKellar, and J. F,. Wilson. Mr W. D. Webster,, as the oldest lolicjvholdes present, welcomed the visiting ollicers, and then entered in--o an outline oI his connection with .lie society siince I.BGB, when he injured in Sydney. Three years later le llad been appointed local agent, ind in that capacity he induced Ales*irs Short and A. Thomjlaon to visit, lie district in the interests of t«o iociety. In 1890 the .directors decid»d to ojien a district office in Wanraiiui, and now ho was pleased to ee they had come here to stay, rhere was room for the society in ' Cew Plymouth, and the advantages j njoyed wouild show that it was enitled to a large share of support ' roan both old and youngs He was 1 ure the society wou'ld assert its) 1 •osition as one of the best in the 1 I'islrjct. I Mr Duncan said it was pleasant to 1 eprcsent the Hoard on the opening 1 if the NVw Plymouth branch. It was I in absolute necessity to oikjii a dislict pflice. lib would like to say ! I> few wqnds' on tl)i; circumstances 1 I'llich led to the society opening a 'ranch in Wanganui instead of New I 'lyinouth in 1892. In the whole of 1 he Wanganui and New Plymouth listriots there were then 923 policies ' ggwgating £264,000, with a preiiium revenue of £B'(>44. So it was nadviiHab'e to have two offices'. The inmense strides in the district durng the past thirteen years', the pheloinenal increase in dairying and genial farm produce resulted in a large icrcas'e of business in the two disricts. T 0 slunvi the increase, Mr ' •uncan stated that on Pec. ill last. : he policies numbered 2724, repre- | enting insurances to £<j<>®,393, and , premium revenue of £23,192. lie . oped the establishment of the dis- j rict oflico here would result in an icrease of business similar to that ! hich took place in Wanganui. Til is, | - owover, was impossible without the ; nrdial co-operation of policy-hold- ' rs. The Jubilee report read like a liry tale. For the first year's operlions the revenue totalled £250, xpenses bringing the amount in hand a £9O. This was fifty-five yraj'x go, Nuw (he revenue was nearly no' and three-quarter millions, the ccumulatod funds nearly twentyono iillion.% and the policies represented fly-two million pounds sterling, his proved that the people realised lat the mutual system was the ght .one. Jn thirly-thrce years', out ' I two an;| a-half inifiions of invmt- 1 leflt.s the -Ifew Ziejtlfjnd Ppqrd tad i i uml it nueesftary to write off £lO - i >0 only as a loss. This was a re- I >rp for Nuw Plymouth institutions r Duncan concluded by paying a gh tubule to Mr Lowe, the resist secretary for New Zealand,, and I C. A Benibow, who has been a printed to the management of the cal branch. After the company drank to the iccess i>f the agency, Mr 0. W. ovctt briefly replied on behalf oi' iu poHeHiaklersjuiij visitors.