The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4784, 9 May 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1884.

That Augean stable, the Government Insurance Department, is by degrees hating its abuses removed, and they are becoming gradually less. One of its well paid officers recently found a haven of rest in another colonial office, and many scandals of more or less import have arisen in. connection with this branch of Her Majesty's Government; one which apparently relies upon a method of raising capital oneasy interest. Loud and long have been the complaints in connection with this Department, which has been so fearfully and wonderfully made, and with good reason have growls gone forth regarding its direction and management. The people are interested not only on account of the colony's assets being security for the amount guaranteed under policies issued, but.a very large number, if not the greater, of the colonists have entrusted their funds in the way of premiums to this department. The success promised by the colonial establishment of an old system was almost an accomplished fact, and would have fully realised all the expectations of its most sanguine proposers had not officialdom burked its working, greediness thwarted its operations, political power interfered in the appointment of its officers, and—from interested motives.*—the most unfit persons been placed in positions of trust, capable of wielding power, making contracts, binding the Government, and otherwise, having been granted privileges which they should not have possessed. Those same people have been given power to exercise authority, the use and consequence of which they were most sublimely ignorant of, and which they appear to have, in the grossest manner possible, abused. Thorough demoralisation appears to have set in in the department. First of all the original Actuary. is compelled to leave and join another office; next, the Secretary does likewise in connection with an opposition company; then the much' favored Inspector of Agents is-suspended owing to " goodness knows what" ; the chief clerk thinks fit to abscond, and taken altogether the department must be in a very nice state, more especially when it is remembered that the Commissioner —no matter how undoubted his abilities may be—has had only a few years of " official " experience. Governmental patronage has literally damned the department, and has prevented it doing the good which it most decidedly could have done. Similar institutions conducted 'on sound business principles are conducted successfully throughout the world, and. there is no reason why this, aided by the local encouragement it. receives,; the assistance it gets in the. matter of civil servants; and the arrangements made in connection with their insurances, should not be a great and a gigantic success. So long as it and its management—financially and otherwiseremain iv the hands of patronising Ministers, however, we fear it progress will be chequered.