THE AUSTRALIAN MUTUAL PROVIDENT SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9035, 28 February 1908, Page 6

THE AUSTRALIAN MUTUAL PROVIDENT SOCIETY.

Progress is a leading feature of the Australian Mutual Provident Society, the largest and most successful Mutual Life office in the British Empire, and it is with pleasure that we hear from Mr E. W. Lowe, the Resident Secretary of the Society in Wellington, that owing to the large volume of business the Society has now on its books obtained from the Wairarapa district, it has been decided by the Principal Board in Sydney, on the i-ecommendation of the New Zealand Local Board, to open a district office in Masterton, in charge of a trained officer of the Society. ,The officer selected for the position is Mr H. J. Francis, who has been in the service of the Society for a long period. s The Society's business has, for the past nine years, been most satisfactorily conducted in the Wairarapa by Mr W. B. Chennells. but the time has arrived when it is considered advisable, in the interests of the Society, to place an officer in charge who can devote the whole of his time to the work. We have no doubt this change will result in a large accession of new businsss, and that the Society wilt continue its flourishing career in the district. Mr Chennells will not sever his connection with the Society entirely, as he will continue to introduce new business as a broker. The district will stretch from the County of Featerston in the south to and including the Counties of Pahiatua and Akitio in the north. This district embraces a population of about 29,000 people. The Society is very much interested in thi3 district, otherwise than by deriving an annual premium income from it of about £7,900, produced by 1,053 policies assuring £250,473, and it has loans on mortgage in it amounting to £457,000 — this alone indicating the faith the management of the Society has in the district.

The A.M.P. Society, as it is generally called, is a household word in New Zealand, for its interests are to an enormous extent identified with the dominion. When the New Zealand branch was started on July Ist, 1871, it had an annual income of £17,189, and Funds of £I,OOO. Today it has an annnual income of over £518,000 and accumulated funds of over £4,250,000 (four and a quarter millions). This shows its marvellous progress and the faith the people in this dominion have in the Society. We sincerely congratulate" the Society on its new departure, and feel sure it will prove advantageous to all concerned.