The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1885. THE GOVERNMENT INSURANCE ASSOCIATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1994, 19 May 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1885. THE GOVERNMENT INSURANCE ASSOCIATION.

Ever since the Government Life Insurance Association was established, it has been a source of trouble to the Government. Its establishment was an undue pieco of interference with private enterprise at the outset, but Sir Julius Vogel saw in it a means of helping along the Colonial Treasury whenever funds were required, and this purpose it served very well for a short time. Then the polisyholders began to have their oyes opened to what was going on. They compared the rates they were paying with those charged in other .offices, and found that, taking bonuses into consideration, they were no abetter off than if they had invested in any one of the mutual companies. This awakening was followed by a revision of the various tables. In time, Major ■ Atkinson found that the Association was gaining a good deal of influence, and that it would be wise to do something that would please the shareholders. A separate Department was therefore formed, and a Commissioner appointed to preside over it. About the same time, it may be noted, the Government hit upon the plan of charging this Department for office rent-a charge that many policy

holders considered unjust, though they did not explain why they should be a burden on the Statu'. A separate account was also kept of tlie receipts, and the Colonial Treasurer ceased to draw upon the funds at will, though as a matter of fact, the accumulated capital was still Diore or less at his disposal, When Sir Julius Voqel returned to the colony he found that things had altered, and that his original scheme was scarcely. recognisable in the organised and independent Department. But, although great progress ■had been made in the right direction, he immediately devised means for going further' still. He therefore carried a measure through Parliament for the establishment of a Board of Management, some of the members of which are elective, the' remainder being Government nominees or holding seats ra officio. In addition, it is proposed to establish local Boards, though of what use they are likely to be has not been made clear, Other offices do withoiitthem, and we fail to see why tl.e New Zealand Association should make such an expressive innovation, However, that is another, and minor subject. It will be seen that the Association has grown from a concern that was entirely dependent on tho Government into a strong and practically independent institution, which might be worked to some purpose by politicians. It has no real connection with theGovernmentof the country, except that the public funds are a guarantee that policios will be paid. This guaranteo is, however, only nominal, and is, we think, no longer required. The Association has a large reserve fund, and is even now advertising large sums of money to lend. Jt has by degrees forced itself out of the swaddling strings of the Government, and now that it is able to take its position alongside other and similar institutions, the last tie that is holding it may fairly be severed. We feel sure that if a poll of policyholders were taken on the question whether the Association should give the Government a guarantee of a million pounds in return for the guarantee to pay policy that havo matured, Qi' whether they would prefer to be altogether independent of the Government, the great majority would say that they never asked tlieGovernmcnjifcogive a guarantee, that they did not want it now, and that they would prefer tp be independent,

Messrs Lowes & lorns announce their next fortnightly stock sale for Wednegr day, the 27 th inst. Mr R Stansfield has been appointed Masterton agent for Messrs Kitchen and Sons' soap and candles. A Sydney constable who recently tried to interfere between a husband and wife was set upon by the amiable couple, and thumped and kicked unmercifully. They are n.iw in prison, audlie is, in the Hospital, The Greytown footballers held a capital practice on Saturday afternoon, when a number of new hands turned out and shaped exceedingly well. The Club purpose holding practices every Tuesday, Thursday m mM*)';

A young man who was scrub cuttjng qn Mr Wardell's run yesterday managejl tp put his foot where his slasher was coming down, the consequence being that he cut off a corner of the boot, and with it nearly half of his big toe. He rode into town, and had the wound dressed by Dr ingA recent in Church-street had his fowl house visited by ft ferret last night, and, as a matter of course," a number of fowls were found dead in the morning. The marauder was aecured and despatched to another world. There is no doubt that several ferrets have get loose in Masterion, and j/heir capture will be hailed witli leljght by all pqulfcry owners,

For some time past a number of ladies in Greytown have been holding "bees' 1 for the purpose of making articles for a bazaar in aid of St Luke's Church, and on Friday and Saturday last the bazaar came off, when those who paid a visit to Mr F, H, WflGd/s .auction room could form an idoa of what thbs'o pjjrjigs mean. The room was literally packed with articles for sale, and what with the usual Christmas tree, bran pie, &c, there was very little room for the crowds that visited tho room to move about. Tho stallholders were Mcsdames Tully, Taylor, Wood, Western, anrj tl|o Misses Tully, McMaster, Bowler, Dougherty', Bjrjejiberg, Brooks, Smith, Grey, Cole, Carter, Ja~oksfil}, and Cotter. During the evening the Private Brass Band gave some choice selections, which were very much appreciated, as were songs by Mrs J. Hume, Miss Malcolm, and Miss Wyett, Pianoforte selections were, given by the Misses Cameron, Hirscjiljerg, aijd Bowler. When the bazaar dosed.onSaturdaynjght the takings amounted tp close pii £4Q,' Ifcjsj intended to resume tlje bazaar at Christmas. Mr Vincent Pyke has turned his thoughts to many tilings in his lifetime. He has been a. Mjnjflte'r pf tjje Crown in Victoria; he has, with a degree of success, attempted to rival Sir William Fox in buffoonery in the New Zealand Parliament; and he has published a book, Latterly he has turned his attention to poetry, He is too old to bo drafted in tjm Mijitja, but apparently determined that if j|e gan't qljQQt ho can sing, and he has therefore written a song called "The Old Flag," which Mr G. R. West, of Dunedin, has set to music. We have looked through bpth words and music, and we must confess that we have entirely failed to find a new sentiment in tho former. Mr West has not done badly with his share of the publication, and, the subject being patriotic, the work is likely to find purchasers at the present timo ; but when the war scare is over it will not be looked at. Mr Pyke would evidently be more congenially employed in hunting up another County Chairmanship than in making poetry. While tho luidience was waiting for tho curtain to rise at tho Theatre Eoyal, yesterday evening, they were kept amused by a little bit of comedy in which the actors were three worshippers at the shrine of Bacchus, who had taken seats together in thojstallß, After performing several absurdities, one of them apparently became excited at the thought of what was preparing behind the curtain; or, perhaps, he came to the conclusion that he had sorioiisly offended one of his companions. At any rate, after having received several warnings to the effect that he ■ would be turned out' if he persisted in talking too loud, he-suddenly dropped down on his knees before his friend and poured out a most ludicrous prayer for forgiveness. What the friend said was not audible throughout the house, but as he put his hand on the head of the supplicant, whereupon the latter resumed his seat, it is to be presumed fiat the pardon prayed for was granted. After the rising of the curtain it became necessary for the police to give the trio a hint that silence was necessary, and they then behaved in a less indecorous manner,

Tho ordinary fortniglitly meeting of tho Masterton Borough Council will be' held thisovening.

Messrs Lowes and lorns hold an important sale of furniture at their rooms on Saturday next, Messrs J. Stone & Son, of the wellknown Waipoua Nursery, announce that 1 they havo a variety of plants for sale. Messrs Whatman Bros., Abbotsford, require men for dam making, and invite tenders for erecting rabbit-proof fencing. The Faust family played in Greytdwn on Saturday night, and "our own" says that they must be seen to be appreciated.

A social .tea in connection with the opening of the newschoolisto.be held at Eketahuna on Monday next, Captain Edwin telegraphed at noon: Bad weather same as wired yesterday afternoon, twelve hours from now, and glass fall again soon. Mr F. H. Wood announces an important unreserved sale of various goods to be held at his auction rooms, Greytown, on Saturday next. Particulars regarding the Military School of Instruction, about to be opened by the Government in Wellington appear in our adver ising columns.

The Presbytery meeting takes place .at Masterton at half-past two o'clock to-mor-row. About nine ministers of the Church have already arrived in Masterton. J. M. Lord was brought up in the Resident Magistrate's Court before Mr Stratford, R,M,, this morning, charged with' being drunk while in charge of a horse, and fined ss, After we went to press yesterday judgment for plaintiff given in the Resident Magistrate's Court in the oaso of E, B, Hare v W. Mitchell, claim £29 8s 2d, with costs £3l7s, Several other cases were settled out of Court, Mr F.- H. Wood announces that he will open his new auction mart in Queen street on Saturday May 30th, withan oxtenBivo sale comprising the contents of a completely furnished house, and various other goods.

Several Wellington publicans have failed to deposit the necessary fees with their application for a renewal of their licenses, and it is said that their houses will have to be closed for twelve months in consequence.

The Faust Family contemplate giving an afternoon performance on Thursday next for the benefit of schoql chil : (Iron and families residing at a distance, This will prove a great convenience to many whp would nof otherwWho able to attend,

A. child of Mr Boddington's was severely kicked in the face by a horse while, playing in a lane at the rear of the residence pf its parents, yesterday afternoon. DrHogking wasimmediately sent for, but, owingtothe swollen state of tlje little sufferer's face, he was unable tp ascertain the ful( extent of the Injuries, It ia, however, fanned, that the jaw lias been fractured,

President Cleveland has nominated the following as his cabinet:—Secretary of State, Thomas F, Bayard, of Delaware; Secretary of the Treasury, Daniel Manning, of New York ; Secretary of War, William C. Endicott, of Massachusetts; Secretary of the Navy, William C. Whitney, of New York; Secretaiy of the interior, L. Q. C. Lamar, of Mississippi; Postmaster-General, William F. Vilas, of Wisconsin; Attorney-General, fl. Garland, of Arkansas,

A Mr Thomas has written a cantata for the opening of the Industrial Exhibition In Wellington, and the words are published ii( th r e Wellington papers. We do not knqw whether the Exlubitjon Committee is bound to accept it or not, but if it is, we suggest that it bo carefully framed and hung out of everybody's roach until the exhibition is over, after which it may be decently buried.

A box containing a number of ferret 8 which arrived by train yesterday was delivered to the carriers, and deposited for the night in a stable off Church street. This morning it was put on a waggon and taken to Kahumingi. Some time afterwards four of the ferrets were discovered hiding in some straw, and it is feared that more have escaped. It was, no doubt, ftne of the same lot that was found in a fowl house, and referred to elsewhere. 'Owners of poultry will do well fqj! thj present to take such means as will prevent these predatory animals from getting into their fowlhouses.

There was a large attendance of members at the Phcenix Lodge, 1.0. G.T., last njght. After tho usual routine business had boon disposed of, the question of Sunday drunkenness was discussed, which resulted in a committee being appointod to draw up a petition to obtain signatures for presentation to the Licensing; Bench at its next meeting against'tho abuse of the Licensing Act by Sunday trading. Three new members were proposed, and tlie L,qdge concluded with harmony.

The following tenders have been re: ceived at the Public Works Office for the Napier-Woodvillo Railway (Tamaki contract) :—Accepted—Mullinger and Brett, Auckland, £35,650. Declined—Carr and Campbell, Napier, £38,752; H. McKenzie and Co., Woodvillo, £39,995; Alexander and McFaplane. Wanganui, £41,953; D. Glendinniiig, Napier, £43.000; Cameron and O'Brien, Auckland, £43,Q87 ; Marj-in and Edgar, Auckland, £44,096 ; Larkins and O'Brien, Auckland, £47,733; Martin Daijaher, Wellington, £48,573; W. G. Bassett, Wanganui, £51,307. The " Lyttlefcon Times" says, tho Post-master-General has just issued an official instruction upon gamblingand betting, in which he says:—"A case having recently occurred in which betting on horses and playing with cards for stakes far beyond what the players can afford to lose were proved to have taken place, not only on the official premises, bujj also during official hours, the Post-master-General has felt constrained to direct that the superior officer who had taken part in and encouraged theso malpractices should be dismissed, and that of six subordinates oneshould be required to resign, and five be reduced in their class, tho reductions ranging from four to 44 steps. A postman, also, who acted as housekeeper, has been deprived of the housekeepership, as well as his good conduct stripe. The Postmaster-General deems it his duty to make these punishments known by way of warning, as in the case of post-office servants gambling in any form is an offence, and one which it is encumbent on Win to put down."— We presume this has some connection with the case of improper practices of which so much fuss was made, wWle so much secrecy was observed'about it a few weeks ago,

Heilbron's German Worm Cakes and Fitzgerald's Koromiko Extraot are Pa* tented.—Arvt,

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