The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1888. The Insurance Scare.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3079, 13 December 1888, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1888. The Insurance Scare.

The following report of the Insurance meeting held in Masterton on Monday evening last has appeared in tho columns of the Wellington Evening Press aud has created considerable amusement in this town as a somewhat bold aud ingenious misrepresentation of plain matters of fact.

There wis a largely attended meeting last night of the business residents to corridor the fire insurance rates, which have lately brail Increased from 20 to 100 per cent. After a lively discussion, during which tho Borough Council was severely condemned for neglecting tlie advice and suggestions of the under-, writcis, a comraittco was appointed to communicate with the Underwriters' Asuoojatioq re reduction of rates and to wait mi the Borough Council, if necessary, in refeienco to a water tupl'ly. A proposal to bring pressure to bear on the Government to organise a State Fire Insurance. Department excited great enthusiasm,

Of course, the writer is known to everybody in this town,, indeed we possess but one literary artist in our midst whose imagination is at all pqual to such a marvellous feat. It is, however, necessary not for the information of local residents who know all about the affair, but for tho sake of our Wellington readers who may have been misled by the paragraph to which wo refer to briefly state, (1). That the Borough Council was not severely condemned by the meeting, but, on the contrary, the tone of the gathering was decidedly favorable to that august body, and no resolution adverse to tbo Council was eye,n proposed by anyone. Had a motion of suclj a.character been brought forward it would undoubtedly have been lost, (2). That the meet-, jug though strongly urged by Mr Hogg to' recommend tup Committee it appointed tovwait upon, the Ijqrough Council absolutely refused to ilo so, and threy/ out Mr Hogg's resolution fn that dirootiqii by thjt'teeq votes to eight. (8) Tho proposal to bring pressure to bear on the Government to organise a State Fire Insurance Department did not excite any aiitJjSSiau). If the paragraph were altered as follows, it Ejl't be taken as $, fair summary of a portion of the proceedings to which it refers ; There was a moderately attended tyjeojlng lost night of tho business residents to'consider the Fire Insurance rates, which have lately been increased from 10 to 30 per centAfter a lively discussion, during which Mr Uogg severely condemned the Borough Council for -negleoiing the advlco and suggestions of the underwriters, a Committeo was appointed to take such steps as they might deem necessary to ascertain the causes of the increase of rata, and tho best remedy to ho adopted, and the meeting refused s[r Hogg's persistent request thai tho Committee should te recommended to wait on the Borough Council in reference to a water supply, A proposal to bring pressure to beiti on tho .Government to organise a State Fire Insurance p.cpnrtmcnt was mooted by Mr Hogg, hut was not noticed by any other speaker, 01 in any way endorsed by the meeting. Can we wonder that there is a scare ttmongst underwriters in Wellington when such peculiar stateuients about Masterton appear in the columns of a newspaper which, is, usually regarded as a trustworthy channel of news," Communications like the one to which'we liow refer,and its marvellous predecessor which }$ quoted in our issue of Saturday last /iro-qiijJe sufficient to account for any eccentrioitieß'displftyuil:l)y Insurance authorities, i( the latter happen to dorivo their impressions of Mas-

totlpn from these unreliable sources. What object is to be gained by mich palpable misrepresentations of plain matters of.fact? We know not, but we do feel certain that iii. the' .long run Mr Renall's project must suffer through tho efforts of bis friends to blind and mislead the people of Wellington. Even Mrlienall himself, must recognise: the unfairness and untruthfulness of such reports, The question of insiiranco is coming to the front at this present time, not only in Masterton but throughout tho colony. 'Thero is some : reason to 1 believe, that the underwriters are about to raise rates throughout the length uud breadth of New Zealand, and that Masterton property owners, though among tb first to be attacked —owing to a special scare that has been created in Wellington—will be. joined-liy,a host of sufferers from all directions. The subject will bocomo shortly so prominont that it will be impossible to throw dust in the eyes of the public. All that can be now lone in Masterton is to face the difficulty of the situation, to put down all attempts to deceive and mislead ,the public as to tho true facts of the .ease and to trust to the Committee of business men already appointed to como to satisfactory -arrangements with the Underwriters, by which this town will at least got fair play. Tho object of the Masterton. correspondent of thd Evening Press is plain enough. He desires to serve Mr Eeimllby discrcditingthe members of the Borough Council, It would almost appear as ifMrrlogg'sothorselfsoiitthocommunicatjojVtmdcr a .profound conviction that tho public meeting was Mr Hogg and that Mr Hogg to tho public meeting. . '

Tho Masterton Amateurs contemplate tendering Mr G, A. Gaskill a cmnpli mentnry benefit previous to his dopar-, lure Irom this town, ' During the discussion of the Estimates in thnlieusouf Commons tho votes for the Irish police wero violently opposed, mid a Bceno occurreil in which Mr Parnoll took part, Tho cloture was twice applied, and :he votes wero oventually carried,

To-morrow Friday, a valuable freehold property in the Rangilumau Block, being section 148 containing 205 news will be offered for sale by Messrs T. Kennedy Macdonald & Co, at Wellington, The property is for absolute sale, to close accounts in an ostato. '

At a mooting of shareholders of tho Equitable lusurannco Company hold at Wesport yesterday, after hearing tho explanations of Messrs Callan and Sinclair, delegates from Dnnedin, as to tho state of the Company's affairs, it was resolved tj cordially approve the recommendation of tho directors aud mmmittee specially appointed to enquire' into tho attain) of tho Company and to carry on tho business of tho company under the new management. . At'tho Supremo Court, Invercarisill, rlalm Jlaloncy was .sentenced to-ten ye W.'fur shooting with iiifent. The Judge, -in passing sontonco, said the question of of accused's sanity would be referred to tho Government. Rudolph escaped from invil in September, whifo" undergoing a committal torinforarson. Walked into the Supremo Court yestorday morning, Ho smilud at the police officers present, and soon after left for gaol with the Serjeant and tho gaoler.

A. correspondent writes asking if it would prove of more interest to the children of tho infant school if the distribution of gifts took the form of a Christmas tree with tho prizes suspended from the branches, each child could be allowed to draw, and as thero would bo all prizes and no blanks the fun and onjnynient would bo _ considerably increased. In fact it might go a little further and some of our wealthy residents might give the children a bun and an orange each. iMiss Wiedemann, a Gorman Govornets, brought an notion against Mr Robert Horaco W.ilpuJo. heir to the earldom of Oxford, claiming £'IO,OCO damaged for broach of promise of marriage for libel in accusing lier of the theft of a ring. The defendant deniod the libel, and pleaded that tho promise of marra<(o ivas not binding, having been made ill Turkey, Tho evidence showed that Walpule becamo nquaintod with the Elaintiff in Constantinople, and deserted or after seducing her, A verdict was given lor Miss Wiedemann, with £7OO danmgos,

It has bocu argued in somo quarters (says the Tuapoku Times) that some of the station owno's whoso runs are infested with rabbits uinko as much out of the skins as covers tho cost of keeping down the pest, This is not so, however, Tho revonuo from the 6kins does not cover the cust of extermination, lot alone the damage to tho pasture, and the deterioration of tho laiul caused by the rabbits. On the Greenfield Estate, for instance, tho coat of keeping down the pests is 1500 a year over and above the revenue from skins; but what with one thins; and another, Mr Smith, tho owner of too estate, estimates that tho pest means a loss to him of fully JJIoOO a year, Aud this, too, on land all under cultivation. It will be soon that Mr G, Coker has 6Ucceedod in arranging with Professor Rolliuson to give two of his bicycle exhibitions on Monday and Tuesday- u'ost, The Anti-Californinu spoakipg of the Professors performances says i Itoiliusun appeared from his imitation of ut dude learning to ride a bicycle, to have been in the dudo business himself when young, for ho imitated the animal as though 'to tho manner born'. Tastefully arranged in tight pants, swallow, tail coat, plug hat, shirt bosom, and kid gloves, with onoiiloas jammed in his right eye, and held there by sheer muscular force, ho looked funny enough to shoot when ho first came in; but when he began to wrcstlo with tho ipohine and get tln'own'.as only a' dude could lis thrown, the spectators threw oft all restraint, and literally roared with laugh, ter. Funny was no name tor it: it was funnier than seeing another fellow's lintsmashed. Up'fell forward au-i backwards, dashed clear over Iho railing, ran into the inijsie stand,' jammed Ip's heal through the spokes of Ins rtlioel, ttjpped over his bat', and accompanied' each mishap with a grave look of disgu«t ihat was irresistible. Ho had fo give an encore . performance to satiny the crowd,

There is an interesting speculation in an article, ".Fifty Years Ago," in the currant number of the Quarterly Review upon the origin of a very important social institution-five o'clock tea. The Muse of History is ailenfc as to its origin though it is saidto mado in first or at all events ono of its earliest appearances al ijolyoji' Oastje under the auspices of the reigning Duohoas.' not, however, of Kutland, but of Bedford, and nut In the Belvoir drawing-room, buh in tho room she occupied ns a visitor at the house. Vto uuiy, however, look lowor,and remember that in some parts of England notably in the Eastern Counties tho labourers have a meal which goes by the name Qf "fours,' 1 R«t} whjph occupies nearly the same relation to tho two substantial meals' of dinner and supper that live o'clock tea occupies to iuueheon and dinner in the higher ranks. Thero can be no doubt, it is said, that 'ho cause of temperance is sensibly advanced by this now habit. Tho pernicious habit of" nipping," wliioji poopb are so much tempted tnitidulgoin on reluming homo from hunti»2 >or shooting, has yielded to ut qreat exton't in preßonce of the more attractive and innocent "pick-nie-up"—a cup of tea. H. Peterson begs to inform the inhabitants of Ifpst&rtorj and District' that during the month of December ho wi|| offer to the publio the wholo'bf hls'large stuck of bouts and shoes at cost price for CAsn Okiy, after which titiie the book's will l>o closed and tho business in future conducted on the.ready money 6yitenV oftttdw notice will to pyw.-Ajwi ' .■■"• v ." /■■'■■<■:<;;■-■'*

: Messrs Lowes iindlnniß add to their Block sale for Wednesday next twenty four head of cattle. ■ One pound reward is olforod through our columns for tho recovery of a gold hiirse,shue pin lost between MaiigmnahoC Station and Ekptahuna. Mr Pearson's Bund will play at the linking party to-night. A number of riukera have already bespoken suites, so there will .be a good attendance. At a meeting in connection with the Baptist Jubilee Conference, in Melbourne, it" mis stated that £203 in excess of the required sum.of i' 25,009 had boon collected. . Two Canterbury fanners, who have been Bending homo frozen mutton regularly for bohio time, by tho last advices havo received SJd for their lastshipuieut uf sheep. A consignment of tf.OOO young trout from the Masterton ponds was yesterday formirded by tho Wellington- Acclimatisation Sooioty to Wanganui, where they will bo ioleasod in the upper waters of the Wanganui ltiver, We remind those interested that noinMixtions close to-day at !)p, m, for the Friendly Societies Sports with the Secretary, Mr E. 11. Waddington, at his oilico, Perry-street, Wo remind our .readers of the. social gathering at tho' St Matthew's school room to-morrow. A'Christinas tree will be provided for the children, and other items of intoiest; also an ample supply of refreshments for all, Musical salec'lions will be rendorcd throughout tho evening. .'..'.-

The follwvirig toam will represent tho Star Cricket Club in the return match with the Masterton second eleven on Saturday noxt, play to commence at 2 o'clock':—Wickens, W. Grantham, 11. W.niidA. Welch. T.Hawke, Kami A, Mim'h'e, W. Day, BoulcotVA. Richards. Emergencies:—Holfurd.E.Kebbleivbite A.Russell. Umpire; Mr,H. Eusaell; Scoror: Mr Winchester. , production'of Gilbert opera, The Yeomen writes The iiperaTwill-live, and givcsground' for a belief that in their new vein the two hmous fellow-workers will havo as long a Bpel) of success as in their old, But it is now all SulUvan. Gilbert's ,<art might be done by any clover fellow at Balliol.

As usual (says Figaro) many of the (jaiety young ladies havo been left behind in Australia; where: their good looks havo provided them with wealthy husbands'. A rcioforcemont of thirty girls has accordingly been sent out from London to join Ibo Gaiety party in the Uiiitod States. One of those days someone will be able to make a'handsome fortune by taking burlesque parties to Australia, and imposing a heavy fine (which tlie husband-elect .would doubtless readily pay) upon every chorus lady, who breaks her contract for matrimonial purposes.

It will bo seen that the amatoura of Mftstnrton aro to i<ivo Mr G. A. Gcskill a complimentary benefit previous to Mb departure fur fluvelock, and we feel certain that their efiorts will bo rewardedwith a guod houso. Most of our leading yocalists appear in the while in the concluding piece Mr .li 0. Ifyrj, tho pianist, will tnakc his first appearance in room, but nfifirtj^Brle'r^^^^^B Saturday there was nootheralwl^M A year or two since anew stylo uf mP fencing was noticed in some of the Home papers, as manufactured at tho Luohrin Iron Works, Edinburgh, Tho chief feature of this fence is the substitution of what are called "droppers"-for tho ordinary stakes or standards. These droppers are not driven or sunk into the ground, aa is usually done, but merely brace and stiffen the wires, and prevent them from being forced apart, imparting elasticity to the fence instead of solidity and firmness. This elasticity is claimed to be the chief lecommondatii'ii, as it gives or recedes from tho shock of a collision with a boast, mid springs back immediately the pressure is removed Wo know how fond sheep, horses, and cattle are of rubbing and scratching themselves againstu.fcnce but they prefer something firm and stiff to an object that spring's and "givi-B" when they touch it—therefore it would appear that a hanging fence, us it were would Rroally discourage stuok from the bad and destructive habit of tubbing agiinst fences, bending standards and breaking timber stakes. Tho makers also say that tho strainers need not be p'aced so near together as in the old style,

Messrs W. J. Hurst and Co., ■ inform the Auckland Star that the possibility of sondingnew potatoes to arrive in London in a marketable condition lias already been demonstrated Dy them, as they shipped a few eases this time last year way of an experiment. Tlioir London correspondents wrote:—"Fob.27,lßßß. Yuu will be plansod to loam that the new potatoes nont to my Irieuds arrived in the best possible condition, there not being the trace of decay in Iho entire packages, I have not tasted them myself, bui am assured they aro quite new enough to be a delicacy at this season" Accompanying this advice was au Older for a certain quantity at a remunerative price, and tho shipment by tho Aorangi is the result. They point out, that the freight is so high it is doubtful if tho veuture will prove remunerative. Now potatoes in London in the - winter aud early spring months would certainly bo a delicacy. A VVolvorhaniptou correspondent oays that during the' heavy thunderstorm of Tuesday a oollier named Bates, who had lost liia sight through an accident, was boing led home, when a flash uf lightning was reflected on the spectacles lie was weaving to omiceiilliis disfigurement After tho peal of thunder which followed hu complained of pains in his head. Tho next moment, to his surprise, ho found that he had regained possession of his eyesight. The occurrence has caused considerable excitement in the locality. No noswtyt, NEEDED !—No palatial hospital needed for DivSoulo'b American Hop Hitters' patients, nor lan;e-6alaricd talented puffers to tell what Dr. Soiile's American Idoi) Bitters will do or cure, as thoy tell their own story by their certain and absoluto cures at home.—New York Independent, A aRK.yr ENtKRpnBB i—The Dr. jji.ijlu'g American Hop Bitters Manufacturing Company is nuo of Rochester's greatest business enterprises, Theic Dr. taonle's American Hop Bitters - have reached a sale beyond all precedent, having from thoir intrinsic value, found theic way into every household in tho land.—Oraphu.' Residents in the country contemplating a visit to Wellington during tho present month, may combine both pleasure and profit by calling at the Wholesale' Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House,. Wellington,

The fine premises we occupy are in themselves'unequalled South of.the Equator, and not only is the architecture imposing, but tho arrangements for the comfort and convenience pi customers are suoh as cannot be 'excelled'lf equalled in the Colony, and BO.say the thousands who have visited tho Wholesale Family Drapery Warehouse, Te Aro House, Wellington,

And then the stock is always large, the choioe very extensive, and tho prices at lowest wholesale rates at Te Aro r4~puf,c, WeHiniloii, .Justiioiy, and during tho present monlji some exceptional advantages are and will bo oflered'to all cash customers. Havhiß' imported a large lot of Japanese and other fanoy goods we shall distribute them to all purchasers on the following scale at Te Aro Houso, Wellington:-'

The Scale Purchase 10/- Gift 1/- Purchase .15/. Gift 1/6 Purchase 20/- Gift S/- Purchase 85/- (Jilt 8/6 Purohase3o/. (lift 3/- Purchase 35/- Gift 3/6 Purchase -10/- Gift 4/- Purchase 50/- Gift 5/Purchase CO/- Gift 0/- Purohase 70/- Gift 7/Purchase 86f flilt&j. Purchase SO/- Gift 3/'Purchase 100/-Gift 10/-. and so! on in saine proportion up to £SO, £IOO, or more during the month of December at To Aro House, Wellington,. - . Tlio only exceptions; .wo make to the above aro,KidGlC'voß, Dressmaking,.Milli|nery,:ond tailoring to order.: An early visit would 'therefore be vory advantageous toairoountry'residon'ts, being.certain to rosultiii"pleasure aud profit to all.oualo. ioer& a* Te Are Houao.

Tho ordinary.monthly' mooting of tho Hospital Cuiinnittoo tufas placo to-day. • Tho friondb'bf tlio l-ite,ftlr 0. Gnrringe nvo notified that his funeral will lravo Fernridge on Friday at 1 p.m., arriving in Masli'i'ton two hours later. Harold E. Porritt, otGreytown, asjed' 11,1 ms su«odod in carrying off thesecond of tho liro Junior Scholarships offered by the Wanganui Collegiate Schou!. This is the second time a pupil from tho Clreytuwn School has carried off this tcholarship. " A fhsliioiiabl» ti)ok plaeo in Wellington ycßtorday at St Cathedral, tho principals being MrW. H, Softon Mrorehuuse and Miaa Jessie Hunter, youngest daughter of the late Mr George Hunter, of Coloniol fame. Tho nowly-ninrriod couple will spend their, honeymoon trip in -Australia. Amount the manifold and costly presents was a cheque from Mrs Rhodes for £IOOO.

The Now Zealand Loan amlMevcantile Agency Company held their first wool, sale of -tho .season at Wellington yesterday afternoon. There was a good attendance of buyers, and competition was brisk. The bulk of tho wool catalogued was disposed of at satisfactory prices. Merino ranged fioin (i|d to 8d per lb, and crossbred from b\A to B|d, ' The Company will hold their second sale shortly, as clips are now being delivered in Wellington in considerable quantities.

-Mr Basil Latham, of Mastorton, at tho Palace Skating Hall 'on Monday night surprised many at his agility and his sjtitl on the skates. Li the.forward skatidglia introduced tho roll and cross legs.iwo tues, too and heel, two heels, one too, one heel, and thou wenf round tho room an ono leg. In. tho backward skatins he did what is called forward stop, two toes, two and heel, one foot, ifcc. In fancy skating he' went through consecutive threes, grapoviuo,"ditto ditto with spin and toss, Maltese' cross, and several others movomonts. He'oxpresscd himself as quite willing to skato Professor Durney for a sum of money fur graceful and efficientskating—Groyfown Standard. ' ■ ~

At a special general mooting of members of the South 'Wairarapa Racing Club at Fcathorston on Wednesday ovenine, it was resolved to'offer tho Tauheronikau Itaco-course trustees-a giant of £SO towards the. proposed improvements to tho course, provided the Club has the exclusive right to raoe tiiero on tho Ist January free for fivo years, Tho proposed improvements consist of moving the Grand Stand, making tho coursoachain wido all round and avoiding all bad .turns, If carried out the course will be second to none in the Wellington province.