Tontines.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3177, 11 April 1889, Page 3

Tontines.

(Ilobart- lloroury). Very fow peoplo out iu these Colonies know much about tontines, aonee favored investment of our fathers', by which bridges and other f local public works were constructed, and the investors mado a provision for old age, which steadily increased with the roll of years, owing to tho doHtli of other investors. A somewhat celebrated French tontine has just expired by the death of tho last shareholder at the great age of 100, twenty others having lived to 100 years. The tontine was created in 1791, with the double otject of a private investment, and tho reduction of tho French national debt. As death thinned out the 11G shareholders, the income of tho survivorsincreosedup to the maximum ofGUOO livres; after which the deaths of those fortunate ones surrendered so much of the chargo to tlie nation without further increasing tho incomes of the already enriched fow, and by this means tho nation extinguished a considerable portion of itsiw/es. It itas at onetime a serious objection to the tontine system, that when tho shareholders wero reduced to a few, each one had an enormous interest fan the death of the others, and this ,jW>bjection, which is not oxporienccd in the early years of its operation, was obviated in the French tontino by filing ut maximum reached in this instance, while ll'e shareholders w.i\i still such a goodlj number as to pi event any unpleasant feeling of a death being profitable to tho survivor.

He Persuaded HerJune wanted to go to the circus, and John wanted to go to tlio theatre. " We can go to the Thoutre at any timo," she said, " but the circus is here for only one week, and we hare not alwaya tho chance of going to it," "Well, M yon like," said John, " but allow mo to say this—l won't be responsible for the consequences." " What consequences ? what do you mean ?" " Well," said John, gravoly, " suppose ono ot tho lions should break out of his cage while wo are there, is is all over with you.'|| " All over with me ?" " Certainly, the lions are not blind, are they ?" Jg>'N-nno; but what's that to do me ?" " Just this, if you look to mo to bo swootouougli to eat, how will you look to a raging, roaring, hungry lion ? Ho will think you are . rt delicious morsel, and yon are gone." jjut, John, there will be other girls there besides mo." " I know it, but you will bo tho sweotest one there." " Very well, John dear, I think we'd better go to the theatre.