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Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1058, 5 April 1879, Page 2

Thkue must be something requiring -amendment in the working of a department, wheo, as in the case of •the widow of the lute Charles Thompson, of Wliatawlmta, some five months elapse before the policy for which his life was insured with the New Zealand Government is paid, and then only by the widow joining with another person in a bond for £200 for the payment of i-100, and that payment only made when public

attention was drawn io the case m the columns of the press. Wo do not blame the department that m the payment of insurance policies it hedges itself round, with certain precautionary declarations and proofs ; these perhaps being as necessary m the interests. •6f the policy holders as m thr.t of the department, bub we do ihink that something more should be done to enable claimants to furnish returns, than the mere sending 1 them the printed form of "Instructions to Claimants." An educated and intelligent persm. would be able, and not altogether without difficulty, to put the matter through — buttue, average of policy holding widows do not belong to this class, and are naturally unwilling to put the. matter into legal hands. It would not be expecting too much that they should receive every assistance at the hands of the local agents, yet we; are credibly informed, io this special case, the local agents furnished no assistance, while at Wellington they took it easy waiting for further proofs. There* is this consolation for the insuring public, however, the matter of Mrs Thomson's policy occurred during the be-kaighted days of the department when the head of it was a merely ornamental appendage. Since then a very useful appointment has been made m Mi* D. M. Luckie and we may naturally look for a b :siness-like reform m the detail working of tho department as will prevent m the future such occurrences as that which we have felt called upon to champion.