The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, AUG. 4, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume 2507, Issue XXXI, 4 August 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, AUG. 4, 1888.

The annual report of the Government Life Insurance Department for the year ended 31st December 1887, which was laid before the House during the present session, indicates the very satisfactory progress it continues to enjoy. The Commissioner, Mr D. M. Luckie, states, that " notwithstanding the continued commercial and agricultural depression which existed during the year, and to which is mainly due the high lapse-rate experienced in common with all other offices in this part of the world, and despite the continued unscrupulous opposition of several foreign offices, whose agents appear systematically to misrepresent this department, the new assurances completed by the department show an increase over the previous year, and the business of the future presents a healthy and steadily improving aspect." The Commissioner also accuses rival agents of inducing policy-holders to assign their Government policies to " dummy assignees," of whom they have no personal knowledge, and from whom they do not receive adequate consideration for the policies thus given up. It is proposed to carry out Mr Frankland, the actuary's, scheme, for merging the funds of the Temperance Section into the General one, in order to provide for an allocation of bonus to the former, which has hitherto been prevented by the failure of that branch of the business. The Industrial Branch is now practically closed. The number of proposals received and dealt with during the year was 4,517, representing the sum of £1,121,09.1 18s Id, of which 3,124 were completed, insuring an amount of £706,952 2s 4d, being £49,487 12s lid, in excess of the previous year. The new annual premiums obtained by this addition to the business was £22,061, 3s 9d, beside .£7,051) lis 9d for single premiums. The mortality for the year was under expectations, 177 policies through death were paid, representing £59,973 9s; £3,462 3s was paid for matured findowments, and .£30,305 5s 3d for cash value of reversionary bonuses. Twenty-three of the deaths were the result of accidents and suicides. The gross income for the year was £268,372 6s sd, an increase on the previous year of il 1,220 17s lid. The accumulated fund on the 31st December was £1,325,493 Gs 2d showing an increase for the period of £90,535 lis 3d, notwithstanding the large sum paid for reversionary bonuses. The following are amongst the investments made by the Department. Loans on policies, i.'155,387; Government securities, £586,100; mortgages on property, £206,498; landed and house property, £90,035 ; Railway and Municipal debentures, £151,422. The total number of policies in force is 25,439, assuring a sum equal to £6,831,933. The Department was established in 1870 and, on the above showing, presents a record of marvellous growth and popularity that is highly creditable to the colony as one of its purely national institutions. The business, as we sec has reached to a magnitude that places the office in the first rank of kindred establishments in the world.

colony at Frederiksoord, sixteen miles in length, where the poor are received voluntarily. Second, the enormous agricultural and manufacturing colonial at V'cenliuizen and Ommerschans, where the vagrant poor are relegated compulsorily by the magistrates, and where, unlike the first, it is ranked as a disgrace to live. Third, there is a system of town relief, but unlike the English unions, they are solely almshouses for the aged and for deserted children. Mr Mills first describes his visit to Frederiksoord, which he compared to a paradise in the middle of a wilderness. E>e reaching it he passed through one hundred miles of utterly barren soil and dreary moorland, which suddenly changed to a land smiling with plenty, filled with a contented, industrious peasantry, a long succession of compact productive farms, with good roads, plantations and schools. Frederiksoord was founded in ISIB by General Van den Bosch, after the long wars which had reduced the people to poverty. He brought the unemployed poor to those desert moors to cultivate the waste lands of the country, in order to find them constant works Houses were built and now, to day, when the organisation has been taken over by the society, there are five thousand acres under improvement, comprising six model farms, and two hundred and twenty-four small farms, each supporting separate families and contributing, besides, an annual sum towards the maintenance of new arrivals. There are two Protestant and one Roman CatholicChurchrts, and oneSynagogua with residences for the clergy of each. There are five ordinary schools,and a college for horticulture, these latter institutions were conducted in a highly practical manner, and with admirable discipline. The average population of the colony is eighteen hundred, representing ninety families of labourers, two hundred and twenty-four families of independent farmers, and one hundred and twenty orphans boarded by different families. We quote the following from Mr Mills' book, which explains the simple method of progress adopted with the residents :—

At first, when a man with a family is admitted on the estates he is chiefly occupied as a labourer on one of the six model farms, or in the woods, and for this work a weekly wage is paid to him. A small house, and a garden of about half an acre in extent, is also given to him. If ho has any household furniture of his own, be brings it with him; if he has none, the director furnishes his houso. When he has distinguished himself by hiß industry and good conduct, and has learnt the art of agriculture, he is removed to one of the farms. Here he is entirely independent. Ho has now two and a half hectares, which is equal to about seven acres of land, which he must farm on his own account, and for which he must pay an annual rent, varjinp from twenty gnelders to seventy-five guelders (a guelder is about one shilling and eightpence) according to the value of the land. [Air the first year or two there is generally a struggle for existence ; then follow the years of steadily increasing prosperity; and the established "free farmers" of Frederiksoord are a class of men as finelooking and contented as any I saw in the Netherlands.

There are three classes on the estate ; free-farmers, labourers, and incapables. The former are self-supporting, the second are dependent to some extent on the generosity and annual subscriptions of the society ; and the latter are kept entirely, at little cost, by the society. None were ever compelled to leave the estate except for drunkenness and immorality, cases of very rare occurrence. Butter-making, fruit-preserving, and the manufacture of baskets, chairs, tables, mats, hats and fabrics are carried on to a large extent on the estate. "The principal aim of this institution is to ameliorate the condition of the working classes, by procuring them permanent work according to their individual capacities." There is absolute success, and it is reckoned a privilege to obtain admission at Frederiksoord. The "beggar colonies" of Veenhnizen and Ommerschans, established by the Dutch Government are next described. Like the other they were planted in the midst of sterile moorland, but where arc now found " fair meadows, fertile gardens, waving corn fields, and blooming potato beds." The barren wastes have been converted by beggar labour into gardens, and homes of industry and contentment. The uniform garb worn by the inhabitants, and their shoes are made in the place from their own raw materials. AH kinds of agricultural and industrial handicrafts are pursued by the people, directed by competent overseers and officials. There are never any attempts at escape, the people are so content that when released from the colonies, they soon find their way back again to them. The regulations are that

Every week the men are paid a small wage by way of encouragement for the work they do. It is not intended, in any sense, to be a remuneration for the work done. They all receive the bare necessaries of lite, and in addition, a wage which varies according to their skill and industry, from seven-pence to one shilling and eight-pence a week. Two-thirds of this wage they may spend in luxuries, which are not otherwise obtainable on the estate, such as butter, tobacco, bacon, and herrings, but onethird they must save against the day of their release, so that they need not go out into the world without money. At the end of the term this sum generally amounts to ten or twelve guelders. Twelve guelders are equal to a sovereign. Weavers, shoemakers, carpenters, smiths, cabinetmakers, masons, farm labourers, ete., etc., all found their respective occupations on the estates. These colonies have proved a decided check on systematic mendicancy, social destitution, and indiscriminate almsgiving, and, though not so effectual as Federiksoord, all arc far in advance of the English poor-law unions. An English workhouse, giving indoor and outdoor relief to four thousand paupers, costs on an average £100,000 per annum, and is degrading in its influence on the poor. The whole of the establishments at Veenhuizen and Ommerschans, as Mr Mills states, cost the Dutch Government 350,000 guelders, or £29,167 per annum. They contain 3,000 men and women ; many of whom are too old to work, many of whom are too ill. Out of this sum of money, therefore, hospitals are maintained ; the wages of officers and of soldiers are paid; books are purchased for tin? free library ; Catholic and Protestant clergymen and their churches are maintained on the estate. Yet these beggar colonies are not at tempted to be made self-supporting, as they are forbidden to manufacture a multitude of things, and modern mechanical appliances are not introduced in order to provide as much manual labour as possible. We have here the pattern of a system, long in practical use, very much superior to the system in England and that lately introduced in New Zealand. The poor-law of the United Kingdom has proved a stupeudoui failure, and so much attention has been given of late to its working thata general reform is within the near future. A cable message last week informed us that the English Boards of Guardians intend to place the unemployed poor on unoccupied lands in Great Britain and the colonies. It is evident, therefore, that the pressure of pauperism is compelling the Home authorities to fly to the soil for the only natural remedy available to settle the anomalies that at present burden society. We think we can also derive in time, a useful lesson for our own guidance under similar conditiens which are springing up in these colonies.

latest exhibition was that made on Thursday, when, what is termed a " Surprise motion," was moved by Mr Walker, Opposition member for Ashburton, to upset the operation of the Kepresentation Act of last session, which reduces the number of seats in the House. The Ministry treated this motion asa wantof confidence one, and had to whip up their supporters to the division, which was carried by a large majority. The Representation Act Amendment Act, passed last year, was a measure strictly in accord with popular demand, and not, as alleged, the outcome of panic legislation. There has been no change in public opinion regarding the Act; indeed, there is a strong undercurrent of feeling that it would be a national relief to sweep away the entire Legislature, as at present constituted. It is quite certain the people are not represented by the motley group gathered together in Wellington. Public opinion, that is, the popular will and desires, are being utterly set at nought by the members of the Lower House. There has been nothing effected in the way of further retrenchment, nor any legislation that can create a re-assuring sensation in the minds of the colonists to lead them to hope that they will be in a better position at the end of the financial year, to bear I heir heavy burdens. Parliament has •imply been trifling with vital questions. It is in truth a stumbling block to the country's progress and the people's efforts to retrieve their misfortunes. When we say Parliament, an exception can be made in favour of the Legislative Council, which has shown itself more careful of the interests of the people than the Lower House composed of men elected to represent, and legislate for, the people.