LOAN FOR A WIDOW.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17629, 5 December 1922, Page 2

LOAN FOR A WIDOW.

NOVEL MEAN'S EMPLOYED. A humorous episode which Mr H. E. Vaile related in the. course of his ( address on valuation at the Auckland Chamber .of Commerce luncheon last week concerned the valuation of a property owned by a widow. This lady, he said, asked if he would lend her £SOO. The security was examined, and was found to be excellent; but, on looking into the title, it was found the widow held the property under a settlement which provided that if she married again she lost the lot. The lady called and the circumstances were explained to her. In tears she assured him she would not marry again, but obviously he could not lend £SOO of somebody else's money on a lady's promise not to re-marry. (Laughter.) Finally, he appeased the lady by telling her he would try to find a way out of the difficulty. So he put the case to an insurance company and insured her against re-marrying. A voice: What was the premium? (Laughter.) The lady gave her bond, continued Mr Vaile, and the company took the premium. It was an accident insurance company. (Laughter.)' They insured her against accidental matrimony. (Laughter.) When the insurance was taken out he naturally supposed the company would want to inspect the risk. (Laughter.) But to his Astonishment it said it did not want to see the lady. He suggested to the company that if the lady were not too attractive the premium/would be lower. The answer was: "Nothing of the kind The premium was a flat one, whatever her appearance." The lady paid off the money when it becamo due, anil lie trusted she married and lived happily ever after.