POPULAR INSURANCE MEN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17984, 30 January 1924, Page 11

POPULAR INSURANCE MEN.

ENTERTAINED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. Tlie members of the Fire Underwriters' Association, with tlieir wives, mustered in force at Ballantyne's Tea Hooms yesterday afternoon to do honour to Mr W. I. Bolam, who has retired from the managership of the New Zealand Insurance Company. A welcome was accorded to his successor, Mr Geo. Mcllwraith, who has returned to Christchurch—where his first insurance ' experience was gained—from the East. In expressing the good' wishes of the Association in his retirement, Mr P. . H. Harris, chairman of the Canterbury Fire Underwriters' Association, referred to the long period of service that Mr Bolan had given to his company. Coming to New Zealand in 1883, he commenced his insurance career in the. year following at the Auckland branch and had during the interim, 40 years, been chief clerk at Napier and Wellington branches, and manager at ' Hobart from 1895 to 1893, leaving there for Drmedin, where he was controlling the company's affairs till 1915. Since that time the Christchurch branch had ' been in his charge.. Mr Harris also referred to the consideration that' their guest had always shown towards the younger members iof the profession. His advice had at all times been freely given and had been of great assistance when problems had to be faced. During the nine years ; of his managership in Christchurch he had done good service. The speaker asked Mr Bolam, on his fellow members of the Association,' to accept a handsome" dinner service, the use of which it was sincerely hoped both he and Mrs Bolam would long be spared to enjoy. He stated that members of the Association desired to mark their appreciation of the manner in which Mr Bolam had dealt with insurance business during the nine years of his management of the company in Christchurch, and expressed the hope that he might have many years before him to enjoy his retirement. In responding, Mr Bolam intimated that he had always tried to do his duty fearlessly. He read a letter from the general manager of his company, wishing him many happy years in his retirement and expressing appreciation of his services on behalf of the company. Mr Bolam stated that he was not going, totally to sever his connexion with the business and was going to be placed in- charge of the trust branch of his firm in Christchurch. An. opportunity was also taken of the occasion to present Mr John F. Grierson, manager of the Christchurch branch of the Victoria Insurance Company, with a gold-mounted fountain pen suitably inscribed. Mr J. R~ Cameron, a past chairman of the Association in making the presentation, stated that Mr Grierson had established something of a record in committee work. He had been continuously in office as a member of the committee of the Fire Underwriters' Association from 1891 to 1923. Mr Grierson had ever been a popular individual among insurance men, and liis excellent work was' greatly appreciated. j Mr Grierson suitably responded.