STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 210, 29 May 1908, Page 7

STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

RETIREMENT OF MR. . BRIKDuEY. ''HE NEW .CONTROL. Tho general manager, of the.State Fire Insunmce {Department, Mr. J,'> W. Brindley, will -retire from office, oh six months' leave of -.. •'absence., on; .ftill ' pay. ■' The control of the will pass to Mr. J. H. Richard--1 son, Commissioner of the Government' Life IhsiirariqeiDepartment.' /Mr. Richardson.-sill - thus; . have the'control of the whole of the Government insurance, .both, life and fire, throughoutthe Dominion Snine minor , x changes, - states tho Minister for - Internal Affairs- (Dr. Findlay), would be necessary in "■ the staff. - ; i ■ Mr. Bnndlcy has been" in charge ; of.-the State File Insurance since its: inception in . 1901 His health''has Ssuffered under ; the - strain of tho •; arduous - work /of the Depart- - meut. lately, and his medical advisor -luis ordered rest. Jlr. Brindley also considers - - that' the remuneration of the ofSco (£BOO per •••- ai^num)',-is. inadequate, 'being''less than that "of /any r ouicr/general- miiuhger of : an ihsur- ; ance"company; id;New-'Zealand, there has "ilso.' been a certain amount.' of friction with • the . Minister'in charge. ■ 'Mr. Brindley considers 'that he has every . reason: to be satisfied with the results of his' - labours' for.; the State! He started the Dei partment, /lock,. stock, and barrel. .He; had ■ opened "up the branches throughout tho Do.minion,'. and 'now was 'leaving a splendid business for the Government, cqu-il to 10 per cent: of all ( the fire insurance-..risks held in tho Dominion. -The business was sound and • safe, for nothing risky would, be' touched.' Each year the-business had showed a margin, and •' though - this year; had been a bad one, by the time it was completed it'was expected the same, results would be shown. All - this had been - done with. a' practically new staff for a start, and, against great competition—competition; that, necessitated some ; careful handling, - as , tho public would no 'doubt remember. The- Department had, in 'fact, done -something that other companies 'had thought absolutely impossible. They had •. also givon a reduction of ,33 1-3; per cent, on . dwellings—and that notwithstanding the exceptionally bad' year, a period in which all New'; Zealand companies, had lost more thaii they,:would take..; In 1874 Mr. was accountant in the. office of-the Victorian Insurance Company at Melbourne. Ho then , became branch nianagor ■ and' general/ manager' for . Nov/ • Zealand, with a salary of £1000 a year. He then held, the uniquo rccord of beiiiii. the youngest general -manager; of an insurance .company, being.only 23 years-of age. He . held the office; till 1898, when, he voluntarily resigned to .start 'business in Sydney. This ,■ . business lie eventually sold out',/and m 1004 • took up office under the New/Zealand Government. He''will ; now probably spend ■ a holiday in England. . :