MEETING OF LOCAL POLICYHOLDERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11562, 15 June 1900, Page 4

MEETING OF LOCAL POLICYHOLDERS.

PEOTEST AGAINST EXTENSION. A meeting of Hawke's Bay policyholders in the Australian Mutual Provi-, dent Sooiety, to protest against the extension of the society's business to London, was held yesterday afternoon in the offloes of Mr W. Kinross White. There were present:—Messrs W. H. Nelson (in the ohair), W. Kinross Whits, H. A. Cornford, F. W. Williams, W. 35. Griffin, E. H. Williams, P. S. M'Lean, Eatray, Armstrong, Antill, Burgess, A. C. Bennett, Ellison, J. V. Brown, James M'Lean, S. Eevans, J. K. Goudy, T. W. Balfour, G. H. Swan, F. Logan, G. M. Morris, C.B.Hoadley, T. H. Walker, J. P. Thomson, D. B. Frame, Pinckney, Hewitt, Captains Tod, Davidson, and Kraeft. The following, while

unable to be present at the meeting, sent letters of protest against the proposal of the direotors :— Messrß A, Loudon, H. J. Twig^, F. S. Waterhouse, J. F. Ludwig, T. M'Carthy, J. H. Kerr, D. J. Grant, Hugh Campbell, T. A. Hayes, W. E. Sims, W. H. Tylee, H. C. Wilson, B. S. Fulton, P. G. T. Peacock, P. Dinwiddie, and others. It was pointed out by Mr Cornford tliat all the proxies sent to local policy-holders were in favor of the extension, whereas those present wished to vote against it. He asked if any two men were known in Sydney to whom the opposing policyholders might entrust their proxies ? The Chairman, in laying the business of the meeting before those present, fluid it was not by any means suggested that they desired to teach the directors how to run the business of the society, with which everyone, he felt sure, was perfectly satisfied, but they desired to oxpress their opinion on the extension proposal now made, on whioh their own New Zealand Board were not absolutely unanimous. In the last report of the direotors Sir J. Abbott did not give any reasons why the society's business should be extended to England, although he stated that it was absolutely essential that they should do so. The new business, as shown in the last report, amounted to 15,000 fresh policies, and it did not appear from that return that the society was running short of ground to work upon. The New Zealand businass

of the Booiey had been shown to be exceptionally prosperous, and after 51 years' business the sooiety was able to say that praotioally in every department of the business they had done better than they had ever done before, and still the directors deolared that they must go to Great Britain. It seemed to him utterly preposterous, in view of the figures disclosed in the last return, that such a suggestion should be made, and it was only right that they should protest' strongly against snch a course of action. This was not a question of attempting to interfere with the working of the society, but simply a matter of common sense, and this meeting was justified in passing a resolution of protest that would go throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand, as representing the feeling of the policyholders in Hawke's Bay. Mr W. Kinross White moved, "That it is desirable that an organisation be formed of the policy-holders in New Z aaland opposed to the extension of the society's business to Great Britain or any other country. That those present at the meeting pledge themselves to forward suoh organisation; also to oppose the proposed extension, and if a resolution approving suoh extension be carried at the meeting to be held on the 20th July, to use every endeavor to procure the reoision of suoh resolution. That it is desirable that the Board of Directors for New Zealand, of the sooiety, be requii ed to ascertain the views of policy-holders in New Zealand, before recommending or supporting any alterations on the byelows, and to report suoh views to the head office." . Mr P. S. M'Lean seconded the motion. One fact, he said, had been lost sight of, that this was a mutual sooiety, whioh meant that the policy-holders had a voice in the conduot of the society's business. Tet the manner in whioh the proposed extension scheme had been sprung on them was inconsistent with the conduot of the business of a mutual society, by whioh everyone had a voioe in its proceedings. The proxies were in the form of a " catoh " vote. The proxies issued wore all in favor of the amendment, and although the word " for " oould be Btruck out and the word " against " substituted, many would not notice the former word and leave it undeleted. The Board which sat in Wellington, and represented the New Zealand policy-holders, had not consulted those policy-holders, who, he maintained, had a right to be heard. Mr F. W. Williams agreed that the proxy was a very trioky method of endeavoring to catoh votes. He said he would probably have inserted his name in his proxy paper and signed it without noticing that it was in favor of the proposal had not his attention been called to it. On the motion of Mr W. E. Griffin, seconded by Mr E. H. Williams, it was resolved, "That this meeting strongly disapproves of the system adopted by the direotors of ascertaining the feeling of policy-holders on the subject of extending the business of the sooiety to the United Kingdom, and more especially to the wording of the form of proxy." A committee consisting of Messrs F. W. Williams, P. S. M'Lean, G. M. Morris, W. Kinross White, and W. Nelson were appointed to carry out the wishes of the meeting. It was intimated that those present represented polioies amounting to £46,000. Mr E, H. Williams moved that it ba a recommendation to the committee to consult the policy-holders throughout the colony with a view to sending a New Zealand delegate to the meeting in Sydney next month. — Mr Hoadley seconded the motion, whioh was lost. Mr Kinross White waß thanked for convening the meeting, and the proceedings closed.