COMPULSORY NATIONAL INSURANCE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6695, 2 October 1882, Page 3

COMPULSORY NATIONAL INSURANCE.

{ Tht Insurance Record, July 21.)

A drawing-room meeting was, by permission, held last week, at Alford House, Princes-gate, for the purpose of considering the Rev. W. L. Blackley’s scheme of compulsory national insurance. Lord Shaftesbury (always foremost in good works) presided, and amongst a large and distinguished assemblage were the Duke and Duchess of Teck, Lord Carnarvon, Lord Redesdale, Lord Houghton, Lord Northampton, Lady Alford, the Hon. M. Finch Hatton, and the Hon. E. F. Leves >n-Gower.

Tbe Kev. W. Blackley explained his scheme at some length, which is that every man and woman in the three kingdoms should he compelled to pay into the National Insurance Club, before they are twenty-one years old, the sum of £lO, which he said would be sufficient to pay 8s a week for those who fell sick, and as long as they were sick, and to provide 4s a week for all who reached seventy years of age. Lord Carnarvon, in moving a resolution to the effect that the system of national insurance was expedient and practical, said the system of Poor Law in England was one that no one who was conversant with it could look on with satisfaction. It had grown up with us, and it had so interlaced itself with all our habits that it would be foolish to attempt to cut it away hastily. No less than £2,500,000 were spent in outdoor relief, and his experienoewas that that relief was very often harshly given, and thanklessly received, and that in many of its consequences it was demoralising. The benefits a good friendly society conferred were incalculable, but it had these objections—that the first payments were optional in contradistinction to compulsory payments ; secondly, that the payments had to be made all through a man’s life from the moment he began ; and, thirdly, that it in times of distress and sickness he was unable to continue his payments he was obliged to withdraw from the society. Whilst much good had been done by working men’s clubs and savings banks, much more remained to be done, and amongst them was the inculcation of thrifty habits. He concluded by giving a general support to Mr Blackley’s proposals. Lord Brownlow seconded the resolution.

Lord Shaftesbury supported it, and stated that when Mr Blackley first put forth bis scheme he saw many difficulties in carrying it out, but at the same time he supported it, because he bad an opinion that in these days of difficulty and distress it was wise to undertake any experiment which had a good object. A long discussion ensued on the details of the scheme.