CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4441, 22 August 1901, Page 6

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Special to tite “Times.” CHRISTCHURCH. August 21. There was a big demand for store sheep at the Addington saleyards today, and good prices were realised. For cattle bidding was brisk, four North Island bullocks, which ranged in price from £lO 12s 6d to £ll ss, making the best average. Th 0 amount of sickness that is going about just now is most noticeable, and the “Lyttelton Times” to-day makes an appeal to the Health Department to rise to the occasion. It says: “The most popular subject of conversation in Christchurch just now is undoubtedly the prevalence of sickness. Coughs and colds aro naturally common ailments at tills season of the year, but the more distressing influenza seems to have attacked an unusually large proportion of the community, and numerous adults, as well as children, have found it necessary to take measles in a mild form. Parents are dreading an epidemic of soar let fever, a disease which lias happily not yet descended upon Christchurch in force, although scarlatina has made its appearance among the children. The attendance of both teachers and pupils at the schools lias fallen off considerably, and most of the larger commercial establishments in the city are shorthanded. At this season we should he able to look to the Health Department for guidance, but its officers have not yet, it seems, taken upon themselves the responsibility of instructing the public in the prevention and cure of common ailments. In Wellington, however, precautions are being taken against the spread of infectious diseases, and we hope that th e health regulations will be strictly enforced in all cases in Christchurch. The community seems to be peculiarly liable to the attacks of undesirable microbes at present, and "t is hardly sufficient to issue a general warning against visiting sick people, or sending sick children to school.. A few months ago wo wpre taking the most elaborate precautions to prevent the importation of the plague from Australia, and it seems to us that the local health officers might exhibit the same vigour and zeal in preventing the spread of the ailments that aro already in our midst.” In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet at the annual meting of the Farmers’ Co-opcrativo Insurance Association this afternoon, the chairman said that th 0 increase, though not large, was large i n comparison with the work done. They had bad about £IOOO more for marine premiums last year, but their loss on fire had been very great. The increase on the one class of risk had balanced the loss on the other. Referring to tho'balance-sheet, he said that, the amount of loans on mortgage had been less, but this was duo to a number of mortgages maturing in Juno,. Since then £BSOO had been paid off, hut several thousands had been put out, and the_ other money would soon go out again. He was glad to tell the shareholders that the Government Fire Insurance Bill had been practically abandoned for this year. It was a dangerous element.to flro insurance offices. (“It kills 'itself by its own conditions,” interjected a shareholder.) Continuing, tbe_ chairman said they had been doing their best to get new agencies throughout the country, and in connection with the proposed Farmers’ Union at Palmerston North, they hoped to get its insurance business. A shareholder referred to the fact (that country shareholders were charged more for the same class of insurance as compared with those in the cities or suburbs. He also complained that the association did not make as largo advances as other insurance companies did. The chairman said they could not alter the rates, and they had to conform to them, as their business was based on a system of re-insur-ances. Tho only difference between the association and ordinary insurance companies was that the association gave a bonus of as much as they could afford out of fire premiums.