TOPICS OF THE DAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4629, 7 April 1902, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

THE PENSIONERS’ PRESENTATION As tho gratitude of the world is usually reserved for tho dead, it is almost needless to say that those statesmen who find their work demonstratively recognised during their lifetime are fortunate. la that respect tho Premier of New Zealand is particularly happy. Probably no manifestation of, gratitude has been more pleasing to Mr Soddoh than, the testimonial from a number of old ago pensioners which ho received iaso Thursday night. During the proceedings Sir Cadmau, referring to tho memorable seven clays’ sitting of tho House of Representatives on tho Old Aged Pensions Bill, showed how much of tho success was duo to the Premier’s energy. It is a pity that Mr Seddon had to refer —in necessary defence—to tho calumnious reports that pressure had been brought to boar on the old people from whom the presentation emanated; but that is only another way of saying that political depravity is, like the poor, always with us. Just as men will become poor in spite of lavish opportunities to make themselves rich, so political partisans of a certain sort will persist in taking wrong views whoa the whole evidence shows their position to be untenable. Tho idea of applying pressure to people who are by law absolutely independent is a self-evident absurdity, but political depravity being blind, revels in absurbitios. Nothing can be more than that tho 850 signatures were as free aud spontaneous as any ever appended to a testimonial. Tho argument (passing to another aspect of tho subject) for tho pension system ,is much strengthened by the many results of tho Ministerial policy. The revenue piles up surpluses in spite of remissions of taxation and lowered charges for scrvico and of increased services to tiio producing inintorest. While the revenue thus bettors expectation, tho census strikes into the symphony with the record of a tenfold output of manufactures in five years; and, at the same time, every note for public works being fairly expended, tho Public Works Fund has resources to the extent of £850,000, and will be aided by a substantial sum (nearly a quarter of a million) from tho Consolidated Fund. These facts justify tho pension system, with certainty of permanence, and make crushing reply to the pestilent critics, chiefly not of this country, who insist, in tho face of obvious proof to tho contrary, that the prosperity of New Zealand is not real, and that our finances are not sound.

ENDOWMENT FIRE INSURANCE. Has anyone over before suggested that fire insurance on the endowment principle would bo feasible and successful? The idea strikes us as original and daring, but with ait apparent germ of practicability about it. Mr Arthur H. Vile, of Masterton, propounds a scheme in a letter addressed to the “New Zealand Times,” in which ho says.:—As the question of fire insurance is exciting considerable discussion throughout the colony just now, and in view of the probability of a State Fire Insurance Bill being introduced, I may be permitted to suggest the necessity for extending the system of insurance generally, by giving insurers the option of effecting their insurance under an endowment. This principle has for years been applied to life insurance, and with most satisfactory results. Why should it not be equally applicable to fire risks? Under existing conditions a premium is’offered for fire-raising; for, when a building becomes decayed it is useless, and the temptation to destroy it is very great. The result is that, to meet these eventualities, the insurance companies increase the rates on good risks. If a person were, by paying an increased premium, placed in the position that at the end of twenty or thirty years he could draw a sufficient sum of money with which to rebuild, the inducement to arson would not bo nearly so great, whilst the advantages of insuring would be more apparent. lam communicating the suggestion to Ministers, in the hope that the foundation may be laid in the State Fire Insurance Bill for a reform which would at once, I think, commend itself to the public generally.

NEW ZEALAND LAWYERS IN ENGLAND. There is a singular anomaly at thS present time which prevents ;New Zealand barristers from practising in the English Courts, and on Saturday the president- of the Wellington Law Society (Mr H. D. Bell) and a number of other members interviewed Mr Seddon; to ask his influence to obtain reciprocity between England and New Zealand in. the practice of the law. Mr Bell pointed out that under the Colonial Solicitors Act provision was made for such reciprocity between England and any, colony named by the King by proclamation, so that barristers and solicitors in any such colony so named could practise in England. The King, however, acting on the advice of bis Ministers, had refused to name New Zealand, though the Australian colonies had been admitted. The deputation accordingly asked Mr Seddon to use his influence to remove what seemed to be a blot upon New Zealand practice. It was intended, Mr Bell said, to put before the Premier later on a memorandum in writing on the subject. Mr Seddon promised that any service ho could -perform to further the object the deputation bad in view would be cheerfully rendered. It was a slight upon the colony and upon the legal- profession that New Zealand should be barred, and he had no doubt, that they would be able to give good' and cogent reasons why the restriction should be removed. He would await the receipt of the statement in writing, and would do his best to have New Zealand put upon the same footing as the other colonics. Mr Bell informed the Premier that if objection were taken to the condition requiring that English barristers should bo examined in .New Zealand law before being allowed to practise in this colony, the Law Society would not oppose the abolition of that condition.

HARBOUR. DUES ON TROOPSHIPS. Mr Seddon agrees with the claim of the Wellington Harbour Board as to the right of such_ boards to collect harbour dues on private cargo carried m Imperial troopships. This question was brought under the notice of the PreVnier on Saturday by Mr H. Beauchamp, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Hoard. Mr Beauchamp explained chat the question had arisen owing to the fact that the troopships Devon and Kent, when they left the colony., took certain cargoes for South Africa—frozen, meat, he believed —and the loss to the Wellington Harbour Board, owing to the fact that harbour dues were not paid on this cargo, amounted to £lsl 17s lid. It was not this the Board comnlained about: but it was desired that the principle should be settled, and he asked, therefore, that the Government, if it entered into any contract to pay a subsidy to any foreign line, should not exempt such vessel*

from f lic ordinary harbour dues charged by the boards. The Premier, in reply, explained that under the terms of the contract with tho owners of ibo irtcpsldps, harbour fees were not to be charged upon goods carried for the Imperial Government. Put tho question arose as to whether, when the ships took additional cargo, such cargo should bo subjected to those charges; and his own opinion was that in this matter tho troopships should not be allowed to have an advantage over other steamers. Therefore, ho thought it proper that a charge should bo levied on the .space occupied by cargo other than that intended for tho Imperial Government. This was a matter outsido tho Government; but lie should say that a harbour board, in claiming for such cargo, would be within its rights. Of course, there was also this phase of the question : that this shipment of frozen meat was a trial shipment, tho first sent from New Zealand to South Africa; and whether the Board would help a trade of that kind was a matter for tho Board to consider. As to tho arrangement with tho proprietors of anj’ lino of steamers which the Government might subsidise, be could say that there would bo no such provision in the agreement, as that objected to. What tho Government would do would bo to pay a given subsidy, and no doubt the steamship owners contracting bad come to the conclusion that they would 'have to pay harbour duos. Ho looked upon the harbour boards as part of our central government, and considered that it would be a mistake for the Government to do anything to infringe the rights of these bodies. If the boards wished to do anything to help in getting our products into now markets, it would have to be done voluntarily, for the boards could not be forced in any condition of tho kind. Mr Beauchamp pointed out that under the Act the harbour boards bad no power to give exemption from the payment of dues, to any lino whatever; and it was only on receiving the opinion of the Crown Solicitor that it was decided to make application in the caso of the Devon and Kent. Ho thanked the Premier for bis assurance that nothing would bo done to prejudice the revenues of tho harbour boards.