INSTITUTE OF SECRETARIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21994, 1 July 1933, Page 7

INSTITUTE OF SECRETARIES

LECTURE BY MR E. WOOD. The first of a series of lectures on topics related to business was delivered on Wednesday evening, under the auspices of the Otago Chapter of the recently formed New Zealand Institute of Secretaries. The chairman of the Chapter Committee (Mr G. W. Lane) presided. Some 60 members and friends of the institute greeted the lecturer (Mr E. Wood), secretary of the Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association, who took as the subject of his lecture “A Day at Lloyds, London, and Some Internal Workings of the Shipping Trade.” Mr Wood opened his address by tracing the history of Lloyd’s Insurance Corporation from its humble beginning in the closing years of the seventeenth century to its present remarkable position in the business world. This was followed by an interesting outline of the actual working of the institution, with its syndicates of wealthy men who put up the security necessary to enable their insurance experts to underwrite risks on their behalf. The speaker related many personal experiences in connection with Lloyds, and illustrated his remarks by exhibiting interesting documents, books, and photographs. Coming to the second part of his lecture, Mr Wood dealt, with another famous British institution—that of .“Lloyd’s Register of British and Foreign Shipping.” He pointed out that this great book was prepared and kept up to date by an organisation quite apart from Lloyd’s Insurance Corporation, though close co-operation existed between them. The system of collecting and disseminating information regarding sFTps registered with Lloyds was explained, the lecturer stating that the Board of Lloyd’s Register might well be called a “ Shipping League of Nations” gathered together with the object -of furthering the interests of world shipping. Mr Wood next dealt with load line markings, tracing the origin of the load-line back to the early seventies of last century, and the arduous labours of the “sailors’ friend.” Samuel Plimsoll. Reference -was made to Mr Benjamin Martell and to his work in connection with “tables of freeboard.” A large chart was used to illustrate this part of the lecture.

At the close of his address a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker.