REFORMS IN THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1855, 10 June 1887, Page 15

REFORMS IN THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.

Sir George Grey contemplates moving in the direction of endeavouring to institute reforms in this department. He considers that the salaries are disproportionately high to those in other branches of the civil service, and that a definite scale should govern both branches. Sir George thinks it unwise to appoint as officers in the Insurance department outsiders instead of selecting the best men out of the ranks of the ordinary service. He thinks the Government should be above competing with rival insurance companies in the race of extravagance owing to the strength of its position, and that by adopting a policy of judicious economy the bonuses to shareholders would be increased, and the busi. ness in consequence largely extended.

PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

It is Sir George Grey's present intention, if his health is good., enough, to proceed South at the close of the session, and deliver addresses at the centres of population. He does not regard it as necessary to look after his interests in the City East electorate, being satisfied to leave himself in the hands of the electors, who have hitherto treated him in the most handsome manner.

UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE

A return has been laid before Parliament showing the unauthorised expenditure for the financial year. The total for the consolidated fund is £53,685, and for the public works fund £28,633, iri addition to which there is £4982 in the Government Life Insurance department. Among the accounts in the Treasury department is an advance of £65 15s to the borough of Oamaru; in the Prisons department £66 13s 4d is set down as gratuity to R. Fergusson, chief warder ; in the Mines department £75 was paid as compensation for land taken from W. M'Connochie, Blackstone ; in the Railway department £1588 was paid as compensation for goods destroyed by fire at the Dunedin goods shed, but as £256 was realised by sale of salvage, the amount of loss was really £1331. The sum of £2 6s 4d is set down as the freight on the luggage of the widow of the late Mr J. B. Bradshaw. It appears that £300 was paid to the Sj dney police for the arrest of Caffrey and Perm ; while a further evidence of the expense of the large criminal cases dealt with this year is given m, £2483 having been expended in criminal prosecutions in excess of the sum voted.

GENERAL.

The Mackenzie clause in the Representation Bill bids fair to become as famous as the M'Kenzie clause in the Land Act. Unlike it, however, those who were most in favour of its introduction are now most anxious that for the present it should not be given effect to.

It is currently reported that the claims of Dr Pollen to a pension are about to be revived. They amount to some £1300 or £1400.