INSURANCE PREMIUMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 52

INSURANCE PREMIUMS.

MASTEBTON, February 3. The Wairarapa Age is informed on good authority that the fire insurance* companies have practically decided to increase the rates of insurance in connection with all classes of risks, 1 and that .there is^-good j reason to believe that the State Fire Insurance Department is prepared to raise its rates in accordance with the increases proposed by private companies, and generally to act in conformity with, its business rival* The Age remarks: — "It seems a little paradoxical that the Government should legislate against combines and trusts and co forth -while a State department enters into a combination which has for its object; the increasing and maintaining of, standard prices, but wo- suppose that even in the case of a State department it i« more expedient to behave in a. businesslike way. 'than to run the risk el demonstrating that private a enterprise can often achieve as good, if not better, results than all the machinery, rank, pomp, and splendour of a -State department."

J. Pettingell, a one-time prominent New Zealand* boxer and club-swinmer, is totally blind, the result of an accident. Ha is in Sydney now, dependent to » Urge extent upon charity.