GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 671, 8 April 1879, Page 2

GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE.

The New Zealand Insurance Department has been moved by a recent subleader m the Waifaxto Times to bestir itself m the matter of the claim of Mrs. Charles Thomson, of Whatawhata. The following memo has been addressed to the Manager of the Press Association, published last week and contains a paragraph from the Waikato Timet respecting the claim of Mrs. Charles Thomson on this office. The sum insured on her late husband's life to whioh she and. her children entitled, was transmitted yesterday. The delay arose mainly from the circumstance that the policy was " a settlement" policy m favour (as was rather badly set forth m the original proposal) of the wife and children. The assured did not specify the name either of his wife or children or any of them nor did he m any way apportion the share or shares which he may have intended should fall to his widow and children respectively, neither did he appoint any trustee for a minor or infant. No proof of his age or of his marriage had been produced, and to avoid further delay, the Commissioner, two day ago, dispensed with the production of the legal proof requisite as to the age. The law is very stringent m matters of trust, which huch settlement policies really become, and it demands the fulfilment of a variety of forms before the payment is legally justifiable. Many intricate legal points arise m connection with policies of this nature, and difficulties are apt to present themselves, unless provision is made by the patties concerned to simplify the final settlement. This simplification can be affected if the asaurred (as soon as possible after his policy is computed) furnishes the department with proofs of age and all the information which may expedite payment when the claim shall arise m 1 settlement policies' for the benefit of wife and children. It is also desirable to mention m the proposal the name of the wife, and when possible of the children, and also to state m what proportion the money shall be divided on the death of the assured, and who shall be the trustee for his children m their nonage ; that is, when it is intended that the children shall be recipients independently of their mother or stepmother, as the case may be. The law, both here and at home, m relation to such trusts and contracts m which the interests of infanta and other persons under disabilities are concerned ■is somewhat difficult to unravel, but much can be overcome by precision and fullness of information given by the proposer who seeks the advantage of obtaining an inviolable policy for the benefit of his wife and children after his death, and he can thus secure a promptitude of payment which it is difficult to obtain m the recent case for the reasons indicated. It will be deemed a courtesy on your part if you will cause similar publication to be given to this memorandum, as was obtained by the paragraph to which it relates. —D. M. Ltjckie, Commissioner of Government Insurance. Wellington, March 13th 1879.?' •