THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, 16th OCTOBER, 1895.

Southland Times, Issue 13339, 16 October 1895, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, 16th OCTOBER, 1895.

The result of their action must be somewhat alarming to the members of tho “ New Zealand Fire Conference,” recently held in Melbourne. Invercargill had a special grievance against them for the scandalous manner in which—ignoring her steady growth in solid bricks and mortar, and her heroic effort in the matter of water supply—they penalised her for former defects by ranking her in the third schedule. This fact alone is pretty conclusive evidence that the arbiters in the matter of premiums were not fully informed of our civic progress of recent years ; and were specially lacking in knowledge regarding the line of municipal development which most concerned them, namely, the means now at hand for combating tire. _ However, it does not matter whether it were ignorance or malice aforethought that dictated the course adopted, the fact remains that rates were raised upon Invercargill insurers in a ratio out of all just and fair proportion. Of course the good people of the town were not likely to submit quietly to high-handed treatment of this sort, and the gentlemen who settled the business m Melbourne so much to their own satisfaction are likely to discover that they have made the mistake people invariably fall into when they reckon without their host. Toe new tariff of rates was no sooner announced here than the public voice was raised in protest through various channels. His Worship the Mayor and several members of the Council took the question up at once as a municipal one; we had something to say upon it ourselves in a previous issue, and several correspondents have handled it most trenchantly in our columns. At first the question undoubtedly presented itself simply as one of comparative justice—as between town and town- A writer over the signature of Citizen” showed how the increase of the rates generally, and the aggravated increase through the town being placed in the third schedule, would affect premiums in Invercargill. A tthe sametimebe demonstrated that our facilities for coping with fire should have secured us better terms. Had this been all that was in it, the question would probably have been confined to narrow limits, and been settled amicably by a readjustment of rank. A mere error or two in the placement of towns would never have afforded sufficient grounds for battle. It was, however, a blunder, and the investigation of that has led—here at least—to the discovery of the greater one the companies have com : mitted in making the rite too steep all found. The consequence lias been that all over the colony the people are up in arms against what they undoubtedly consider unnecessarily heavy rates. Had only a moderate advance been imposed, and more care been exercised in classification, the patient camel, the public, would most likely have borne the burden without inquiring very minutely whether such heavy loading was necessary. But when all at once the burden is nearly doubled, it is not surprising that the animal remonstrates as best it may. Thus it has

come to pass -that the question has, in a I very abort lime, almost entirely lost ta j locnl cbnracter—oven here, with our special gr evai ce—and assumed the aspect of a national concern, in tie course of investigations it has been dis covered tl.at the heavy premiums de« matided are not required to meet losses by file so much as to keep up expensive rival establishments. Figures were given both hero and elsewhere which proved thia conclusively in the case of several companies, and there is no reason to doubt that the same result would have been arrived at with respect to many others bad research been carried further. The fact that a scheme of municipal insurance is embodied in the Local Government Bill now before the country has also, no doubt, helped to concentrate public attention on this burning question ; and it is equally be yond question that, mainly owing to the rash action of the insurance companies, pubi c opinion, eo far as it has as yet expressed i'eelf on the point, is strongly in favour of the proposal. When first mooted —by Mr Hutchison's bill—as within the region of practical legislation, the idea received but little favourable comment, and not a little that was, unfavourable, being widely characterised as chimerical and highly dangerous to any municipality adopting i‘, and the Hawera conflagration cime in—opportunely for the opponents of the scheme, which, by the wav, Mr Peddn ll in hia uucai vrovernment’ measure— as an object lesson. That lesson does not, however, really very much affect the ques'ior, for it is already apparent that when the method is adopted it will not be by isolated communities, but as a gigantic mutual provident system embracing the entire colony. The details of the scheme will be worked out as the project developes itself under discussion, and expert advice will no doubt be availed of in due course In the meantime the first and most important fact before us is that the idea of the feasibility of the scheme has taken a firm hold of the public mind. And even as to detail some progress has been made, as witness the sagacious suggestions in Mr Thomson’s letter, published on the Bth inst. A meeting is to be held in the Council Chamber to discuss the subject to-morrow evening, when the gentlemen who have been moving so effectively in the matter will no, doubt have something more to say, upon it of interest to every owner of property in the colony. Since the above was written we learn that the local Underwriters Association, at their monthly meeting yesterday, resolved to recommend to head quarters a readjustment so far sb Invercargill is concerned. From what is transpiring on the subject throughout the colony, however, »s well as here, it is evident that no isolated or insignificant emendation of the tariff will allay the agitation that has supervened upjn the decision of the Melbourne Conference.