The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Thursday, November 21st, 1912. STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5967, 21 November 1912, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail. Published Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Thursday, November 21st, 1912. STATE FIRE INSURANCE.

Undeu the provisions oftfie State Firs Insurance Amendment Act, tbo net surplus profits ol the office as on 81st Deoember, 1912, and lor every year thereafter (subject to the provision of the principal Act in regard to sinking funds) are to be applied in making a Reserve Fund, which is to be invested by the Oenoral Manager. When the State Fire Insurance Board considers that the Reserve Fund is moratban sufficient to meet all the actual or contingent liabilities of the office it will be incumbent upon it to. direot that the whole or part of the exooss shall be paid by way of bonuses to actual insurers in th<S offioe. The bonuses will be for the three years immediately preceding the board's direction, but no person will be entitled to a bonus if during that three years ho has made a claim under his policy. The above provisions are in substitution for sections 42, 48, and 44 of the principal Aot, which providod that one-half the profits every three years should be upplied to the making of a Reserve Fund and the other,half to the payment of bonuses. LABOUR AND THE CHURCH.

That vast Labour movement of sooial discontent has aome upon us —unique in its nature, its extent, its ramifications, and in its mighty and far-reaob-ing issues—-ia opon to all who have eyes to see, deolared the Committee on Ohuroh Life and Work in its report to the Presbyterian Church General Assembly this woek. In all civilised countries, the committee Bays, it pervades the world of toil; it has swept whole trades into tbe net of its organisations, and has well nigh seised the whole realm of industry. Its life flows from hidden-springs, it is actuated by powerful and varied motives, and it is eagerly urged on by the sufferings and hardships of their oommon lot as workers. To make light of this tremendous problem, or to offer mere palliations as a makeshift, or to advocate a polioy of rest and quiet days would be to live in a fool's paradise. There is no neod to say that our Ohuroh is not appealing to tbe workers. Bhe is, but admitting as muoh as we oan a big proportion of thoso remain outside the pale of the Christian Churoh. •. Hundreds of men entertain no real interest in the Churoh. Indeed, they have the orudest ideas of what the Church has done, or is doing. Very few of them will deny God’s existence ; but real itpipreciation for His revelation is sadly absent. This disregard, together with a zealous propaganda, has already worked enormous misohief. Could our Church, especially in the cities and larger towns, not take some steps to justify herself in the eyes of these men 7 sides the Churoh in general hM suffered,, in, her testimony ip this land. The ntualistio element and a narrow evangelicalism have given a wrong impression of what the Gospel and the Church are. The Ohuroh is the olergy, and the Gospel has no bearing on the present realism Our Churoh might give, not so muoh a series of apologetio leotures, as a statement of what she is, of who Christ is, and of what* requires to bo driven home to the minds of these men, that the Churoh has done more than kindle tbe fires of tbe Inquisition. In Auckland for the past two years, the Opera House has been used every Sunday night for what is essentially a crusade against the Churoh. Could we not meet it 7 People too easily exoused their laok of effort by saying that by setting forth one side we thereby advertise tbe other; and, further, that much that is said may be left to answer itself. Your committee would urge upon Presbyteries to seriously oonsider what might be done. We have this particular problem before us, and we must faoe it. Further, it is recommended that ministers and theologioal students specially should make a study of eoonomio questions in order to give sound advice and practical assistance in the endeavour to ameliorate industrial hardships. The committee reoommends that leotures on the place and function of the Church in relation to Labour be arranged by Presbyteries where practicable, and that suitable literature be distributed.