THE WAIRARAPA MERCURY WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1870.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume IV, Issue 207, 11 May 1870, Page 3

THE WAIRARAPA MERCURY WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1870.

District Prizes. — The following amounts have been distributed l.y Adjutant Cleland as the District Prizes: — Corporal Basset ... £ll 11 0 J. Tocker ... ... 8 910 T. Moffatt 18 4 T. Bentou ... ... 17 7 P. Shearon 16 9 J. Gundy ... ... 16 9 j H.Renall 16 9) The Late Fire at Tuhiteeata. —We learn that the New Zealand Insurance Company has declined to pay the £I,BOO for which the buildings at Tuhitorata, belonging to Mr A. M'Masters, were insured, Mr G. Hunter, the agent in Wellington for the Company, lias received two estimates to replace the buildings, one being for £9OO and the other f,r £B6l Os. 6d. (very close shaving this six-pence ') One of these tenders if from a resident in the Wairarapa. He therefore offers either to rebuild or to give £i,ooo instead of the £I,BOO. Few things hurt an insurance office more than transactions like 1 this. Wo should very much like to know if no responsibility rests upon the agent of an Insurance Office in taking premiums. For eight years Mr M‘Most;rs has paid the premium on £I,BOO. The buildings were erected at a time when timber was dear, labour scarce, and carriage (owing to the bad roads) expen - i sire. The difference in the state of the 1 country has caused a depreciation in the ' value of property, and if all insurance offices ! are going to aet in this manner, we should | recommend insurers to regulate the insurances ; on their buildings according to the prices of i timber. It appears curious that a Company should accept a premium on £I,BOO forinsur. : ing buildings for eight, consecutive years, and only find out at the termination—owing to be.ng woke up by a fire—that the buildings can be erected for half the money. 1