Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1885. Local Insurance Boards.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1682, 30 March 1885, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. MONDAY, MARCH 30, 1885. Local Insurance Boards.

At the time when the new Act dealing with the Government Life Inaur ance scheme came into operation in January, we published an article in the Staxjuhd, giving a complete explanation of its provisions. Since then the elections of the members of the Central Board of management have taken place, and we suppose that by the present time, the managing body in question has got things fairly under way. It has recently been slated that they are going in for palatial offices in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin at a huge outlay. But there is one matter affecting the interests of the country set-* tiers, which it appears they have altogether lost sight of. It is specially provided by tho Act that the Central Board is to establish local boards of directors in tho different districts throughout tho colony. Bach local board is to consist of three local directors, one appointed by the Ceu tral Board, who will act as chairman the local board ; and two local directors' to be elected by the policyholders residing IC the district wherein the local hoard exercises its functions. One of these elected directors is to retire annually, and a fresh election is to be held. These local boards are to be invested with general powers to do the business of tue Association in their respective districts. 'I he directors serving on those local boards are—like the members of the Central Board-to receive £IOO a year each for their services. Now, the question which we would ask is this, “ Why is it that no Loca Insurance Boards have been appointed in the various centres of population in the country districts ?” Why should there not bo a Local Insurance Board in the Wairarapa.the directors to meet periodically in some centre town in the district? Tho same course ought to be adopted with respect to other populous country districts throughout the colony. The creation of these Local Insurance Boards would largely tend to increase the amount of bnA--tone by the Government Insurness .■'*•- As the case stands, ance Association. d it appears that those o*. * wise provisions of the Act referring . the appointment of local boards are not likely to bo carried out. The object of the directors of the Central Board appears to be to retain all power in their own hands, and centre all control of Government insurance business at Wellington—-having of couise subordinate agencies in Auck land, Dunedin and Christchurch. This clearly was not the object contemplated by the Act. We think that these Local Insurance Boards should be created, and that by doing so the Government Life Insurance Association would be brought prominently before the settlers throughout the length and breadth of the laud,