Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price 1d. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1885. Local Insurance Boards.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1689, 15 April 1885, Page 2

Wairarapa Standard Published Tri-weekly, Price Id. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1885. Local Insurance Boards.

Sxxce writing our article urging the necessity of appointing Local Insurance Boards in tlie various more important centres of population throughout the country districts, we notice that Sir Julius Vogel has stated in reply to a deputation that no time will be lost in calling such Boards into existence. This assurance is very satisfactory, and we shall be glad when it has been acted upon. The Evening Post is strongly opposed to the appointment of those Local Insurance Boards, and condemns Sir Julius Vogel for making the promise in question. Our contemporary says:— “ Webelieve thequestion as to whether that portion of the Act which permits of the establishment of Local Boards shall be brought into operation or not, has not yet been decided by the Board. The Act leaves the matter optional, and we are aware that several of the directors are very strongly opposed to the appointment of Local Boards. With this opposition we entirely sympathise, and we believe that the great mass of the policy-holders will also object to such Boards being constituted. We fail altogether to see what possible good they would do, and the policyholders may well object to their funds being spent in salaries of £IOO a year to members of Local Boards all over the colony. The appointment of these Local Boards would simply give powers of almost unlimited patronage and a good deal possibly of political corruption ; while the salaries would soon absorb all the profits of the department,” This sort of argument will not bold water. The question of appointing those Local Boards is not an optional one at all. The Act distinctly directs that hath > Central Board and also Local Boards shall bo appointed. We quite believe that some of the Directors on the Central Board do not want to have any Local Boards appointed. It N juat. the old story of desiring In centre ail governing power in Wellington, ami giving as few local powers to the country districts as possible--alike in this matter of Government Life insurance and everything else. We do not believe, with the Evening Post, “ that the great mass of tin ’-"hey -holders will object to those Local Boaruo h<uu S apoointed.” Certainly, the policyholders who live in the country districts will be strongly in favor of such Boards being called into existence. As to the payment of £IOO a year each to the comparatively few directors who would be elected to those Boards, the tiling is a mere bagatelle in comparison with the largely increased business which would accrue to the Government Life Insurance Department. through the existence of such valuable local agencies. As to the talk of the Evening Post about “ unlimited patronage and political cor ruption ” becoming ripe through the creation of a few Local Insurance Boards —the assertion is too absurd to

excite anything but laughter. V. o strongly urge iSir Julius \ ogel to do all he cau to have those Local Boards appointed,and to pay as little attention, as he usually to an inconsistent and dishonest journal like the Evening Post, which licks the dust off his boots cn one day and treacherously tries tc stab him in the back on the next.