STANDARD INSURANCE COMPANY.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 56, 7 March 1904, Page 6

STANDARD INSURANCE COMPANY.

ANNUAL MEETING. [BY TELEOBAI'n— I'KKSS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, This Day. At tho annual meeting of the Standard Insurance Company tint) afternoon, the Chairman, Mr. John Reid, said: — Our premium income is less than last year, which result is entirely owing to the shrmkago of marine business owing to varioms causes, the drought in, Australia, wbero tho company's business is considerable, being one. Our lire business, however, shows a substantial increase, notwithstanding keen competition, demanding great tact and vigilance on the part of tho staff to successfully deal with. Concerning tho State Fire Insurance Bill pissed last session, tho Chairman said; — The «rtablißhment of this department wo cannot but regard as an impolitic /nterferenco with private enterprise, and calculated to make our colonists fight .shy of investing their capilal in enteqjrisos that would benefit the colony. The Deportment has not yet been established, but should it entor tho field as a competitor wo see no reason to think it can seriously interfere with our business. It cannot bo supposed that tho Department is willing to do business without proSt, and it is certainly not ablo to conduct business at a less cost than the companies. In any case, if wo have to nwet the competition of our own Government, the Company will be quite equal to the occasion.