The Review of Reviews. 



April 10. WOi. 



INSURANCE NOTES. 



An iiunieiise fire occuned in the heai-t of Sydney 

 on the 31st ult. Tlie outbieak occurred in the early 

 hours of the morning on tlie premises of Edwards, 

 Dunlop and Co., wholesale stationers and printers, in 

 Claience-streot, part 5-.stories and rest 7-stories in 

 height, extending through to Kent-street. The fire 

 liafF evidently been burning some time before it was 

 discovered, fur on the arrival of the brigades the 

 whole building was a nias-s of flame. The fire swept 

 over a small adjoining building into the premises of 

 J. Stedman and Co., confectioners, a building of 4 

 and 6-stories This was demolished, and the Grand 

 Central Hotel adjoining next took tire in the upper 

 stories. The brigade was successful in checking the 

 outbreak here, and the greater part of the hotel was 

 saved. The loss is estimated at £150,(100. The insur- 

 ance,s were as follow.^ : — Edwards, Dunlop and Co.. 

 building, Roval Co., £l'2,;i(lO: Atlas. £2800; stock. 

 Norwich Union, £7400; .North British, £8000: Sun, 

 £72.50; Northern, £7000; National. £6500; Aachen, 

 £.5500; l'h(J>nix, £500(1; Alliance, £4750; I'nion, 

 £lia)— in all. £52..500. Fixtures £5000, and miscel- 

 laneous £2600— a total of £75,800. Jas. Ste^lman 

 Ltd. were insured in variou.s officeK for £29,150 on 

 building and contents. 



The death occurred with painful suddenness on the 

 27th ult. of one of Melbourne's leading fire under- 

 writers. Mr. Mayhew A. Kidge. Manager for Austra- 

 lia of the London and Lancashire Fire Insurance Co. 

 Mr. Uidge wa.s walking in Swanston-street, when he 

 suddenly fell, anil died while being conveyed to the 

 Melbourne Hospital from rupture of the heart. The 

 deceaseil wa.s held in high esteem in insurance and 

 financial circles. He was for some years representa- 

 tive of the Fire I'nderwriters' Association on the 

 Metropolitan Fire Brigades' Board, and was twice 

 elected chairman of that body. 



In our report last month of the Citizens' Life As- 

 surance Co., Ltd., a printer's error occurred in the 

 statement of percentage of expenses to income. The 

 paragraph should have read as follows ; — " Added to 

 this, the expense ratio has been considerably lowered, 

 the percent;igp to total income for the year being 13.1 

 per cent, in the ordinary branch, and 39.6 per cent, 

 in the industrial branch, the combined rate for both 

 branches being 24.8 per cent. In 1904 these v.eye 

 13.3 per cent., 42.8 per cent., and 26.6 per cent. 

 respectively. 



As an outcome of the investigation into the Life As- 

 surance scandals in America, the Government of the 

 State of New York are prosecuting Mr. George W. 

 Perkins, a partner in the firm of J. Pierpont Morgan 

 and Co.. and formerly vice-president of the New York 

 Life Insurance Societv. He is charged with having 

 paid away £9600 of the Company's funds to political 

 electioneering funds, and the object of the prosecution 

 is to test the power of officials of corporations to sub- 

 scribe corporation funds to political objects. 



A Bill has been introduced into the British House 

 of Commons to extend the principle of the Workmen's 

 Compensation Acts of 1897 and 1900. The new mea- 

 sure is of a far-reaching character, and includes many 

 occupations not formerly protected. A Labour mem- 

 ber, in supporting the Bill, felt that all who are em- 

 ploved for profit should be entitled to compensation 

 under the Act, and that insurance against the liability 

 should be made compulsory in order to ensure the pay- 

 ment of the compensation. 



CITIZENS' 



Life Assurance Company, Ltd. 



The Premier Industrial-Ordinary Life Office 

 of Greater Britain. 



HEAD OFFICE - - SYDNEY. 



The Company's Hecord for ISO'i : 



Funds _ £1,346,606 



INCREASE IN FUNDS - -. 201,346 



Income _ ^ £436,326 



INCREASE IN INCOME ._ - 26,774 



Paid Policyholders since Inc. ption... .- £891,590 



PAID POLICYHOLDERS in 1904 . 108,931 



Profits, io the form of Reversionary 

 Bonuses, Allotted to Policyholders 



since Inception £395,525 



PROnTS, in the form of Reversion- 

 ary Bonuses, allotted to Policyhold- 

 ers for 1904 61.075 



Expenses — 



DECREASE FOR YEAR - ... £12,13) 



THK 



COLONIAL MUTUAL 

 . . FIRE . . 



INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED. 



FIRE 



ACCIDENT - 



EMPLOYER'S 

 LIABILITY 



FIDELITY 



GUARANTEE 



PLATE-CLASS 

 BREAKAGE 



MARINE 



BURGLARY - 



Insurance. 



OFFICES. 



MELBOURNE— 60 Market Street. 



SYDNEY— 78 Pitt Street. 



ADELAIDE— 71 King William Street 



BRISBANE— Creek Street. 



PERTH- Barrack Street. 



HOBART— Collins Street. 



LONDON— St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill, B.C. 



WM. L. JACK. 



Manaobk. 



