The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-05-20 00:00:00

ASSURANCE SOCIETIES VERSUS PUBLIC
ROUSE CLUBS.

Th the Editor of the" Observer.'

perceive by • report in your last week's
prellaioll, that one of those speculations (so profitable to
wastage's an.i agents) called assurance societies, have
newt holding • grand field day in Stourbridge. I allude
to the meeting of the Wesleyan and lienersl Assurance
Society held ia the Corn Exchange on Monday, Bth list,
artier the uspices of Messrs. Kinsey, Lewis, English,
Arillionott and Co., when those " dismterested " gentle•
teen managed to sound their own trumpet pretty 1-sadly,
with what accuracy we will try to ascertain. The chair-
man, Mr. Kinsey, has the usual rant at public-house
clubs, as he calls them. Sir, 1 have been a member of a
Friendly Society in this locality for 15 years. I have
:lad to visit others, and I can bear my testimony to the
good behaviour of the members, the soundness of their
.egislation, the moderation observed in their debates, and
Lire efficieucy and economy of their management; and
;he chief reason why most working men'a clubs are hell
it public-houses is not on account of the ale or liquors,
out for convenience and economy. The society that I
cave ths honour to belong to has at a public•house the
use of a large room, five gas-lights, two fires, cleaninx
tud attendance for 12s per month ; the room is underour
sole control, and there we 130 members. I venture to
say that in much cheaper than we could get a private
room for. Mr. Kiusey becomes eloquent upon the extrava-
gant managemeut of public-house clubs, their becoming
insolvent, and sending their old members to the Work-
house. Has Mr. Kinsey forgot the misery and ruin that
Mendel the failure of the Friend-in-Need, Royal Liver,
United Brothers, Albert, and many other Assurance
societies ? Does be remember the scandalous stuns ex.
pealed in management by these Aseurance societies in
some cases as high as 7d in the shilling. Does he re-
muember the witlering exposure of these Assnrance no-
cieueu
Tosco by the late Mr. Tuld Pratt some few years
iigo ? Does he not know that these assurance society/a
have to fill the country with a class of highly paid agents
who, with tite managers, are swallowing up the money
which should go to swell the sick and funeral funds of
the society. Such societies as the Foresters and Odd
Fellows have no agents or managers to pay, and their
luauagement expenses seldom reaches 33 to the shilling,
including surgeon's salary, secretary's do., the rent of
room, and all other ibeidental exec...es. What is Mr.
Kinsey and Co.'s ? Marry a man biesscd with an ebetic
c insuence finds an assurance agency a profitable affair:
and had the Oreat Teacher lived in the nineteenth cen-
t try, I fancy one of his parables would have read thus :
"1 cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed, I will become agent
o an assurance society."

-Mr. Kinsey next dia'atet to • great extent upon their
society having adopted the graduated sc.ile of payment.;
and so have a great many other societies eren a, public-
iantnes. i-le also mates that their rules and scales of
psyment are certified by an actuary ; so are oars, and
pi at; of others, even at pablie-Acuses. Mr. Kinsey says
is has seen the evils of public•house clubs, bat is silent
as to the blessings they have showered broadcast over
the laud; the sympathy and succour they have given to
the widow and the orphan, the maimed and the sick ;
sild the taxation and pauperism of which they have re-
iieved the country. The chairman places great stress
upon the society having a fund of ..tBO,OOO. Why that is
a mere drop in a bucket compared with such societies as
tie Foresters and Odd Fellows (MU.) Take the first-
timed society (an the one I am best acquainted with,
tiough I believe they are much alike). The Foresteis
h lye 250 districts, 3916 cinrts, act 400.000 members,
bolding their meeting. throughout the whole of the
United Kinglom, the BIWA Colonies, and the United
States of America, and possessing a capital of £1,600,000.
'rue sum paid for medical attengsuce alone during 1870
is £48,480 17s 91; assistance to widows and orphans,
£57,000 45 24; Fick allowance to members for the same
year, £203,790 16 14 ; and the funeral do., £4,541 On 3d.
During the cotton famine in Lancashire, the Order con-
tributed £6OO to their relief. They have also built and