The Sun.
London, England, 1818-07-28 00:00:00

NORWICII INSURANCE OFFICE.

Yesterday a Meeting took piece at the York
Hotel, Bridge-street, for the purpose of taking
ioto consideration the charges brought against the
Norwich Insurance Office, at a meeting held at
the George and Where Tavern.
Mr. BENSLEY being called to the Chair,
Mr. BIGNOLD, jun. informed the Meeting ti.at
he had communicated to the Board at Norwich
the Resolutions p;: seat at the GeOtale and Vel'ere.
in consequence of this intormerOn, the ii' ao;
carve to certaiu Ili:6°lll6°ns, a copy of which lie
had received: The Resolutions were then read,
and will be found in'another part of this Paper.—
Mr. Bignold said, that from these Resolutions it
appeared evitleet that it was the wish of the
Board to have a Committee appointed in time
London district for the investigation of any chin s
that may exist. The appoiut went of sec a Con
mittee was the object of the resew [Heeling, apt
it Was intended afrerevards If, call a WOre geverel
One of Insurers, who amoutired to mall (hoe-
sauds. Inc' Board bad no desire that ti tir
ciples or proceedings should remaom concealed ;
dray were not fearful of a scrutiey ; every thing
necessary to procere fell and satistectory
iufor-
Watton should he laid hefoie the Committee ,vien
appointed. Tht ir books, the state of their funds,
end their conduct to claimants, would be opeo to
inspection ; time same had been done at Birminga
ham, Dublin, :Manchester, and other places.
Some Resolutions were then proposed by Mr.
Berieotio, which %scot in substance iCp approve of
the principle upon which the Norwich Insurance
Office was conducted, and to appoint a -Committee
for the investigation of ainsetil.ol claims in the
district of London.
Mr. MIDDLETON and Mr. 4RonICE did not think
the Resolutions went far enoogo. It would be
necessary, in their opinion, that the Committee
should investigate not only ouivanding claimc,
but also the charges brought against the Norwich
Office at the Meeting which took place at the
George and Vulture.
Mr. HANSON spoke to the same effect. The
ipse dixit of the Board was not sufficient to prove
their innocence. An investigation into time charges
brought against them should take •place. There
was no other means of removing the caluumits
that bad gone abroad.
Mr. KENIBLE approved of the Resolutions ge-
nerally, but he did not think -they went tar
enough. He attended there as an independent in-
surer, and was desirous that the charges brought
against the Norwich Office should be fully inves-
tigated. Like many others, ile, at one time,
entertained prejudices against this institution, but
better information enabled him to shake them off,
and he had since insured in it to a considerable
amount. It WaS due, however, to the insurers
and, to the Gentlemen who lent their names to it,
to remove the slightest taint of unfairness that
may adhere to the Establishment. It was one in•
titled to the most serious regard. Every person
in trade felt it their duty, as well as their in-
terest, to encourage institutions of the kind. As
to the stability of the Norwich Insurance Office, tie
did not feel the least doubt upon the subject. They
proceeded upon a principle that was attended
with no risk, for they required no profits. They
gave security to the public upon more favourable
terms than could be offered by any other office.
The price, however, of security was a nilutor
consideration, compared to a prompt settle-
ment of claims. If they were to return 95/. in
place of 501. per cent, the public would not
accept of it, if it could be onteined only by delay.
The conduct of the Norwich (Mae was at allainies
highly liberal in the country disoricts. In those
they had insured to the amount of 40,000,000/ ,
and there was not at present,a single outstanding
claim. Their insinainces in the London depart-
meet were only 5,000,0001. but yet there were
many claims unsettled. It was the duty of those,
who were interested to explain why the stream of
liberality which flowed from the Board so co-
piously through the country, was dammed up on-
ly when it approached the metropolis. He did nat
feel disposed to impute any unworthy motives to
the Managers in London, but some glaring errors
of judgment seemed to have crept into their con-
duct, which tended to poison the springs of con&
thence. These errors it weirdo not be fair or can-
did to impure to the Board, the bead and front'
of whose offending seemed to be, that they gave
to the public for nothing that from which other
institutions of the same kind derived considerable
profit. It would be of no use to prove that the
charges circulated in the Newspapers arose from
malice. It could not be denied that there were
errors which should be enquired into, In one in-
stance a verdict was obtained, but the sum award-
ed by the July was not paid up. Some time was
certainly allowed by law, but it was not liberal on
the part of the London Managers to avail them-
selves of this delay. This was perhaps an error
in judgment, but such proceedings conicl come to
no good. He was not a London insurer, but he
Made several efforts among his friends to promote
the interests of the Norwich Institution. His efforts,
however, failed in consequence of the system of
management adopted there. The appointment of
a Committee would, he was convinced, remove
all these inconveniences.

Mr. SAVERY said, that the• instructions of the
Bo,:rd were to act towards claimants upon the
most liberal principles. He was an insurer to a
large amount. His father was also a Chairman
of the Bristol Committee, and he came to town
on purpose to find whether the charges made at
the George and Vulture referred to a general
practice, or were confined to London only. In
consequence of the information he had obtained
at Norwich from the coos: respectable sources, he
recommended the office to all his friends; and io a
tour which he had taken through 27different coun-
ties, he had invariably heard the highest character
of the office. In Norfolk' the amount of insurances
rose from 1,000,000/. to 4,000,0001.; and in Bristol
during the last two years there was an increase
of 1,500;0001. This was no proof of a want of
liberality on the part of the Board.
After some hirther conversation the Resolutions
were agreed to, and the Committee appointed.

The Rev. G. A, Biedermann, M.A. Chaplain to
the E2rl of Liverpool, has been instituted to the
rectories of Llanvihangel and Fliwystone, Gla-
rnorganshire.