To the Editor of the "Nortu-Cama Dainty News."
Srr,—May I say a few words to remove an impression which must have been formed in the minds of many who have read articles which have appeared lately dealing with the liability of foreign insurance companies in connexion with the Japanese disaster. the impression is that the sufferers are themselves to blame for taking a risk in not paying the small extra premium which would have covered damage by fire caused by the earthquake. state most emphatically that the average man wished to insure against this risk, but the possibility of doing so was never suggested. 1 - myself, on renewing my policy this year, saw representatives of no less than three. foreign insurance companies as I was not satisfied with the protection afforded under their usual policy, and not one of the three ever suggested that an extra premium would rover the risk of fire resulting from - earthquake, ete. My experience can scarcely be an isolated one and beg leave to doubt if the ordinary companies would have accepted the risk even for an extra premium.
Surely it is enough for them to protect themselves by inserting a clause which defeats the very object of fire insurance without attempting to throw the blame on those who have lost their all without hope of recovery.
i am, etc.,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.