THE WORLD'S PRESS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 56, 13 April 1914, Page 6

THE WORLD'S PRESS.

TAXI DRIVERS. The taxi-driver would do well to remember when the public can get decency and civility for considerably less money than it pays : for bad, manners, it is not very iikety to choose the latter. The ill-mannered' driver is not only his own worst enemy, he is the worst enemy of his kind. If he is too stupid or too careless to appreciate the fact it will be forced on him by the public in a most unpleasant fashion. — '' Daily Mail.'' THE ULSTER TROUBLE. It is impossible to; exaggerate the gravity oiSthe situation. Nothing like it has occurred in the United Kingdom since the time when James 11. lost his throne. The longer the strain persists the greater is the danger'of its reaching the breaking point. In the ; circumstances a rash or mistaken movement on either side might precipitate a conflict, and it is patent that' a conflict once began could not be confined to Ulster, or, for the matter of that, to Ireland.— '' Australasian.'' THE ENGLISH INSURANCE ACT.

Again, when Lloyd George his temper and ascribes the loss of recent by-elections to the conduct of Unionists in "slandering and vilifying" his Act, he forgets that the Act is hated because the workers have now been trying it and have discovered for themselves what it is. The ".asset," as Mr Asquith sadly said some months ago, has become a "liability," and the poor are taking condign vengeance on the party which deceived them. —"Evening News" (London). BRITAIN'S NAVAL COMMITMENTS. In the light of the surprising changes effected by recent history, it must seem doubtful to many whether the assurance of French naval support in the Mediterranean, and Russian naval support in the Baltic —which could hardly be obtained without heavy military commitments on the part of Great Britain to the allies—would not be dearly purchased at the price of the disappearance of the present good relations with Germany and the . that the hand of Britain would be utilised for pulling French and Russian chestnuts out of the fire of a general war.— "Daily Telegraph." ORIENTAL REVIVAL.

Even Japan, which is copying the West in many things, has ideals in philosophy and government very far removed from ours. And to say truth, whatever the future may develop, there is nothing in this great Eastern revival apparent to most men that need give us any cause for apprehension of the "Asiatic inheriting the earth." — ' * Age.'' TO SATISFY THE LIBERALS.

Apparently what is needed to satisfy Liberals is that Unionists should cease to criticise the Insurance Act, and should allow the supporters of the Government to claim the whole credit for the Act, as Mr Lloyd George stated that they intended to do.—"News and Leader.''