A GOOD PRINCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 189, 12 August 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

A GOOD PRINCE.

A FINE THING HE HAS DONE. The 21-year-old Maharajah of Travancnro has conic on a visit to lingland wiili his sister. Bv doing so he has broken the ageIon" tradition of his family, who have never left India. Thi! Maharajah, under the guidance of his mother, has introduced compulsory education in his State, and every ohiid at the aj;e of 10 must go to school. Travancore therefore claims the highest percentage of literacy in India. One of the finest tilings this young ruler lias done is to break awi.y from an old custom of expecting presents from his subjects. According to Hindu traditions, when a man goes to pay his respects to his ruler lie"must offer a gift of either silk •or silver or gold, and the gift must be according to his station of Jife. The personal fortunes o-f many of the priiiees have been built up on this principle. The Maharajah of Tra vancore realised the injustice of this practice, and now if you go to see him you will jind at the entrance gate a man in attendance who will give vou a roll of silk or a few gold sovereign?, which you present to the ruler. accepts these, and his secretary takes them back to the guardian at 1 the' gate for the next visitor. . In this way a beautiful custom is still maintained 'without bringing hardship to anyone.