NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18460, 25 July 1923, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

: THE FOIST INSURANCE. It is established by some of the dullest literature which has ever been preserved, the private speeches of Demosthenes, that a very elaborate system of marine insurance existed two thousand years ago (saytt the London Dail" Telegraph). But we prefer to believe that the oldest method of all was national insurance. The promise of ninepence for fourpence, the paraphernalia - of cards and stamps, are, indeed, modern vulgarities. Our forefathers were simpler. Thre hundred years ago if a man's house was burnt Dp went to the King about it, and the Lord , Chancellor sent out a circular for contributions. In . feudal times, when a vassal's home took fire, his lord was ret quired ' to'- build him another; and his life was insured for him by the custom which gave the land he held to his heir. We have no doubt that in, the Stone Age the tribe gave each of its members an inclusive policy against fire in the cave, burglars, ana mammoths. The dovelopment of private enterprise must have arisen from the failure of the tribe, the feudal lord, and the Lord Chancellor's circulars to find the money to pay i the losses.;.- >.:■■''

ROYALTY AND THE PEOPLE, r Princess (Christian's life was one of that actfive -usefulness and benevolence to which this Royal Family has accustomed us (says this Guardian), and she enjoyed the sympathy of the whole country in the trials which ''. the war brought upon her. The modern hospital owes much to her vivid interest, and she took a real and important share in the evolution of the trained nurse. We may hope that examples such as .have been set by Princess Christian i and her near relations, will not be lost * upon the. many non-Royal descendants of yueen Victoria who will speedily be springing op. The King already has a grandson who will lie plain " Mr." and the same daily papers which recorded the Princess Helena's death announced the betrothal of Princess Maud of Fife to Lord Carnegie. There will undoubtedly be other marriages of this kind, find a century hence there will probably be hundreds of " ordinary people " descended from Queen Victoria. This is a happy reversion to the position in the early days of the monarchy, when almost every earl was in truth, as he still is in theory, the King's " cousin." We have made a good beginning of the re-admixture of Royalty and the people, and it is peculiarly interesting to remember that Princess Mary's little son is at once the descendant of George 111. and of George Canning, one of that King's Ministers. The last idea that could have entered the mind of either was that they would some day become the common ancestors of a twentieth century baby-commoner. Should Princess Maud and Lord Carnegie have children they will be the descendants ,at once of Queen Victoria and the Rev. Daniel Lysons, the learned author of " Magna Britannia." ■ A

i THE COLOUR BAR. The Christian Churches of Great Britain are now confronted with' the biggest overseas crisis, and, with vision to see it, the biggest opportunity within living memory. The Indian in Africa is to-day demanding for himself the right to grow to the full stature of manhood; the millions of India are rallying to his side; to-morrow he will summon the African to join forces in making a similar -demand. What will the answer be from the Christian Church ? asks Mr. John H. Harris, acknowledged expert on all matters relating to the welfare of native races the world over. Ten years ago there was •evidence that, Christianity was losing its grip in South Africa, but within recent years a perceptible change has come over the native mind. ! The personality, vigorous attitude,' and bold discourses of Bishop Furze when Bishop of Pretoria have made an indelible impression; that rugged Christian personality on the Zambesi, Shearley Cripps, has spread a wholesome influence over a wide region the self-sacrificing and happily-suocesnful efforts: of the Rev. A. E. Jennings, of the London Missionary Society, in ';• defending the native land rights in Kuruman, has had . a remarkable effect in the northern areas of the Union. These three men | have, together with certain outspoken utterances by others on the colour bar, brought about a considerable change in the mass mentality of the native; but the millions of 'Sooth Africa still await, as does East Africa, a_ clear public pronouncement upon citizenship and a bold advocacy by the leaders of the Christian Church of wie abolition of the colour bar. Are the leaders of the Christian Church prepared to declare that they support the resolution of • the Imperial Conference giv. ing ultimatecitizenship to every subject of the Kins, regardless of race, creed, or colour. ? : That is the great overseas issue to which an answer must -be -gives.^