SOCIAL LEGISLATION. A GERMAN OBSERVER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 97

SOC IAL LEGISLATION. A GERMAN OBSERVER.

£Fbojt Qua Owir Cobrespondent.) AUCKLAND, June 18. An interesting visitor arrived In Auckland yesterday in. the person of Professor Dr Manes, lecturer on -the science of insurance at tli& University of Commerce,. I Berlin. Professor Manes eatne on from ' Samoa, and will stay for a week or two in | Auckland, and then proceeds south 1 . His 1 object in visiting Australia and. New Zeaj' land is to- study social legislation, of ! which he has been a keen student. Although he has not previously visited the Antipodes, Professor Manes has a good grasp o-f all NeV Zealand's social legislation, but he ifi specially interested in our old-age pensions system. He had puhlithed a book in Germany entitled, " In- : surance of Labourers; in Australia and New Zealand." He is an expert on all questions of insurance, and is general secretary of the German Science of Insurance Assoi ciation, which- is the centre of thought and research on the subject. Professor Manes has something interesting to say about the University which he is associated with, which is an institution typical of the thoroughness with which Germans are seeking to spread- commercial knowledge. The Berlin University of !. Commerce, which was " founded and is : maintained by- merchants, is "one of four ' that exist an Germany, the others being at Frankfurt, Cologne, and Leipsic. They have all been established since 1900, and i others vrill probably follow. Instead of . the usual classical studies being pursued, ' the studies are all in commercial subjects, i the adjective being used in its wider sense. j The entrance examination is not so for- ! midable as the matriculation examination ' of the ordinary university, but all entrants must have been engaged, for three years in . practical commercial life. The course exj tends over two years. In addition to those I who devote their whole time to study, the • University receives pupils who are en- ' gi'ged in business during portion of their 1 time. It is a Live of industry, lecturesj. being given from early morning till 10 , at night. Many pupils have been attracted i from foreign countries, and some New Zealanders are to be found at the uni\ ersLties.^ 1 After a lecture on New Zealand, which the professor delivered, one night, several ex-colonists went up- and spoke co him. j Professor Manes meationed that the publicist? and 'polifciciar-s of C4ermany have , a e;ood knowledge of Nev/ Zealand. In, fact he says, denser ignorance regarding this country prevails id Great Britain than ' in Germany. In reply to a question, as to German feeling towards Bvitairu Professor Manes ' stated* that i-here was no excitement in ' Germany corresponding to the recent naval | scare i^ Britain. He. did not think the ] nations wanted to fight, and he himself I wrold regard a contest between Germany | and Britain much as a contest between a I tiger and a whale. He mentioned that, in 1 conversation with an Australian politician, he had brought up this matter, and asked the Australian why there should be such jealousy. The^Austranan replied, " Well:, it's like this: We want a* navy, and we i must give some excuse foe keeping, one,. ! so we say we fear the Germans."