HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17832, 28 April 1926, Page 8

HERE AND THERE.

AN EYE FOR EVERYTHING. GENERAL BOOTH'S LEGAL STORT. General Bramwell Booth, chief of the Salvation Army, will shortly celebrate his seventieth birthday, and he has issued a volume of reminiscences. The book has attracted considerable attention, not only for its notable description of the progress of the Salvation Army, but because it includes a number of excellent stories. One of of the best relates to an occasion when Mr Danckwerts, a prominent barrister in his day, was arguing on behalf of the Crown against the Salvation Army on a question of costs. He made a speech in which he said the Crown hail no funds. How was it, then, to pay the costs of the magistrates a conviction by whom had been quashed? General Booth writes: “Lord Chie: Justice Coleridge was on the Bench. He had a habit of appearing to sleep during the hearing of a case, his eyes closing and his head leaning fprward. But when Danckwerts uttered the startling proposition that the Crown had no money, Coleridge instantly woke up from his apparent slumber. ‘That is one of the most serious statements that could possibly be made, he said, ‘by a gentleman representing the Crown." If the Crown has no monev, /what is to happen to me; Coleridge's ‘me’ echoed through the. court, and remained for some years afterwards a classic allusion with us. Danckwerts simply replied. 'As your lordship pleases' ( which caused more merriment), and then sat down. V\ e got our costs.” MARRIAGE BANNS REFORM. The Church Asesmblv proposal to abolish the residential qualification for the publication of the banns of marriage in Anglican churches —to permit banns to be published and matrimony solemnised in the church in the parish in which either of the parties, whether actually resident or not, is entered on the electoral roll—recalls that the first provision for the publication in church of intention to marry is found in an enactment of *I2OO. During the Cor.; monwealth it was not essential for banns to be published in church alone. There was provision for the announcement by bellman or crier on market days in the market town nearest to the residence of the contracting parties. HEALTH INSURANCE. PROPOSALS. Recommendations of vital concern to about 15.000.000 people and their dependents are contained in the report of the British Royal Commission on National Health Insurance, just completed. It is stated that amongst the suggestions embodied in the report include merging of local insurance committees in the 'public health committees of local authorities; a maximum benefit for future payments by approved societies: and a reduction of the existing administration allowance of 4s 5d per head y<fr annum to approved societies. The recommendation that local authorities should take over the duties of the insurance committees is of exceptional importance, because it aims at linking the national insurance services with existing health provisions. It is . suggested, for example, that the present insurance services should be extended to cover dental treatment, the services of oculists and opticians, maternity homes (with reduced fees), Xrav treatment, the expenses of so journs at convalescent homes, and treatment of diseases like rheumatism at Buxton. Droitwieh. Llandrindod Wells and other spas. Dental services are already provided, to varying ex tent, by certain approved societies. At present the Exchequer grant towards Health Insurance is two-ninths of the total benefits. A WHITE ROSE SOCIETY. The solemn procession to the statue of King Charles I at Charing Cross on the anniversary of that ill-fated monarch's death has reminded the gossips that a couple of centuries ago a mysterious secret society was established under the title of the Cycle of the White Rose. It was devotedly monarchical and orthodox, and it had fo” its object to unite all the cavalier and non-juring families of North Wales and Cheshire with a view to concerted action when next the exiled Stuarts should claim their own. The headquarters were at Wynnstay. and the lady of Wynnstay was always patroness. The badge was a white rose in enamel, and the list of members was printed in a circle, so that if it should fall ito the hands of the Governement no one should appear as ring-leader or chief During the first half-century of its existence the Cycle appears to have been a real and definite organisation for political ends; but with the. passing of the years and the coincident perishing of the hopes of the Jacobites, the Cycle degenerated into a mere dining club, and it ixltimately expired midway in last century. But the last lady patroness did not die until 1905. so that the eighteenth century had