THE CORONATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 5, 30 June 1911, Page 5

THE CORONATION.

♦ BELATKD CELEBRATIONS. By ('able—'l'iphk Asaoß»ti«n—CopyT'ght. Christchureh, Last Night. The torchlight procession and water display, part of Jocal coronation celebrations which could not take place last Thursday night owing to the inclemency of the weather, took place this evening in line, calm weather. The majority of the illuminations on public and private buildings were lit, and owing to the calmness the gas designs were seen to greater advantage than was the case last Thurs.'ay. Very large crowds perambulated the streets and watched the procession, which consisted of members of the lire brigade, with Are fighting plant, and several bands, which marched through the principal streets and finished at Victoria Square, where a very fine illuminated water display was given, and was watched by a very large gathering. The proceedings were en livened by selections by the bands and by the ditties of a diirktown brigade. WHY BLACK TROOPS WERE BARRED. The compendium of the Empire which was presented in the State procession at the last Coronation filled the hearts of thousands of stay-at-home Britons with pride. Our dusky warriors were a magnificent spectacle, but the afterresults were far from what could have been desired. Difficulties between the white and colored races (which are ever present) were intensified. Native soldiers were treated as equals by certain classes of the white population of this country—especially by the white women. When they returned to their own countries they became rebellious and sometimes infuriated at being considered no better than the dust beneath the feet of the white women who were there. For many years the India Office has felt acutely the problem presented by the annual arrival in this country of hundreds of Indian students. Everyone remembers the assassination of Sir Curzon Wylic, one of the best friends of the Eastern races, and a few know that Viscount Morley, when he went dipping into bookstalls, or started for the saunters of which he is so fond, was constantly under the eye of the detectives tiill he left the India Office. Palliatives have been applied and endeavors been made to provide suitable surroundings for natives of India who come to this country, but the difficulty has not really been obviated. Men who during the course of their studentships or shorter visits arc treated here as equals cannot when they return to the East sink back with tranquil minds into the position of inferiority the British there assign them. Stories of all that the troops had seen and done when in London ran tljrough the native regiments when the detachments returned from King Edward's Coronation. So far as New Zealand is concerned it is not much troubled with a native question. All those who have resided in our most distant Dominion have the highest respect and esteem for the Maoris. The only regret of white New Zealand is that this native race is decreasing in numbers. In Africa the situation is very different and very acute. The spectacle of white women walking arm-in-arm with colored men is at all times enough to disgust South Africans and Americans. The spectacle was common enough when the native troops were here. "The Colonial Office would therefore seem to have acted wisely in discountenancing the bringing of natives to London for the State procession. The Government have also, as far as possible, limited the number of natives who will beh ere for exhibition purposes.—Sheffield Telegraph.