with all his weaknesses, is entitled to justice, is capable of progress, open to intelligent argument, and finally, a co-operative unit in the production of wealth and social enjoyment; from this standpoint it is but a stage to that understanding of the African native which characterized the work of

Mary Kingsley and David Livingstone and scores of British administrators -such a man was John Holt, of Liverpool.

John Holt's place in West Africa can never be completely filled, neither can his influence for good ever be effaced; the seed was planted with such

skill in soil which must bear fruit a thousand-fold. Though more than thirty years have elapsed since John Holt left West Africa to take up control of the Liverpool business, "Holtie" is still a name to conjure with amongst the natives of West Africa from Sherboro to the Congo. A year or two ago a diabolical scheme was started to secure native labourers for certain foreign plantations, but how to entice them on board ship was the problem. "I have it," said the principal. We'll use Holt's name," and he did. The simple African hearing that "Holtie live for want boys" crowded aboard, and not until the ship reached the foreign port did the natives discover how they had been deceived; then a cry was raised and a brutal fight ensued before the labourers were cowed. A few weeks ago many a native hut in West Africa was a place of weeping when the people heard that their friend "Holtie" had gone, but the fragrance of the British race will be sweeter for the memory of his personality in West Africa.

John Holt was no believer in the "lazy nigger" theory. It was his daily custom to cross the Mersey every morning to business in Liverpool, and as he passed a certain spot at the entrance to Water Street, he would frequently pause for a few minutes and watch the lumbering lorries as in endless stream they poured up from the docks; lorries with tons of timber; lorries with bales of cotton; lorries with huge hogsheads of oil; lorries laden high with bags of kernels; and as he paused he would say, sometimes in flashing indignation, sometimes in biting sarcasm—“ And yet there are still fools who prate of the lazy nigger."

This attitude towards the African was the more convincing because for years John Holt had lived amongst the natives; he knew the forests from which, by prodigious hand labour, they brought their mahogany logs; he had seen their patient methods of extracting rubber; he had watched with amused interest the old grannie as she cracked her palm nuts and extracted the kernels; he had paddled with them up and down their mighty rivers; he had shared their huts, their wails of sadness, their songs of joy, and even their meals. What wonder then that John Holt so perfectly understood African nature, and, knowing it, loved the African as few have done or can do.

To John Holt, unrestricted commerce with the African producer was a regenerating force, second only to sound missionary effort. Treat that native fairly, he is your customer," was a favourite saying, and the following passage from a published speech shows the same attitude of mind :—

Our colonies in West Africa have never come to the Mother Country for money. They have always paid their way. How have they done it? In the simplest way possible. They have done it through the attraction of commerce. There is only one real way of making a success of these tropical countries, and that is by the attraction of trade."

AS A HOST.

The African is probably without an equal in giving lavish hospitality; his whole conception is that of a "trusteeship" of this world's goods. Let a stranger visit his primitive town in the interior, and the Chief will at once place houses at his disposal for himself and his carriers, whilst his young men and maidens are instructed to bring forth the best that their sylvan larders can provide. John Holt was instinctively hospitable, but his contact with the Africans had made him more so. The front door of his house in Birkenhead was thrown widely open to all who took an interest in African affairs; indeed, he was never so happy as when he was surrounded at his table with merchants, administrators, or missionaries, whose only password to Halstead House and its wealth of hospitality was African experience, whilst after dinner host and guests revelled in the folk-lore, trade and administrative problems of Africa until the small hours of the morning.

AS AN ADVISER.

In the task of regulating native affairs and securing the progressive advancement of the people, the need of sage advice from business men is imperative, and it was just here that John Holt excelled. He cared nothing for the limelight. To him the platform and public life held no attraction; all he asked was to be useful behind the scenes. It has often been our privilege to seek his counsel; he would listen patiently to whatever case was presented to him, and then quietly, but with intense earnestness, he would counsel this or that course, but always preface and conclude this advice with "Do what is right, my boy."

The Colonial Office authorities frequently sought John Holt's advice upon Colonial problems, one of the most recent instances being in 1910, when proposals were being considered for amending the land laws of Northern Nigeria. Foremost amongst his recommendations was that of appointing an official "to see that the native is not being imposed on or defrauded," whilst, with regard to the white applicants for land, he urged :

the underlying principle should be that every facility is given for the occupation and use of land so long as the person taking it is going to utilize it within a reasonable time, and is not treating it as a speculation."

AS A PHILANTHROPIST.

One of the features of philanthropic work which most disheartens the individual worker is the attitude of some of their supporters who give grudgingly or of necessity; they give their subscription (or may be donation), as if there were some merit in accompanying it with a frown, sometimes even an insult which sears like a hot iron. There are some to whom nothing but the direst necessity would force one to make an appeal. John Holt

could never comprehend such persons; to him it was a privilege to give. We can hear him now in his sharp businesslike way :

"How much do you want altogether?"

"How much do you think I ought to give?”

There you are, and God bless you."

-

The gift was always substantial, always given with a smile and always with a blessing; such a gift in this way was thrice given.

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"" IN BLESSING OTHERS."

God is no man's debtor" was surely never more fully exemplified than with John Holt, for he was indeed abundantly blessed in his family and business life; first a life companion who shared his burden of business and to the full his joys and aspirations, whilst her sound judgment and activity in work for the benefit of others was a constant source of pleasure and inspiration to her husband. But the reward did not stop here, for with advancing years when the Liverpool and African business extended by leaps, sons and nephews began to assume a larger share in the business, so that the once vigorous personality, now giving way as the result of life-long effort, was able to retire from activity and enjoy the supreme delight of watching these sons and nephews treading firmly the same path and endeavouring to follow faithfully the example set by the founder of John Holt & Co., Ltd.

New Vice-President.

WE are glad to announce that Mr. John R. Barlow of Bolton, who has long been a good friend to the Society's work, has accepted the position of a VicePresident.

Parliamentary.

NEUTRAL ZONE IN AFRICA.

In a speech in the House of Commons on July 21 Mr. Joseph King, M.P., called attention to this subject. He said:

I shall intervene but for a few moments between the House and the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, whom I am sure we are all waiting to hear, but I must call attention to the fact, which was borne in upon me as I listened to the very interesting and illuminating speech of the Colonial Secretary, that in 1885, at the Conference at Berlin, a General Act was passed dealing with Africa, Part 3 of which provided for the neutralities of territories over a large area of Central Africa. I believe it is understood that that General Act, which was signed by this country, Austria-Hungary, France, Russia, and Belgium, was ignored, or possibly forgotten, at the outbreak of hostilities. At any rate, it is interesting to remember that when it was signed in 1885, Prince Bismarck, who was, of course, Germany

personified at that time, declared that at any rate we ought to preserve Africa from the horrors and miseries of war. I am afraid that those who succeeded Prince Bismarck's rule in Germany did not follow either his spirit or his policy in that connection. I venture at this time to express the hope that when the day comes later on when great Colonial issues will be settled, that the aspirations, in fact, the pledged word and faith of the Allies with that of all the States of Europe, will be remembered and that some attempt will be made to make Africa a neutral zone and to preserve it from the military preparations and military rule which Germany, especially, has established there. It is in that hope and believing that though the faith of our country and other countries pledged in 1885 has come to nought to-day, yet the day may come-I hope it may come soon-when these aspirations and arrangements may be brought up again and established on a firm and more lasting foundation.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 28.

Mr. J. KING asked whether the General Act of the Conference at Berlin, signed on February 26, 1885, bound this country, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany, and Russia, with other Powers, in the event of all or any of them being involved in war, to place a large area of Central Africa under the rule of neutrality during the war; if so, whether this treaty was duly considered by the Government during the early days of August, 1914; and whether this provision of that treaty had been forgotten or ignored by all or any of its signatories.

LORD R. CECIL: The Berlin Act provides machinery by which belligerent Powers possessing territories in the free trade zone in Africa may, with the consent of the other belligerents, neutralize such possessions for the period of the war. It does not, however, impose any binding obligation on any Power to take this course. The question of neutralizing the territories of the present belligerents in the free trade zone was carefully considered during the early days of last August, but the events which occurred in Africa during the first ten days of the war rendered such a course impossible.

The Swiss League.

THE Bulletin of the Swiss Native Defence League, of which our friend. Monsieur René Claparède is President, has not been published for a year owing to the exigencies of the war. We welcome its re-appearance in the issue of June last.

NEUTRAL ZONE IN AFRICA.

The paper contains an examination of the question which is exercising many minds here of the application of Article II of the Act of Berlin relating to the neutralization of the Congo Basin and the possibility of keeping the war out of Africa. The question has formed the subject of articles and