Standing Orders

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion:

(a) that the requirement that Senators and Deputies must be British citizens should be removed;

(b) that candidates for election as Senators or Deputies must have been ordinarily resident in Jersey for at least 5 years in total and for a period of 6 months up to and including the day of the election; and

(c) to request the Privileges and Procedures Committee to bring forward the necessary legislative changes so that the new arrangements take effect in time for the elections due in 2018.

The groundwork for this proposition came in the CPA Benchmarking Survey that was undertaken by a Sub-Committee of the Privileges and Procedures Committee earlier this year, which consisted of Deputy S.M. Bree of St. Clement, Deputy J.M. Maçon of St. Saviour, former Senator Z.A. Cameron, and Montfort Tadier, which suggested that:

“Candidates currently have to be British citizens. Members considered that 5 years’ residency should be sufficient and that the requirement for British Citizenship precluded valuable members of the Portuguese and Polish communities, as well as other nationalities, from entering political life. If Jersey had its own unique nationality, then it would seem sensible to maintain this requirement.”

Jersey politicians have voted against allowing non-British citizens from standing for election in the island. Deputy Montfort Tadier called for a change to the current rules, which stop islanders without a British passport from being part of the States Assembly. His proposition did not get the backing from the majority of politicians though, with only eight members agreeing to the idea.

31 voted against it, while two others abstained from voting.

Interestingly, given his “preamble” about the subcommittee, neither Simon Bree nor Jeremy Macon voted for the proposition.

While he cites other areas where rights have been extended – jury service, the police, voting rights, the elephant in the room was always this:

““In most other jurisdictions there is a nationality requirement for candidates for national parliaments, for example in the United Kingdom and in France.”

In fact, he cannot cite a single case of a country where candidates for election to a parliament or similar body do not have to be citizens of that country – you have to be an Australian citizen to stand in Australia, a German citizen to stand in Germany etc.

There is not a country in the world so far as I know that subscribes to the idea that a foreign national can stand for election to their parliament or national assembly. It is not enough just to be resident, but to have a commitment which comes through naturalisation.

The UK has some peculiarities of its own:

People wishing to stand as an MP must be over 18 years of age, be a British citizen or citizen of a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland"

Lots of legacy stuff - Commonwealth dates from Empire, Republic of Ireland > is a legacy of Ireland being part of Great Britain before splitting off, and also to keep Northern Ireland in the loop.

County council elections in the UK meanwhile have an even wider brief where you must:

"be a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any member state of the European Union" (which of course includes Eire)

There is, however, a caveat on Commonwealth citizens, as the full criteria reads:

“ … a citizen of a commonwealth country who does not require leave to enter or remain in the UK, or has indefinite leave to remain in the UK.”

However, non-British passport holders are likely to have restrictions applied to their stay even if their home country is a member of the commonwealth, and this would in most cases preclude them from being eligible to stand.

For example, New Zealanders most definitely need to apply for a visa for the UK if they intend to stay for more than 3 months or intend to seek work. The same is true vice versa - you need a visa for entry into New Zealand on much the same basis. Hence they would not be able to stand without taking British citizenship.

And even though Adolph Hitler came from Austria, he was awarded German citizenship, a requirement before he could stand for election. It was Feb. 25, 1932 and Hitler had just been naturalized after being appointed as a civil servant in the then-free state of Braunschweig -- a crucial step for the continuation of his political career. This was a precondition for holding political office in the Weimar Republic.

Even dictators need to abide by rules of citizenship before they can run for election!

Food Security – A Strategy in Waiting

Supermarket shelves left bare after ferries delayed

"Its dependence upon the outer worlds for food and, indeed, for all necessities of life, made Trantor increasingly vulnerable." (Isaac Asimov, Foundation)

Food Security – A Strategy in Waiting

The subject of food security, along with water and energy security are rising as priorities for governments globally and particularly in locations geographically isolated or reliant on complex transport links. The Government of Jersey has started exploring the issues around food security for Jersey and perhaps unsurprisingly the majority of fresh fruit and vegetables purchased on the Island are imported.

Food security remains high on the agenda, as food production is now seen as strategically important given the rising world population and food price volatility. A draft Food Security Strategy was prepared for consideration by the Council of Ministers which sets out four main objectives:

1. Securing the availability of food
2. Securing the affordability of food
3. Securing the ability to produce food
4. Securing against supply shocks

Where is it?

Delta Innovation have this in their website:

http://www.delta-innovation.co.uk/projects/draft-food-security-strategy-states-jersey

We worked with the States of Jersey to develop a draft Food Security Strategy, which set out four objectives for food security on Jersey;

To secure the availability of food
To secure the affordability of food
To secure the ability to produce food
To secure against supply shocks.

When I asked via a freedom of information request for the work done by Delta Innovation, the reply was

“Justification for exemption: A draft food security strategy is being prepared and will be integrated within the new Rural Economy Strategy (RES) due to be published in autumn 2016."”

Well here is the Rural Economy Strategy, finally, and I have yet to see the draft food security strategy.

Instead, interesting though it is, we do have responses to a survey. But of that holy grail, outlined above, no sign at all. I am extremely disappointed at the failure of the two Ministers to ensure that it was present especially given the reason for not giving the information was that it would be “integrated” with the RES.

Now I have to ask yet an another request for sight of that Food Strategy Draft.

Meanwhile, here are some of the responses to their survey, which make interesting reading.

Reponses to Survey on Food Security

The Department of the Environment included a section of questions in the 2014 Jersey Annual Social Survey (JASS) to inform the development of a Food Security Strategy for Jersey.

Although a small proportion (3%) of people were unsure how long it would be before their household ran out of food at home, a third of people (32%) judged that their household would run out of food in ‘a few days’, and a slightly higher proportion felt they would last ‘about a week’. A fifth (18%) thought they would have enough food to last around two or three weeks, whilst less than one in twenty (3%) had enough food to last a month or more, and a similarly small proportion had enough for ‘a day or less’.

The majority of people (85%) thought that the main supermarkets in Jersey would be able to keep their shelves stocked for about a week or less, if they suddenly didn’t receive any deliveries from outside of Jersey. An additional 8% felt supermarkets would be able to keep their shelves stocked for ‘around two or three weeks’ under those circumstances.

In terms of where people felt the responsibility for making sure food is affordable should lie, there were higher proportions agreeing at some level that it is up to the Government to make sure food is affordable (90%), compared to those who agreed at some level that it was up to the supermarkets to make sure food is affordable (77%).

However, in terms of where residents felt the responsibility should lie for making sure food is available for Islanders day to day, a higher proportion felt that this was up to the supermarkets in Jersey (91%) compared to those who agreed it was up to the Government (73%). 

Although in an emergency situation, for example, if supplies were unable to get to Jersey, more people agreed that it would be up to the government to make sure there was enough food available for Islanders to buy. Three-fifths (59%) of residents thought that the Government of Jersey should have a stockpile of non-perishable foods for Islanders to buy in an emergency situation. 

When asked how long they felt this supply should last for, a range of opinions were given from one in ten (9%) saying up to a few days, a third (33%) suggesting ‘about a week’, and around a quarter suggesting ‘around two or three weeks’ (25%) or ‘a month or more’ (27%).

Few people (5%) felt that all the food needed to feed Jersey residents should be grown in Jersey rather than imported, although half (50%) thought that ‘most’ of the food needed should be grown in Jersey, with some imports for variety. Two-fifths (39%) thought that ‘some’ of the food should be grown in the Island, with most being imported. Less than 1% felt that ‘none’ of the food needed should be grown in Jersey.

A quarter of households (27%) in Jersey reported growing some of their own vegetables and about a fifth (18%) grew some fruit. One in eight (13%) fished (including for shellfish) for their own consumption. Much smaller proportions of households (around one in a hundred) kept animals for eggs, meat or milk.

The majority of the public felt that that the Government of Jersey should have a stockpile of non-perishable foods for Islanders to buy in an emergency situation (2014 JASS). Agricultural land for local production should be given the highest level of protection and the implementation of the Food Security Strategy would help in securing the availability and ability to produce food locally to secure against supply shocks and help protect local farming. 

Should local production fall away, this will result in Jersey becoming almost totally reliant on imported food and potentially vulnerable to supply shocks.

And we can see this in the photo at the top of this blog!

Last Word: Jayalalitha Jayaram

I always enjoy “Last Word”, the Radio 4 obituary programme, finding out more about people I have heard of, but also being amazed by the stories of people I have never heard of, who have led amazing lives.

Alongside such notables as John Glenn, astronaut, and Peter Vaughan, actor, was Jayalalitha Jayaram who died recently, aged 68.

She was an Indian actor turned politician who served five terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, for over fourteen years between 1991 and 2016.

Her biographer, the novelist Vaasanthi Sundaram, told the Guardian that Jayalalithaa was “the most colourful, dynamic and determined woman politician that one has ever seen.

“She relentlessly challenged the male-dominated, sexist politics of Tamil Nadu that worked relentlessly to block her every step of the way,” she said.

The Guardian noted that:

“As the state’s first female opposition leader, she was once physically attacked in the chamber by MPs from a rival party, emerging with torn clothing and a promise never to return “until conditions are created under which a woman may attend the assembly safely”.”

“In office, she pioneered alternative energy and water harvesting schemes and reduced the rate of female infanticide by creating centres where parents could anonymously hand over baby girls. “

“She championed the cause of the rural and urban poor by introducing subsidised food canteens, providing free laptops to thousands of school pupils and students and launching other populist schemes like giving away food mixers and grinders to families.”

But she was also something of an autocrat, who dominated her party. Her policies were always carefully branded to bolster the cult of personality that formed around her.

As the BBC news reported:

“Many publicly funded projects in Tamil Nadu were named after her, including a subsidy scheme, under which canteens served food at low prices. They were dubbed Amma Canteens - Amma in Tamil is Mother, an honorific euphemism by which Jayalalitha was often addressed by her followers in the state. These were followed by Amma Bottled Water, Amma Salt, Amma Pharmacies and subsidised Amma Cement.”

She served 30 days in jail for corruption charges in 1996, and was debarred from the 2001 elections, but swept back to victory. In 2003, when her conviction was overturned, she successfully contested a vacant assembly seat and was once more chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Indian politics is notoriously corrupt, and her critics painted her a deeply corrupt figure who manipulated the system and saw herself as above the law.

Certainly, she was not the saint she wished to be painted as, but on the other hand, most corrupt leaders hoard power and riches, and do nothing for the poor, and while it may have suited her to be popular, she really improved the lives of many.

As Al Jazeera commented:

“Gifts are commonly used by Indian political parties to court voters, but her handouts were criticised by some as wasteful pandering and unfair bribery. But Jayalalithaa defended the giveaways as welfare measures aimed at helping the poor.”

This can be seen in the reaction to her death from cardiac arrest. As news of her death spread, thousands of people thronged the road long past midnight to watch as a motorcade escorted the ambulance carrying her body from the hospital to her home.

Jayalalithaa's body, in a coffin draped with the national flag, was taken on Tuesday morning to a public hall in Chennai to allow people to pay their respects.

Sugathakumari, poet and activist, said of her:

"Sayalalithaa was a very powerful person; we haven't seen such a powerful woman in the recent times. She did a lot towards the betterment of poor and the girl children. Tamil Nadu was a place where new-born girls were killed. She was successful in bringing a change, with the society now being proud to have a girl child. For the poor, she provided food, shelter and a helping hand in conducting the weddings in their families. Her policies to promote girls' education made her a darling of the masses. She was very sensitive to women's issues and she stood for her people, which was her strength and her personality. I respect her for her progressive policies to safeguard girls and poor people."

Strange Associations

The Dean of Jersey is set to retire on 28th February 2017. I have only one book on my bookshelf with the word "Dean" in the title, and that is "The Dean's Death", an original Columbo novel based on the TV character, and by word association, I always visualise that book cover whenever the word "Dean" comes up. Goodness knows what a Freudian analyst would make of that!

The Dean in the book, however, has the title of an academic post in an American University and not a religious one like Jersey's Dean. Just like the TV show, he is one of those irritating characters who is rather two-faced and winds up lots of people who therefore have a motive to kill him, and it is for Columbo to find out who did it, and expose the truth, while the reader knows from the start.

The Dean is off to work for the Bishop of Bath and Wells - our Dean, not the one who is murdered in the Columbo book. And here I have another association, which is apparently widespread. The title "The Bishop of Bath and Wells" rang a bell with me, and I remembered why.

The Bishop is a debt collector from the Bank of the Black Monks of St. Herod, and particularly enjoys causing pain and injury (even mortal injury) to those customers who cannot repay their debts. He claims to be a "colossal pervert", and enjoys the company of prostitutes such as Mollie. He is angry when customers are able to pay up, and also drowns babies in the christening font and then eats them later in the vestibule.

That, of course, is the character from Blackadder II, not real life!

Played by Ronald Lacey (a veteran of Porridge and Raiders of the Lost Ark) the grotesque baby-eating Bishop of Bath and Wells seen in the episode "Money" was not a genuine historical figure.

That said, the depiction became so recognisable than in 2001 the incoming Bishop of Bath & Wells - the Right Reverent Peter Price - related to the House of Lords that upon his arrival there the Bishop of Southwark had spotted his five-week-old granddaughter and remarked "The Bishop has brought his own lunch!"

Church News: January 1978

From the pages of "The Pilot", 1978 comes this snippet of news from St Aubin on the Hill and St Clement. Terry Hampton chose Eye Camps as a particularly good overseas charity to support because for a modest sum, sight problems could be restored.

Eye camps are still going strong today. 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide, 90% of which live in developing countries. But 80% of all visual impairment can be avoided or cured.

Both "Pilot" pages give a snapshot of life in those churches in the late 1970s. It was a time when the old certainties were being challenged, although in the case of the TV series BC The Archaeology of the Bible Lands, this was simply presenting information known to scholars for decades to the general public who were (and probably still are) unaware of those. A group of Cambridge scholars of diverse backgrounds had also published "The Myth of God Incarnate" in which they challenged more traditional conceptions of incarnation (and the weakness in some of those).


ST AUBIN ON THE HILL

MONDAY BLUES. Even Ministers get that jaded, weary feeling we all know so well. Some deal with it by having their day off then; in the Group ministry we have a staff meeting. Whether that adds to the gloom or lightens it is sometimes a moot point! (If Gerald Stoddern [Methodist Minister, Bulwarks Church] is in good form then it certainly lightens the day.)

A few weeks ago I was surveying the piles of paper on my desk, and decided to phone one of our folk who had promised a gift for our congregational Eye Camp. The "blues" were miraculously banished when I heard that the cheque wasn't just to top-up what we needed, but a gift of one complete new Camp! So in 1977 we have provided three Eye Camps, which means that over 100 people will have sight restored and over 1,000 will get treatment to prevent them going blind. Isn't that fabulous?

In April we hope to welcome back Chris Friend, of the Royal Commonwealth society for the Blind. I have already had several cheques from other churches for another Deanery Project, and I hope that we shall get the approval of all the other clergy for this in the New Year.

CHURCH COUNCIL NEWS. At our December meeting we decided to respond to the Bishop of Winchester's Ordination Fund Appeal by sending a cheque for £100. Most of us have very little idea of how men are trained for the Ministry, and we look forward to Tony Hart, who is studying at Llandaff, coming to tell us about it all. New subjects are being added, plus the need to master the latest theological research material. (No doubt the recent "Myth" book, as well as the Magnusson archaeology programmes, made many a lively Common Room debate.) During the coming year we are committed to pay the school fees and expenses of James Quobela in Lesotho. There is a letter from James, and his school report, on display at the back of the church.

JOINT ADVENT EVENING SERVICE. We did enjoy welcoming members of the Bay and the Bulwarks to this service, and special thanks to the Bay choir for adding to the richness of the singing. Something which many people commented on was the high quality of the readings. So thanks to all who helped, and a special thanks to James our organist, who linked up everything musically with organ, piano and guitar.

I was able to use some of my Palestine archaeology slides dealing with the life of John the Baptist. We shall be using our big screen more during the winter months. One other point I must mention was that as people went out they said how welcome they had felt, and what a warm, lovely service it had been.

DATES. Sunday, January 8, at 3pm is the Epiphany Carol Service at St Bernadette's Church. The Sunday School based in the Communicare Centre will be leading parts of the service. The Area Anniversary Service is on Sunday, 22, at the Parish Church at 11 am. This means there will not be a Family Service that morning, and I do ask that we all come and worship at the Bay with our families. We will try to keep the service shorter than in previous years!

ST AUBIN'S DAY. Just to remind you again that our family adults' party is on Saturday, February 25, and our Patronal Day thanksgiving services are on Sunday, February 26. Do come, and invite a friend to come with you.

NEW YEAR. It really is difficult to think about 1978 while involved in the Christmas build-up. But in the new year we must make time to plan ahead, and more people will be needed to take on new responsibilities. Our Steward-ship pledges have come in, many of them very generous ones. We have a detailed list of Time and Talents, but still gaps and spaces. I hope and pray that we shall see a real deepening of our spiritual life together, and a widening of our love and concern, both locally and overseas. Would you use this prayer during 1978? It is part of the Lee Abbey Friend's prayer, and is relevant for every Christian.

"O God our Father, Keep us faithful in all we have promised; Keep us honest in our thinking; Keep us regular in our praying; Keep us diligent in studying your Word and in joining in your worship; Keep us brave and sensitive in sharing with others what we know to be true, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Our love and our prayers for you all as we enter a year of challenge and opportunity for God.

TERRY HAMPTON

Vicar

ST CLEMENT AND ST NICHOLAS

My dear People.

THANK YOU! Yes, I must indeed begin by thanking those of you who so willingly and kindly sent contributions to our Patronal Gift Day. At the time of going to press the amount stands at around £760. I think it likely that more is yet to come, and I hope therefore that we shall be able to top £800.

We have already paid our Diocesan Quota (£680) in full, so that we can now look the Diocesan Treasurer squarely in the eye - not that I have ever seen the gentleman. I will let you know the final result next month, all being well.

CONFIRMATIONS. The Bishop of Winchester will be conducting the Confirmation Services during the first week in May. There will be only four: the number gets less each year, which means that an ever-increasing number of candidates has to be packed into fewer churches. Presumably tickets will again have to be issued in order that parents and Godparents may secure admission, a practice which engenders irritation on their part. However, I am neither bishop nor dignitary; have no control over these matters; can only wield my pen, which, although allegedly mightier than the sword, is less mighty than the mitre. Be that as it may, I should be glad to receive written applications from those parents who wish me to prepare their children for Confirmation, or, in fact, from any adults who wish to be confirmed.

SOCIAL EVENING

The coffee, cake and slide evening which we held last month at Caldwell Hall was very much enjoyed, Everyone liked the slides I projected and were only disappointed that I did not bring more with me The occasion might have been better attended if, earlier on that evening, the island had not been plunged into darkness for an hour-and-a-half. This put out of gear practically everyone's cooking arrangements - and possibly shaving and toiletry ones, too! However, those of us who overcame the inconvenience thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

There will be a similar evening on Friday. January 20, at 8 pm. On this occasion, two films from the Lord Rank Film Scheme will be screened. The first film is entitled, Where Jesus Walked running for about half-an-hour, and the second, a shorter one, The Fiery Furnace. Despite its title, it is especially aimed at a children's audience. Both films are in sound and colour.

SUNDAY SCHOOL. Mrs Green has given up Sunday School teaching as she is expecting her second baby Mrs Prescott has again come to our rescue, and we are grateful to her for coming back at such short notice. Deborah and Karen continue to help. Sunday School re-opens on January 15 in Caldwell Hall. We are also planning our annual winter party, but parents will be notified separately about this. Numbers have dropped recently I they fluctuate from year to year), and I do hope that parents will seriously consider sending their children to it, for Sunday Schools nowadays are often the only media through which children receive any Biblical or doctrinal teaching at all.

I have sent out some three hundred Christmas cards. wishing you a happy New Year. If I have inadvertently left anyone out, then I repeat my wish here, adding the sure hope that God will guide and bless you throughout its course.

PAUL HARRISON

A Winter’s Tale

Today I thought I'd try my hand at a villanelle again. It has been a while since I last wrote in this highly structured form.

Strange as it may seem for a poem with such a rigid rhyme scheme, the villanelle did not start off as a fixed form. During the Renaissance, the villanella and villancico (from the Italian villano, or peasant) were Italian and Spanish dance-songs.

French poets who called their poems “villanelle” did not follow any specific schemes, rhymes, or refrains. Rather, the title implied that, like the Italian and Spanish dance-songs, their poems spoke of simple, often pastoral or rustic themes.

This poem, while structured in the form, also follows that tradition in speaking of pastoral and rustic themes of winter.

A Winter’s Tale

Snow embraces branches of tree
The dryad dancing in the grove
North wind brings joy and ecstasy

Ice bound land, the senses flee
Visions of white, a treasure trove
Snow embraces branches of tree

The tall ships rise and fall, at sea
In strong waves, hard they strove
North wind brings joy and ecstasy

Winter wonderland for you and me
The dryad and satyr, dance in grove
Snow embraces branches of tree

Snow storm, joining land and sea
The Fates a tapestry have wove
North wind brings joy and ecstasy

Safe harbour, so secure the key
The ship finds shelter in the cove
Snow embraces branches of tree
North wind brings joy and ecstasy

A Letter from Sir Robert Marett in 1981

Sir Robert Marett, KCMG OBE; who died in 1981, was a Deputy for St Brelade for nine years, and shortly before his death, this letter from him was published in the Jersey Evening Post.

It is a fascinating insight into what was seen then from probably one of the most brilliant Deputies that Jersey has had. I remember Terry Hampton, when Vicar of St Aubin on the Hill, telling me of talks he had with Sir Robert, and how he was a States member who brought both commonsense and wisdom to the proceedings.

Many of the topics in this letter are perennial, problems the Island still faces to this day – population, environment, and education, and it is worth noting his comments and advice, which I think still has something to say to us today.

A Letter from Sir Robert Marett

Shortly before he died, Sir Robert Marett wrote this letter for the Jersey Society in London, though it was first published in the Evening Post on 28 October, by whose kind permission it is reproduced here. Sir Robert describes his work during nine years in the States, and looks to the future.

I entered the States as a Deputy for St. Brelade in 1972 after winning one of the two seats in a four-cornered contest. I had recently come back to the Island after my retirement as British Ambassador in Peru. Apart from helping my constituents, my main interest was with the problem of population control and the preservation of the environment.

As a new boy I entered a hard school by joining the IDC under a very determined and dedicated president, former Deputy Philip de Veulle. This is an experience which ideally every States Member should have had. It brings home to one the tremendous difficulties of controlling the use of land, against the opposition of all sorts of personal and vested interests.

I also joined in the last stages of Philip de Veulle's Immigration Committee, which reported in 1973. It produced the famous formula (often misquoted) that "the annual rate of immigration should be such that by 1995 the population would not exceed 80,000".

The argument was that "when the population approaches 80,000 a big leap in the creation of community facilities of all kinds becomes imperative and high capital expenditure would be needed".

The report went on to underline the dangers to the environment - new houses, widened roads, etc. - that would be involved.

Under the laissez-faire policies of the late Senator Cyril Le Marquand there had been a tremendous expansion of business in the Island - creating great prosperity for most of its inhabitants, but the effect on the growth of the population was disastrous. In 1961 it stood at 63,550; by 1973 it had grown to approximately 74,000.

The Immigration Committee's report, which was approved by the States, was passed to a newly-created committee, the Policy Advisory Committee.

It was not, however, a very effective body, since it had been laid down that the president of the Finance and Economics Committee should automatically be the president of the PAC, thus giving too much weight to the economic side of the equation.

The new committee did, however, produce a report on immigration, recognizing the problem to the extent of cutting down the rate of immigration to a net figure of 500, and setting up machinery, through the "Control of Undertakings", to approve the establishment of new business. Before that time the only immigration controls had been exercised by the Housing Committee. This was a step in the right direction, but in the view of many islanders did not go far enough.

So I decided as a back-bencher to try to change the constitution of the PAC - for a private member to challenge the "establishment", especially when led by such a tough character as the late Cyril Le Marquand for whom I always had the greatest respect, is no easy task. However, by some miracle, I won the day. On my proposition the States agreed that in future the president of the PAC should be an independent member elected by the States in the usual manner. At the same time the constitution of the PAC was changed and the composition of the committee enlarged so as to give more weight to the environmental interests.

At the end of 1978, I was elected as president of the new PAC, with a very competent team to help me. We immediately embarked on a new study of the immigration problem. We worked hard, had talks with almost every business organization, the trade unions and environmental bodies such as "Concern". We gave serious consideration to the possibility of adopting a policy of no net immigration at all, so that people coming into the Island would have to be balanced by those going out. But having weighed up all the factors we decided that this was impractical since it would do too much harm to business, upon which most islanders depend for a living. So we opted for a policy for the next three years of reducing the current rate of immigration by half, that is to say to a net figure of 250.

Even this reduction caused a howl of rage from some important business groups, but was no doubt a disappointment to "Concern". Our report was accepted by the States on October 16, 1979.

No sooner had this been decided than the world was hit by a severe depression, of which there had been no hint when we were drafting our report.

Unemployment began to develop in Jersey. We did not waste any time. After discussion with the Finance and Economics Committee, the guide-lines we had established for the application of the "Control of Undertakings" were relaxed, but without departing one iota from the declared policy of keeping immigration down to a figure of 250 net. It seemed a fair assumption that, with growing unemployment in the Island there would be less pressure from immigrant workers wanting to come in.

So where do we go from here? I hope that one of the first steps of the new PAC will be to take a new look at immigration policy to see whether, under the completely new economic conditions of today, some further tightening of the screw might be possible. The following are some of my own ideas about the future:

1. We badly need a voluntary agreement with all employing bodies to give first preference to applicants for jobs who are Jerseymen, or at least already have housing qualifications. Even if the qualifications of the immigrant might be slightly higher, we would hope that preference would be given to the local man.

2. If this campaign for voluntary control fails then we might have to fall back upon "work permits". In 1973, under my chairmanship, a working party of the PAC looked very thoroughly into the question of work permits, and came to the conclusion that to administer them would require too many extra civil servants and place an intolerable burden on industry. We did recommend, however, and the States agreed, that we should have the necessary enabling legislation up our sleeves in case the States should ever decide that this method of control was needed. I have been disgusted by the long delay (owing to the need for consultation with the Home Office) in getting this legislation before the House.

3. We should pay more regard to industrial training. In 1980 I chaired a working party, established by the PAC, whose recommendations have resulted in the Education Department becoming more aware of the problem, together with the setting up of an Advisory Industrial Training Council, chaired by a business man, Mr. Gordon Reed, and consisting of business men and members of the Education Committee. I have great hopes that we are now going to make a lot of progress in this important field.

4. One of the problems is that at least 30 per cent of our school leavers have sub-standard educational standards and therefore need special training. At the moment too many of these people are registered as unemployed. In the old days the more adventurous Jerseymen would have taken ship to Australia or Canada. I myself went to Brazil! That is why the population was stable until the 1950s and 1960s. There is nowhere to go to now.

5. On the other hand there are all too few Jersey school leavers with the educational standards required for the professions or higher technical jobs. Some of these gifted young men, who may have been trained partly at the expense of the States, take jobs in the United Kingdom and never come back to the Island. That is why it is absolutely inescapable that we should import a certain number of "essential employees" with their families in order to keep the wheels of our increasingly technical society turning round.

6. The micro-chip and computer revolution can only increase the problem, with fewer jobs for the less qualified employee and a greater demand for technical expertise.

7. In the public sector the same considerations apply. Apart from this, it is essential to cut down the size of the Civil Service and those in public employment. As a member of the Establishment Committee, I greatly admire the vigour with which Senator John Averty is tackling the problem.

8. Finally, we should never forget the "multiplier" effect which goes with population growth. As a member of the Housing Committee, under the dynamic leadership of Senator John Le Marquand, I am aware that a large part of the demand for new houses arises not only because of population growth, but because people are demanding better standards. The same thing applies to modern hotels which need a bathroom in every room, adding to the pressure on water. Many working men's houses run three cars. Hence the traffic problem.

In short, the immigration problem, and all the other problems which go with it, is a tough nut to crack. Electioneering platitudes will not help. One of the problems is that preserving the environment causes few problems for the more affluent members of our society. But if we tighten the screws on the economy too much it will be the small business man and the humble employee who will suffer most.

As Colin Powell has said so often - and I could not have had a more helpful collaborator - in the end it all comes down to a question of balance.

Old men fade away and younger men take their place, and that is how it should be. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the States. On leaving I only make one plea - I hope the new PAC will not lose its momentum. I attach great importance to the need for better co-ordination between committees. I believe our efforts to get committees to present to the States fundamental assessments of their policies from time to time is a move in the right direction and should be continued.

As for immigration, I have complete faith that the Island will continue to prosper and, if the will exists, it can do so without spoiling the environment too much. 

And so to bed...

I finish each night with a quote on Facebook, and for those who have missed them, here are some recent picks. My rules for choosing them are that they must be short, but not one-liners, and must say something inspiring and joyful, or reflecting the sorrow and pain of the world.

Mainly I choose them because I like them, and I hope you, gentle reader, will like them too. On the blog I've also taken the opportunity to add a few extra pictures of the writers themselves as I think it is rather nice to see the authors as well as their quotes.

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from Rebecca Solnit:

There are times when it seems as though not only the future but the present is dark: few recognize what a radically transformed world we live in, one that has been transformed not only by such nightmares as global warming and global capital, but by dreams of freedom and of justice — and transformed by things we could not have dreamed of… We need to hope for the realization of our own dreams, but also to recognize a world that will remain wilder than our imaginations.

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from John Boyle O'Reilly:

Truth, said the wise man;
Pleasure, said the fool;
Love, said a maiden;
Beauty, said the page;
Freedom, said the dreamer;
Home, said the sage;
Fame, said the soldier;
Equity, the seer;
Spake my heart full sadly,
" The answer is not here."
Then within my bosom
Softly this I heard:
" Each heart holds the secret;
Kindness is the word."

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from William A. Percy :

I felt it blow across my dungeon walls
The wind before the footsteps of the Lord!
It bloweth now across the world;
It strangely stirs the hearts of men; wars cease;
Rare deeds familiar grow; fastings and prayers,
Forgiveness, poverty; temples are built
On visioned impulses, and children march
On journeys with no end.
Far off, far off He comes,
And we are swept upon our knees
As meadow grasses kneeling to the wind.

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919):

One ship drives east and another drives west
With the self-same winds that blow;
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales
That tells them the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the winds of fate
As we voyage along through life;
'Tis the set of the soul
That decides its goal
And not the calm or the strife.

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from Walt Whitman:

I Tramp a Perpetual Journey
I tramp a perpetual journey,
My signs are a rain-proof coat, good shoes, and a staff cut from the woods,
No friend of mine takes his ease in my chair,
I have no chair, no church, no philosophy,
I lead no man to a dinner-table, library or exchange,
But each man and each woman of you I lead upon a knoll,
My left hand hooking you round the waist,
My right hand pointing to landscapes of continents, and a plain public road.
Not I nor anyone else, can travel that road for you,
You must travel it for yourself.

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from Madeleine L’Engle:

Today
we walked in the woods
in the snow
and the trees were dark
and their branches were bare.
I put my arms around a tree
and listened
and I could hear the tree,
inside,
living,
waiting,
for the time when God
will bring it back to green. Do
you do that for us, too, Lord,
when we grow old and bare?

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from Peter S. Beagle:

We can put dinosaurs back together perfectly, bone for bone, but we don't know what they smelled like, what kind of sounds they made, or how big they really looked standing in the grass under all those fossil fern trees. Even the sunlight must have been different, and the wind. What can bones tell you about a kind of wind that doesn't blow anymore?

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from William Shakespeare:

Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end;
Each changing place with that which goes before,
In sequent toil all forwards do contend.

And so to bed... quote for tonight is from Dwight Eisenhower ("Ike"), 34th President of the USA:

No people on earth can be held, as a people, to be an enemy, for all humanity shares the common hunger for peace and fellowship and justice. … No nation's security and well-being can be lastingly achieved in isolation but only in effective cooperation with fellow-nations.

Guernsey Watch

Guernsey Watch

A Hot Topic

The States have voted against restricting bonfires. This means that islanders will be allowed to burn dry garden waste on their property at any time they like, after the States decided to avoid what was described as over-regulating bonfires.

Recently the air pollution section of the Environmental Pollution law, which includes the introduction of air quality standards and prohibiting the emission of dark and black smoke, was approved by the States. But following from that there was a debate on whether domestic bonfires could take place which took up most of a day.

The original report suggested that bonfires could take place only on Monday to Friday. Deputy Lester Queripel laid two amendments – to restrict bonfires to 7am to 7pm on Mondays and Fridays or on the same hours Monday to Friday – to help protect the health of people with respiratory problems.

But as Guernsey Press reported, the States were having none of that:

“The vote on restricting bonfires to Monday and Fridays was defeated by 33 votes to two. The Monday to Friday restriction was also defeated 27 votes to eight. Deputy Graham’s amendment to allow bonfires on any day was passed 20 votes to 15.”

One commentator thought the States could have spent their time more profitably:

“I listened to most of the debate and think that the current batch of deputies is even worse than the last lot. Surely they can see that, yes bonfires are unpleasant and an outdated means of disposing of garden waste, but you would think it was the most important issue in Guernsey. A bunch of primary school kids could have done better. It went on and on, repetitively, for hours, and very few actually added any value to the debate.”

But Tony Webber thought it sent out the wrong messages:

“Somehow this issue was not thought through in terms of safeguards. Unfortunately the perception is going to be that people can get away with burning matter which they s should not be burning and this is dangerous to peoples' health. There is going to be more burning because of the high costs of disposing of waste. There has to be a crack down on burning of toxic and other environmentally unfriendly matter otherwise unhealthy practices will worsen.”

Trevor Hockey noted the legal position:

“Quite simple, you can burn dry garden waste, you cannot burn commercial waste, plastic etc. Put some cardboard and scrap dry wood under it to really get it going, don't leave it unattended and be considerate of your neighbours. Job done and less than 60 seconds speech.”

While the time spent was probably excessive, it is small issues which really do matter to people. I had a “bad neighbour”, a little old lady who it seemed resented us. Whenever she lit a bonfire, she would ensure the wind blew in our direction; she never did it when it blew in any other direction. We were on the edge of the housing estate, so there would be fewer complaints.

In winter it is an annoyance as clothes on a line, if it is a dry day, need washing again. In summer, when the temperature goes up, and you want to keep windows open to cool the house, it is like having smoke damage. You could not leave windows open upstairs when going out because that would be the occasion in which you would come back to smoke filled bedrooms.

Another correspondent has obviously suffered like that:

“Thank you to Lester for trying to restrict bonfires, so that people at least knew when best to keep windows closed without fear of a house full of smoke. When my children were smaller, the number of times neighbours burnt late of an evening in the summer, with the children asleep at the back of the house, Windows open, cooling the room. My husband and I sat at the front of the house, oblivious to our children's bedrooms being filled with smoke until we heard them crying, but our neighbours had a right to burn and they only burnt of an evening!”

“The other neighbours only burnt of a day, summer when we were at the beach and would come back to a stinking house and washing or early autumn when the children wanted to play in the garden and get some fresh air after being stuck in a classroom all day, but don't be silly , 4pm let's light a bonfire!”

As did another:

“This is all interesting but burning fires at anytime is not good, I unfortunately, have a neighbour who is obsessed with bonfires, so much when my windows are open and the wind blows my way my fire alarms are activated, apart from that I am fed up re-doing my laundry, hung out on a nice day to have it smelling of whatever he is burning. Have bonfires for rubbish in the evening when it is not so annoying, at least have the courtesy to inform the neighbours.”

Brexit Blues

As Guernsey Press reports, Guernsey resident Jon Moulton, pictured, admits he has shifted his position slightly, although he is still broadly in support of the UK’s Brexit.

“I thought I knew all about it before the vote but I was wrong. It’s actually far more complicated than I ever imagined. I am still in favour of moving out of Europe, but not as convinced as I was, because it is going to be so terribly painful and difficult to do.”

Mr Moulton delivered a well-received keynote address on the Brexit issue for financial services and the island at a seminar organised by the Guernsey International Business Association and the local NED [Non-executive director] Forum and sponsored by State Street.

Mr Moulton believed the UK’s future relationship with Europe was far from clear but it would continue to be important for Guernsey.

As “Dick Turpin” commented:

“So, what exactly was it he thought was guiding the thoughts of those who wished to remain? Those of us with some worldly experience and common sense always knew it would be extremely difficult. The whole purpose of the EU was to tie the principle economic powers of Europe together in such a way that wars would be a virtual impossibility. To ensure that, the system was designed to be very difficult to come out of! That same common purpose of avoiding future war and destruction inevitably meant sacrificing some elements of national determination for the common good of all Europeans. We all knew that, even back in the early 1970's.”

“Donkey” is more bullish:

“It was never going to be easy Jon, but the process is underway and the benefits will come to fruition. I'm less than certain that those benefits will extend to these islands, indeed Passporting rights for the City could become a real problem for us !!”

While “Beanjar” is more of a pessimist:

“I'm not sure this chap should be giving speeches if he failed to anticipate that our 'friends' in the EU would respond to the Brexit result with anything other than shock, bitterness and spite. They will do everything in their power to impede the democratic decision but, tough, it's a done deal sooner or later.”

And the final word goes to “InteresTed” who says:

"Interesting to hear the view of a savvy person. I wonder how many realise the benefits if there are any, will take a decade or so to materialise. Crazy idea. How about Guernsey joining the EU, especially if the Scots do something similar. Some very interesting financial juggling could ensue.”

Reform Alderney?

Deputy Sam Mezec held a public meeting in Alderney’s Island Hall after a similar trip to Guernsey. But only around 20 people turned out, although that did include five States members. By way of comparison, 117 people voted for the last placed candidate in the 2016 Alderney elections.

Guernsey Press reported that: “He said that far too much time during a political term in office was spent debating policy – which struck a chord with local politicians.”

‘We spend a huge amount of time debating policy. By the time you have come up with policy and consulted on it, it’s election [time] again. Politicians should have policy before going to the ballot box.”

“‘I think the main benefit of having a party or a common group is that you have those policies before you are elected so the electorate can predict how they are going to vote. If they break their promises they will pay for it at the next election. The public can hold them to account.’”

Trevor Hockey commented:

“Without wishing to sound rude, I do wonder what life or work experience he brings with him, but the same could be said of some of our politicians, as they don't seem to live in the same world as the rest of us.”

But another commentator thought that at least Deputy Mezec was getting involved politically:

“Whether you think Mr Mezec is a breath of fresh air or an annoying little scrote, I think he deserves respect for getting off his backside and getting involved at an age when most of his mates are probably still relying on Mummy to wipe their backsides. We bemoan those young men who don't take responsibility; I don't think he should be criticised for doing just that. And let's not forget, there are plenty of Deputies more than double his age who despite having much more life experience don't exactly bring much to the table.”

Guernsey Movie

We have a £200,000 fiasco, signed off by Senator Alan Maclean, for a fantasy film that will never be seen. But meantime Guernsey, the film, is in pre-production. It looks set to start shooting this spring.

Guernsey’s film, however, is a literary classic, with a director whose CV is impeccable. This is film of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It will be directed by Mike Newell, who previously helmed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

The designated lookout for the first Aurigny flight of the week!

And finally, Tourism campaign whips up a storm in Alderney

“‘Wrap up warm and join the seabirds dancing in the wind, or relax and watch the weather roll in from the comfort of an armchair. Feel the warm embrace of our beautifully rugged island in winter, where lights and friendly faces shine brightly amid the wild natural elements.’”

Guernsey Press reports that “a tourism campaign designed to market Alderney as a winter destination has whipped up a storm with the island’s Chamber of Commerce. Windswept Alderney is designed to draw tourists over the lean winter months. But members of the Chamber of Commerce have criticised Visit Alderney for giving the impression of a ‘desolate island’. The bureau has also come under fire for featuring images in the campaign that are not actually of Alderney!!

“A marketing email entitled Windswept Alderney has been sent to people on a Visit Alderney database who have in the past expressed interest in visiting. It continues: ‘Getting here is just the start of your adventure.’”

Nigel Lawrence, vice-president of Alderney’s Chamber of Commerce, said: ‘I don’t think this is image of Alderney that we should be trying to portray. It gives the impression of a desolate island. It may appeal to a few walkers, but I feel that we should be trying to promote how much warmer it is in Alderney than even the south coast of the UK. During the past month our temperatures have consistently been 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than Southampton. Maybe “Come to frost-free Alderney” would be a better approach.’

It has elicited some rather amusing comments:

“The guy in the picture looks to be contemplating suicide by jumping off that cliff!”

“Possibly, but my first thought was that he was the designated lookout for the first Aurigny flight of the week”

“Went up there in a friends boat last summer could of returned with a boat full of Alderney folk begging to escape the place.”

“Well I love it here...may just be the high dose antidepressants we apparently all use I guess :-Pretty daft if they really have used non-Alderney pics though' I'm sure there are plenty out there.”

“Hell, what a depressing photo. ! Possible Title, "One Man and his Lost Dog" ! Looks, like Rover simply lost his footing. !! Fish Food Now.?”

Oh to be Charlie’s Aunt

An interesting piece from the 1978 edition of "The Pilot". A prolific writer, I have no idea who she was, and if anyone has any more information, I'd love to hear it. I've added above an advertisement from the same page as the article. Does anyone know if "Pour Madame" still exists? Or shopped there?

Oh to be Charlie’s Aunt

By Edith Gott

(Pilot 1978)

Unashamedly, I confess to an addiction. Neither pub nor smoking den do I frequent, and not one coin of the Realm do I expend thereon. For my straw of comfort I turn to certain magazines and newspapers which I find, well thumbed and dog-eared, while waiting for appointments I have made in town.

"With the Bank manager", you say. Not so, his tract is the Financial Times. Nor at the Doctor's. His is Yachting. (Doctors are natural yachtsmen what with tides running in and sands running out). The publications I refer to are generally found at the Hairdresser's. Yes, you have guessed, I am addicted to the Lonely Hearts' Column.

The writers of these columns (those who answer the questions) are no less intriguing than their clients. They evoke my admiration, both emotional and journalistic. The fact that they are more often than not self-styled "Aunts" may be a clue to their success. An aunt is wiser than a contemporary, and well-removed from the mediate family. (Of course, there is no reason why an uncle-in-reality could not be an aunt-in-print).

Shielded by anonymity, sanctioned by their respective editors, and revered by all, these aunts are marvels of homespun virtue and psychological insight. Powerhouses of wisdom. Comforters of the oppressed. Like pundits do they reign, manfully "doing" their columns week after week, no doubt wishing often that they might exchange their type-writers for tomato frames, like mountaineers who retire to the valleys.

Perhaps, as people we prefer our own problems to those of others - a sort of poor-thing-but-mine-own approach.

Then why do we like to listen or read about the problems of others? If anyone doubt this, let him explain the tremendous success of the programme “If you Think You've Got Problems”. Could it be that we get mental re-assurance from the magnitude of other people's problems. On the other side of the fence the grass is greener, the problem meaner?

On the same analogy as the client in the Lonely Hearts' Column but trying a different tactic, is the advertiser who appears more and more frequently in the Personal column. Instead of writing a letter and expecting an editorial answer, this person states his requirement, "a kindly lady" or "a cultured gentleman", and leaves the rest to Fate.

The Lonely Hearts' Column caters for those who want advice in a particular dilemma; the Personal advertisement is for those who know their problem (or think they know it) and are seeking a way out.

Laugh as we do at their seeming naiveté, both reflect the "still, sad music of humanity" and in the light of what is revealed both "have ample power to chasten and subdue."

To begin with the Lonely Hearts. Recently an "aunt" on one of the weeklies published a letter from Susan Craig in Scotland who is intensely interested in ballet. Judging from her friends' interest in their boyfriends, Susan, who confesses that she gets more pleasure from ballet than from boys, is concerned about her normality. She adds, almost as irrelevant, that she is thirteen.

Mr Larcom, from East Anglia, has a different sort of problem. He is 70. He is desirable. Two women are after his hand in marriage, but he is hesitant about committing his heart and possibly jeopardizing his capital. The snag is that one woman is a compulsive supporter of good causes (over-seas at that) and the other is a Bingo fan. Perhaps Mr Larcom should look outside the missions and the gaming

halls.

With those who advertise in the Personal column one is at a disadvantage as far as piecing together their story. Only a few facts are offered, "of a certain age" and "with a view to matrimony" being the most common. All the rest is pure conjecture. But as every author knows, one can build mightily on two or three words. I believe that those who use the Personal advertisement are essentially honest and direct. Here is a twentieth century heaven-sent medium that just might turn up trumps - far more reliable than trusting to one's friends to come up with one's own particular type of charmer.

Miss Ida Hathaway is more coy than most, and finds the lending library in her, part of Cumbria not up to scratch, so she wishes to correspond with "one of the opposite sex" with a view to sharing books and writing about same. A great many years ago, a namesake of hers did captivate a literary gentleman, but no need then to rely on the post as they both lived in Stratford.

Another lady states her preference for an escort with a fast new car. It sounds as if she had an humiliating experience which left her touchy-about-cars. Someone should tell her there's more to life than hitching your wagon to a car.

More women than men seem to advertise in the Personal section - here is one place where the most timid can take the initiative. I must confess I was a bit puzzled to read the' other day that a mink farmer from Sussex had advertised for a "companionable lady interested in wild-life". Though these are nasty little animals, any mink farmer worth his pelts should know that a woman might easily become interested in them under his tutelage. Anyway, I hope he got his Woman and she her Mutation.

The Lonely Hearts' Column and the Personal advertisement have become a feature of many British publications, whether we like it or not. The human situation, with its perplexities and contradictions, does not change.

May we talk more about it. We can, and do, identify with the guys and dolls who push their problems over to Auntie. And I predict that more and more papers will procure an editorial Aunt. Perhaps (who knows?) even this one.

The States BC

Option BC

The States, in their collective wisdom (not sure that is quite the right noun) decided on reform (but not Reform, which is a political party). This reform (with a small "r") was a muddled combination of Option B and Option C in the last election, which we may call Option BC.

Under Option BC, we keep the Senators, and they are to retain the same robes of office worn by the Senators when they ambushed Julius Caesar in the Senate House.

Here is what a Senator in the States will be wearing under the new Reform plans:

The Deputies, in the meantime, leave the comfort zone of their Parishes, and move to the wild reaches of large constituencies. Here is what a Deputy will be wearing in the district to be known as the Wild West:

The gun is an optional extra for persuading members of the electorate to vote. I think we will see higher numbers!




Meanwhile, a new Underground rail service will be built to take voters to the polls in North Central and East Central. This will be called the Central Line.

And finally, the Constables will be still there, on their daily beat, keeping the peace in the Parishes. An example of the new outfits for Constables is shown below:

Where will polling stations be? Will hustings be held? Who will win in the game called "musical Deputy chairs"? Who knows? Who cares? Who can make sense of it all?

A voters lot is not a happy one!

A Short History of the Church of England - Part 2

"A Layman's History of the Church of England" by G.R. Balleine is history told as story, told a lot from the point of view of a small fictional parish in England. Not all the history stands up to scrutiny today - Balleine's view of druids and their practices is very problematic, as shown by Ronald Hutton in recent years. But it is a lively narrative which still is engaging with the reader.

Most of Balleine's books are either currently in print - as for example his History of Jersey - or online in the form of PDF versions. This book is not, so this is something different. As well as being a Jersey historian, Balleine was also a priest in the Church of England, and Ministre Deservant at St Brelade's Church for a time.

CHAPTER I. HOW THE GOSPEL CAME TO DURFORD AND WAS DRIVEN OUT. (Part 2)

Let us visit Durford Church one Sunday morning. It is sunrise, and all the Christians in the village have assembled for public worship. Two priests stand at the Lord's Table, for the British Church allows no one but a bishop to administer the Communion alone. They wear no special vestments ; their dress is exactly the same as that of the laymen around.'

[The first outward mark distinguishing clergy from laity was the tonsure, i.e. the shaving of the front of the head up to a line drawn from ear to ear. This was the badge of slavery, and was adopted by the clergy as a sign that they were bondservants of Christ. The practice began about the beginning of the sixth century. A special vestment for use in Church was not introduced till the seventh century, and then only through the clergy retaining for their ministrations the old-fashioned, flowing, secular robes, which were going out of use in ordinary daily life. ]

They are married men, earning their living on weekdays as carpenters or masons ; but they have each been duly ordained by a bishop.

The service is in Latin, a language which all can understand. The preliminary service for the catechumens [those who are being prepared for baptism] has just ended, and all who are not full members of the Church are bidden to withdraw. The unbaptized, the children, the excommunicated quietly file out, and the Liturgy of the Faithful, the Communion Service begins.

We notice several strange customs-the ceremonial combing of the priests' hair, the kiss of peace which all Church members have to give one another, but there are no non-communicants; the laity receive the Cup as well as the Consecrated Bread ; the ritual which in later years grew up around the Mass has hardly yet begun to obscure and complicate the rite.

But Christianity was still a forbidden religion, and soon there came a rough reminder of the fact. On the Feast of the God of Boundaries, A.D.193, an appropriate day for putting an end to the Christian superstition, Diocletian the Emperor issued an edict that all churches were to be demolished, all copies of the Scriptures burnt, and all Christians outlawed.

Britain was an outlying province, and Constantine the Governor not unfriendly, and so the persecution here was milder than abroad, but Durford Church was levelled to the ground, like all the other churches, and soon news carne that the first British martyr had laid down his life for Christ. In every Christian home the story was repeated how Alban of Verulam, while still a pagan, hid a fugitive priest ; how, as he watched his guest's behaviour, he too became a Christian ; how he put on the priest's cloak and gave himself up in his stead ; how, when ordered to sacrifice or die, he joyfully chose death; and, when he and his guards could not cross the bridge for the crowd of spectators, waded through the water, so eager was he to gain the martyr's crown.

This was almost the last attempt of Roman Paganism to stamp out Christianity. Inj the Emperor Constantine himself became a Christian, and the edict of Milan gave freedom of religion to every province of the Empire. Many who had fallen from the faith in the hour of persecution now asked to be re-admitted to the Church. What should be done with them?

To decide this a Council was called at Arles (A.D. 314), and at this three British bishops were present. British bishops attended later a Council at Rimini (A.D. 359).

And this is important, because it shows that all Western Christendom recognized the British Church as orthodox and duly organized. Her bishops were summoned as a matter of course to the greatest councils, and met the bishops of other countries on perfectly equal terms.

For three hundred and sixty years Britain had been part and parcel of the Roman Empire, but now Durford began to see a strange and ominous sight.

First one legion, and then another, marched down the village street on its way to the sea, and no fresh ones ever came to take their place. The Mistress of the world was fighting at home for her very life. Alaric and his Goths were pouring into Italy, and Rome had no troops to spare to defend her distant colonies.

In 407 the last legion set sail, and Britain was left to protect herself as best she could.

While the civil officials were grappling with the difficulties of the new position, the Church was troubled with the heresy of the Pelagians whose "vain talk" is still denounced in our Thirty-Nine Articles. Pelagius was himself a Briton, "a big, fat dog from Albion, bloated with Scotch porridge," St. Jerome calls him in an indignant letter. Like many heretics he was a good man, but he believed that man could be good without the grace of God : whereas the Church has always taught that " we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God preventing us (i.e. first putting the thought into our minds), and working with us, when we have that good will".

Pelagius taught his heresy in Rome and Carthage and the East, but there came to Durford the priest Agricola, whom Pelagius had sent to spread his views in Britain. Here, as elsewhere, he met with a mixed reception. Some of the richer folk inclined to the new doctrines, but the clergy and the poorer people stood fast for the old Faith.

During the next twenty years the Pelagian views distinctly gained ground. But one day there arrived in the village (A.D. 429) a tall and dignified stranger, Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, one of the greatest orators of the age. The British bishops had invited him over to help them to check the heresy.

He preached in church, and then went out, and preached in the open air, and, as a Breton by birth, he was able to speak to the people in the British tongue. With his companion the Bishop of Troyes, he passed from village to village, and soon the Pelagian leaders felt their followers slipping from them. They challenged the bishops to a public debate in the city of Verulam, but that was their undoing.

When the day came, they spoke first, and then Germanus answered in such a flood of oratory, that the multitudes who had flocked to listen were won to his side in a moment, and his chief difficulty was not to convince them of the danger of heresy, but to prevent their tearing the Pelagian speakers to pieces.

This is the last glimpse we get of the British Church in this part of England. For suddenly a far more serious problem arose. The question was no longer whether orthodox views on the Doctrine of Grace should prevail, but whether there should be a Christian Church at all in Britain.

Even before the Romans withdrew, two sets of marauders had been giving trouble. The Picts, or painted folk, of Scotland were ever swarming over the wall, and having to be driven back ; while savage pirates from Denmark and North Germany were constantly raiding the coast. When the .legions left, these raids naturally increased in frequency : and at last the Government in despair adopted the fatal ;policy of trying to hire the pirates to repel the Picts.

In 449 the rulers of Kent hired sea-rovers from Jutland. Then the inevitable dispute arose over pay or rations. The pirates turned on their employers : and the men of Durford watched from the forest tall mail-clad savages burning their church and homes, and putting their kinsmen to death. In a few years the Jutes had conquered the whole county; large numbers of the Christian inhabitants had been slain those who remained were either outlaws hiding in the forests, or slaves kept by the conquerors to till the ground. Northward in Essex, westward in Sussex, bands of Saxon sea-robbers did the same thing.

Further north the Angles were winning all the East coast. More Saxons seized the district which they named Wessex. By 580 half Britain had passed into possession of the pirates, and in that half all outward observance of the Christian Faith had been stamped out in fire and blood.

Let us watch what happened at Durford. The village had been burnt to the ground in the first raid. When the time came to divide the land, this district fell to the Glaestings, a group of ten families, who were all kinsmen. Their first act was to remove all trace of the British village, lest spells and enchantments should haunt the stones and walls. Ten homesteads were then built with wood from the neighbouring forest. Huts were thrown up around them in which the slaves could sleep, and the whole was surrounded with an earthen rampart, topped with a quick-set hedge.

Herethryth and Waerlaf, Ceolmund and Hwita were now the chief men of the village, fierce heathen, worshipping those German gods whose names we still repeat when we call the days of our week Tiw's day and Woden's day, Thor's day and Frig's day.

And of these Greater Gods Woden was King. Minor deities might be appeased with offerings of clogs and hawks, but Woden would accept no lesser sacrifice than a man. The temple of Woden with its sacred stump stood on the site of the Christian church, and on certain days of the year great feasts were held around it; but the average man was far more influenced by the terrorism of the lesser gods, the ghosts who dwelt in solitary places and stalked through the land at night, the goblins who haunted the sacred circles of the old religion, the valkyrs and the nicors, the imps and demons, the werewolves, the nightmares and the elves, the prolific host of Grendel the Evil One, against which it was necessary to defend oneself by carefully woven chains of charms and spells and incantations.. Totemism or animal worship was also practised, and in Kent the White Horse was specially sacred.

The Christian slaves, no doubt, clung to their religion in secret, but they were ignorant and crushed with suffering ; their leaders had fled to the West or over the sea to Brittany ; there was no public worship and no means of instruction. What wonder, if their faith grew feeble as the years passed by !

For a century and a half Durford was once more a heathen village.