100 years ago

IN the special circumstances of the current war the government had felt constrained to approach the life assurance companies on the subject of a possible modification of the conditions attached to some policies.

They found that there was a general feeling among life offices that the circumstances were such as to justify concessions. The Life Officers’ Association and the Associated Scottish Life Officers to the life assurance companies had set out the following recommendations in regard to policies of assurance on the lives of members of the naval and military forces.

It was recommended that the members of the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the Territorial Force and the new levies raised for this war only should not be asked to pay additional premiums. Recommendations were also made regarding other services. The Government recorded its appreciation of the generous and patriotic course which the companies had felt able to adopt.

 

50 years ago

CARDINAL Suenens of Brussels had asked for a “new deal” for the Roman Catholic Church’s one million nuns.

Speaking in debate at the Ecumenical Council in Vatican City on a draft text dealing with religious orders and how they should adapt themselves to modern life, he said he found the document unsatisfactory, and he urged reform in the “outmoded” attire of nuns, in the discipline of their convents, and in their training.

He declared that convent life should be organised so that nuns could take part in an adult active way.

Two dangers should be avoided – “paternalistic” Mother Superiors who tried to govern everything, and other nuns who resigned themselves to obedience so passively as to approach “infantilism.” He urged abolition of “anachronistic usages of customs” among nuns.

The “ridiculous complications” of their robes gave the impression that the Church was growing old, and were a cause of ridicule for nuns in the streets.

 

25 years ago

York City Council had won control of the Theatre Royal – without committing itself to spending extra money. At a closed meeting, the theatre board agreed to accept a secret report which recommended a radical shake-up of the theatre’s structure.

The report proposed that York City Council should have the right to nominate the chairman or vice-chairman of the board, the theatre’s governing body. In return, the council agreed to provide a greater proportion of the theatre’s public subsidy.

But Councillor Ken King, the chairman of the council leisure services committee, said after the meeting that this did not necessarily mean an increase in the city council grant. “We have agreed to the principle of parity – matching Arts Council grant pound for pound,” said Councillor King.