So far from having ex- aggerated matters m our article of August 21st, we have been assured by men well qualified to judge that we put tho case less foroibly than we should have been justified m doing Mr David Craig affirms that Insur- ance Companies have been flourishing concorns for two centuries, and from this would have us draw the deduction that no change i« needed. No social or commercial system, however injurious to the best interests of man- kind, has ever been swept away without find- ing a host of apologiita who, if tboy could, would have perpetuated the evil. When Wilberforce lifted up bis voice against slavery there were not wanting those who deolared that be assailed a system which had existed, not for 200 but for several thuutand rears, expressly under Divine sanction. At a later period even the great Oarlvle is said to have shocked hU hearers by an attempt to justify the existence of slavery as a political and social institutiou. No nioro fatal blow could be dealt to the cause of progress than the admission that tho antiquity of any institu- tion is a sufficient reason to ju>tify its continued existence. Great political, social and economio change], for which the times are ripe, cannot be postponed, becauae csr- tain individuals of a conservative turn of mind seek to oppooe the advancing tide with a besom, since although history teaches us that m the past civilisation has frequently been of a rotrogado character, mankind m general is essentially progressive. Lets than fifty years ago co-operation oommoncod m Rochdale by the association of twenty six poor flannel weavers who subscribed ono penny eaoh to create a common fund. Tn 1887 co-operative sooioties m tho United King- dom numbered 967,828 members, with ai aggregate capital of nearly £13,000,000 In 1888 tho sales of one society olono amounted to more than fix millions sterling. This Society established m 18S7 a Co- operative Fire and Life Insnranoo Company whinh is now doing a safe and prosperous business. In this Colony co-operative prin- oiples have already taken firm root, and 00-operstive insurance as the natural comple- ment of the present buriness must follow as surely as night follows day. 