OLDEST PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 July 1928, Page 10

OLDEST PARLIAMENT

ICELAND CELEBRATIONS

The “mother of Parliaments" is generally understood to be the English Parliament, but if age counts'the palm goes to the Icelandic Alling, which is to celebrate its tenth centenary* in 1930. The Alling celebration will bo of a national character. Many families in Iceland can trace their ancestors hack to the first legislators of the Saga isle.

The Vikings who settled there understood the necessity of law and order, and it was from Iceland that the so-called Norse Law went to Scotland. The Alling was instituted in the year 930 on the plain of Thingvalla and the story of the Ting is being written by Benedict Sveinsson, the president of the lower house. He is assisted by a. group of historians appointed by the Government.

The festivities in connection wiili the jubilee will he held t on the old historic spot at Thingvalla, ;i wellnigh ideal setting giving the visitors a wonderful view of the beautiful scenery of Iceland. A large foreign invasion is expected on this occasion. Icelandic-Anieri cans will form a great body of these visitors. Many thousands are living in the United States and in Canada and style themselves “West-Iceland-ers.” They hav already planned a joint visit to their old country on this occasion. It is intended to get Icelandic pftets and composers to create the necessary poetic frame for these festivities, which will also be rich in pageantry of historical scenes from' the various periods of Iceland.