CORONATION OATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 February 1937, Page 5

CORONATION OATH

NO RELIGIOUS CHANGE [BY CABLE—PBEBS ABBN. —COPYBIGHT.) (Recd. Feb. 18, 1 p.m.). LONDON, February 17. Mr. Baldwin’s secretary has sent a letter to the Rev. Mr. Longbottom, leader of the Liverpool Protestant Reformers, saying that changes in the Coronation oath occur almost entirely in that section having a purely political significance, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings in the Dominions concerning the new constitutional position. “Some small re-arrangement of phraseology has been effected in the last section of the oath, dealing with the maintenance of Protestant Reformed religion and the settlement of the Church of England. The form of oath to be used will be published before the date of the Coronation.” Mr. Longbottom urges that any alteration in the oath affecting the Protestant settlement should be published as soon as possible.

LLOYD GEORGE AND DUKE. (Received February IS, 11 a.m.). LONDON, February 17. Explaining his Christmas message to the Duke of Windsor, Mr Lloyd George on his arrival from Jamaica said: “Somebody cabled telling me everybody was against the Duke of Windsor. I thought at least one friend was left, so I sent a message. I am still his friend. He was the best Prince of Wales we had had for a hundred years. .There was nothing we asked him to do for the Principality that he didn’t do. He had a great, sense of duty when I was Prime. Minister. He was recognised throughout the world as the best Ambassador we ever had." Mr Lloyd George added that .just before the abdication, he had considered rushing to England. “I actually booked my passage, but then heard of the abdication, so did not start the journey. What could I have done?”