KING EDWARD

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1936, Page 5

KING EDWARD

GREAT DEMOCRAT TRIBUTE PAID BY MR. SEMPLE. iUuited Presß Association—By Electric 'lelegi apb — Copyright;. CHRISTCHURCH, July 20. A striking tribute to King Edward as the greatest democrat who has sat on the throne of England, or any other throne in the world, was paid by t e Hon. R. Semple this morning, when expressing his great relief that the attempt on the King’s life had failed. “it is a blessing that the fanatic did not fulfil his murderous mission,”' said Mr Semple. “The British Empire would have suffered a terrible shock if he had. “In other countries, democracies have perished, and desperate dictatorships have emerged out of the. rums, but England is. the one country which has stood steadfast tor democratic principles, and has played a wonderful part in attempting to keep the peace of the world. “The King is a man of the people. His attitude towards the Welsh coal strikers proved him to be one of the most humane monarchs, who. has ever lived, and he is primarily responsible for the great activity in clearing away. slum conditions in great cities of the Old Land. “It is indeed fortunate in these changing times, when democracy is at croSs roads, that we, should have as our King a man so beloved of his people, and who has vfyeen standing for years for the rights of citizenship, from the poorest to the richest. “The attack on the King’s life is a warning to the authorities in the j Old Land to be 'more,careful. It .is not always a tyrant who; is assassinated. Great humanitarians such;as Abraham Lincoln and Jean Jaures of France were assassinated, and this ought to be a warning, because these fanatics never attack a man ivlien he is protected, but usually shoot him in the back'.” .=> SEARCHING INQUIRIES IN HAND. RUGBY, July. 17. Very searching inquiries are being made by the authorities into the incident during yesterday’s procession, which created alaipn for the safety of the King. , A Scotland Yard has issued an appeal for evidence from persons who witnessed the occurrence, about which there is as yet little exact information, j The result of inquiries so far con-} firm both the belief that/the arrested, man is not connected with :any organisation, arid the general impression is j that his behaviour was the result or ( : effect of some fancied grievance on an. • unbalanced mind. RESPONSE TO APEAL. LONDON, July 17. Within a few hours of Scotland Yards’ appeal to eyewitnesses of the revolver incident to give further evidence, 121 persons, the majority being women, including visitors from overseas, communicated with the authorities. All whose testimony appears to bo valuable, will be interviewed by de- ■: tectivea, with a view to giving \ evidence. - Under the present charge the maximum penalty is twenty years’ penal servitude. McMahon is in hospital at Brixton Prison, the officals declaring that his : condition necessitated confinement in a ward instead of a cell. His only visitor has been Mr Alfred Kerstein, his solicitor. ' AN IRISHMAN’S IRE. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 19. An Irishman „who knocked down a man in a workmen’s cafe, at Bournemouth because he said an Irishman attempted to assassinate tne King, was sentenced to two monies’ imprison-* ment. He smiled at the magistrate, and said: “Okay.” SCOTLAND YARD AND PALACE. LONDON, July 19. There " was a series oi comerences on Friday between Scotland Yard chiefs and Buckingham Palace. It is now understood 'that, wherever the King goes‘in future, and particularly on his forthcoming holiday on the Continent, additional protection will »e providedAlthough the King does not welcome extra precautions, the Palace officials believe they are essential, because of his informal ways. A The officials have been most troubled at hi s insistence on frequently*-walking in London. He recently walked from the .Palace to the offices of the Ducliy of Cornwall. This is a distance of only a few hundred yards, but th e officials believe that such excursions expose him to unnecessary risk, and they wish the King to follow the liabTt of King George, who travelled everywhere in London in a motor car. McMahon sent to hospital. ‘ LONDON, July 19. McMahon ha s been sent to the prison hospital, owing to the effects of the crowd’s rough handling, preceding his arrest. He is suffering from head lac- > erations, and from bruises and abrasions over his body. Mrs McMahon has been allowed to to visit her husband in the Brixton Pri-

son Hospital. McMahon’s solicitor has received a stream of letters from eye-witnesses, all offering evidence on McMahon’s' behalf. The authorities are completely satisfied that the incident was nowise connected with any organised movement.