LONDON'S LORD MAYOR.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 268, 13 November 1909, Page 2

LONDON'S LORD MAYOR.

ROMAN CATHOLIC ELECTED

PROMISES TO PROTESTANTS

LONDON, Oct. 1. The election of Sir John Knill to be Lord Mayor of London. has, about it some elements of interest. He is an interesting personality in his own right. That is to say, his father, Sir Stuart Knill, was a Lord Mayor before him. He himself is a member of the firm of John Knill and Company, Fresh Wharf, and has travelled extensively. One of his tours took him to. New Zealand, Australia, and .Tasmania. But the main interest Jin ihe is the''fact that Sir' John is a, jCatholic, and Protestant London took certain interesting steps to insure that it would receive go hurt from the election.

Prior to the Guildhall meeting 011 Wednesday, the irrepressible Mr Kensit circularised every qlderman, suggesting that an undertaking should be obtained from Sir John that there would be no repetition of the offejiceof placing the toast of the Pope before that of the King at a public function. When the r;ames of the aldermen eligible for the position] of Lord Mayor were •announced, Sir Robert Rogers, an ex-sheriff v rising from the body of the hall, said that while he was aware that politics and religion were best kept apart from municipal affairs, he felt that, having regard to circumstances which had occurred in the past, it would clear the ground' if he could get Sir John Knill's answer to four questions. \ The first of the questions was, "Will you, if elected, appoint a Protestant chaplain?" "For .all ceremonials, yes, as my father did," answered Sir John, adding: "I should appoint my private chaplain besides." "Will you undertake that all charitable funds raised at the Mansion House for religious or philanthropic purposes shall not suffer on the ground of the denomination for which they are raised?" "Yes," was the reply.

"Will you propuse that on all oc- | casions of ceremonial you will not •' put the Pope before the King?" asked Sir Robert Rogers, amid cries of "No I»operv!".and "Good old King. E'twarii." ■ • \ ! "On all ceremonial occasions, no; ', but anything private affects me ' alone,'' was the reply. The final question was: "Will you : undertake, if appointed Lord Mayor,

to attend St. Paul's Cathedral and other churches, according to the ancient ciistom?"

"On occasions only when my Sovereign goes," was the reply. "On other occasioijs I will ask one of the senior aldermen to take my place." (Applause.) When Sir John's name was submitted to the livery., a forest of hands was-, raised, ai-d there were loud cries of "All." . 'ihe choice was confirmed by the Court of Aldermen.