LIVELY DEBATE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 151, 27 May 1935, Page 7

LIVELY DEBATE.

FREEDOM OF EDINBURGH. MR LYONS’S POSITION. '• Received May 27, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, May 26. A lively discussion at the Edinburgh City Council followed a motion to grant Mr J. A. Lyons the freedom of the city. Cooncillor Comiack, representing the Protestants, moved the deletion of Mr Lyons’s name because he is a Catholic. He warned the council that if it granted him the freedom of the city it would lead to a great Protestant demonstration. “I warn you I will call out 30,000 more than the number that assembled to oppose the reception to the Catholic Young Men’s Society in order to prevent Mr .Lyons receiving the freedom.” He added that the Australian Catholic civil servants amounted to 80 per cent, jmstal employees 70 per cent. Customs 50 per cent, and Treasury 40 per cent, averaging 60 per cent, although -Catholics were only 20 per cent of the population. Moreover, Mr Lyons was a friend of Mr J. H. Scullin, who had boasted to the Pope that he had eight Catholic members of the Cabinet. A Labour member retorted that Edinburgh had no right to dictate to Australia regarding the employees in the public services. Another Labour member said that though Edinburgh was a Protestant city it could not hold an inquisition beforo it conferred freedom on a son of the Empire. Only two voted in favour of Gr. Cormack’s amendment. Mr Lyons will receive the freedom with Mr -John Buchan and the Maharajah of. Patiali on June 10.