DOMINION PREMIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19957, 26 November 1926, Page 9

DOMINION PREMIERS

HONOURED BY SCOTLAND. FREEDOM OF EDINBURGH. HONORARY DOCTORATES QE LAWS. (Preai AuooUtioo- by Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, November 24. (Received Nov. 25, at 5.5 p.m.) Mr Bruce, Mr Coates, Mr Mackenzie King, and the Maharajah of Burdwan began their tour under the auspices of the British Empire League by travelling to Edinburgh, where they spent a most interesting day.. They were first admitted to the Freedom of the City before a large assembly at the Usher Hall, which was made picturesque by the presence of the kilted school cadets, and the magistrates and councillors in their scarlet and ermine robes. By receiving the Freedom they joined the illlustrious roll of burgesses, including Macaulay, Dickens, Livingstone, and Kitchener. The new Freemen were acclaimed with great enthusiasm. In their speeches the Prime Ministers paid a tribute to the prominence of Scotsmen as Empire-builders and sounded a note of strong optimism in connection with work accomplished at the Imperial Conference.

Mr Coates, after detailing the important part which Scotsmen had played in the development of New Zealand, said that the recent conference had produced the most valuable results so far as partnership within the Empire was concerned. It might not have achieved anything materially new, but it had definitely set the seal on the progress of the Imperial relationship which had come about naturally by evolution to the present relationship as a result of the conference. The necessity of retaining closer touch with the domions would devolve upon British statesmen. New Zealand herself intended immediately to take steps to improve the contact between Wellington and London by providing more direct personal communicavion. It was hoped also to arrange a system of interchange of views on the outlook with the sister dominions. The visitors next lunched at the historic City Chambers, where the guests •were played in by the bagpipes. They enjoyed a meal which in nowise resembled London’s Continental menus, but was characteristic of Scottish fare, including turkey, plum pudding, and also a haggis, which was brought in with due ceremony. The gathering dispersed with the singing of “Will Ye No Come Back Again?” The next ceremony was the conferment of honorary Doctorships of Laws upon Mr Coates, the Maharajah of Burdwan, and Mr Monroe. The Dean of the Faculty of Laws, in presenting Mr Coates with the degree, referred to him as one, who, like Cincinnatus, had left his farm with a fine physique and a sane outlook to serve his country first, in war, and later in peace. The Vice-chancellor of the University referred to Edinburgh as the University of Greater Britain. It had, he said, turned loose upon a sick world 16,000 qualified practitioners, nearly 6000 of whom were m the dominions, but soon there would be no need for Greater Britain’s sons to come to Edinburgh except for a postgraduate course as the dominion universities were attaining guch high efficiency. The Prime Ministers took tea with the University Union, thus giving Mr ( Bruce, Mr Coates, and the Manarajah of Burdwan a chance of chatting with the students from their respective countries. The dominion representatives were the guests during the evening at an informal dinner given by Mr William Whitelaw, chairman of the. London and North-East-ern Railway, after which they attended a Victoria League reception at Lady Findlay’s house. — A: and N.Z. Cable.