LORD MAYOR'S SHOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22756, 17 December 1935, Page 14

LORD MAYOR'S SHOW

PAGEANT OF RURAL LIFE FARMYARD TABLEAUX (FttoM Our Own Correspondent; (By Air Mail) LONDON, November 16. There was a suggestion a year or two ago that Lord Mayor's Shows should be dropped altogether. It was contended that they interfered unduly with business along tho route; that they were old-fashioned and expensive pageants which served no useful purpose in these days. The Lord Mayor's Show has not been dropped, and it was more interesting and elaborate than over this year. Plow Monday marks, fls of old, the end of the Christmas holidays, but in-ancient days it was more than a mere name. The Lord Mayor and the aldermen of the city of London used to go out on Plow Monday and Watch ploughing matches on the city's agricultural estates. To-day, Smithfield market, Billingsgate fish market, and Spitalfields fruit market are still under the jurisdiction of the Lord Mayor. In these and in several ancient ceremonies the city and its Lord Mayor are very closely associated with the tillers of the soil.

This year the tillers of the soil were remembered in the Lord Mayor's procession. It was held last Saturday, and after Sir Percy Vincent had taken the oath before the King's Justices, his procession continued down to Trafalgar square and so to the Embankment and back to the city. It was well on in the afternoon before the Lord Mayor arrived back at the Mansion House, so that more than the usual number—having their Saturday afternoon free—-were able to see the show. Moreover, the sun Was shining, although the day had begun with torrents of rain. Sir Percy Vincent, a Norfolk man, probably wished to let Londoners know more about the country on which they depend. So though the great fairy coach made its appeal, the delightful creatures which went before it were the real attraction. There were the bands, the military detachments connected with London city, the Worshipful Companies, and, then "Old Bill," the veteran war bus which carried troops to the front in 1914. This WaJ decorated to remind people to buy popples on the following Monday. After this came the pageant of agriculture and country life, LIVE STOCK.

First came an introductory car drawn by four beautiful Suffolk Punches. On the car were agricultural data. Next was a car drawn by four grey horses, and laden with National Mark produce, and with John Bull and his family sealed at breakfast. A decorated wagon bearing a stack of wheat and a huge loaf of bread followed. This was drawn by four Pereheron horses in tandem harness. Six Shire horses followed, two abreast, drawing a car snowing sheaves of English wheat and sacks of English milled hour. From the brewers' wagon that followed the public learned that nearly 8,000,000 cwts of barley and 234,000 cwts of hops were used last year by brewers. The car portrayed " Ceres," the goddess of corn, on her throne, surrounded by sheaves of golden barley. Outside an old country inn could be seen the squire of the village, the farmer, and the honest labourer, all meeting as equals and enjoying the finished product. Other decorated cars followed showing potatoes, fruit, flowers, tomatoes, mushrooms, the watercress industry, live poultry, live turkeys, black Welsh mountain sheep, live pigs, sheep and Jersey cattle. The animal which created laughter along the whole route was a sow. 'the countryside must have been searched to find the heaviest animal With a most satisiuctory result. The beast in question must have been nearly the weight of a horse. Representatives of the Royal Veterinary College followed demonstrating the pleasanter qualities of their work, and then came a farmyard scene showing caltrenring. sheep-raising, pig breeding, poultry. Swanley Horticultural College showed the different departments of agricultural work in which trained women now contribute valued service. Two wagons each drawn by four horses presented a tableau of the British fanning i,UlUStiy - FOX HOUNDS.

For the Old Berkeley Fox Hounds who followed on foot the proceedings must have been a surprising experience, but with their huntsmen and whippers-in they moved with the same discipline displayed on the field, and ignored the spurious cries of "View fox!" which numbers of the spectators raised. An interesting relic of earlier days was " Old Times" coach, which on July 13, 1888, was driven from London to Brighton and back in eight hours for a wager of £IOOO to £SOO. James Selby, the veteran whip, accomplished the iournev in '0 i>' : "- utes under the stipulated time. An old road coach followed drawn by beautiful prize-winning .Shetland ponies and then a car which called attention to the achievements of the corporation in the preservation of famous beauty spots in the Home Counties. It was an interesting procession, and Londoners showed their appreciation in the time-honoured way when the new Lord Mayor trundled past in the wonderfully decorated State chariot.