THE KING’S SAFETY.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13312, 20 July 1936, Page 5

THE KING’S SAFETY.

McMAHON IN HOSPITAL. VISITED BY HIS WIFE, United Press Assn.—By Electric T elegraph—Co j >v n * :h t. LONDON, July 18. Following the apparent attempt to shoot the King, a series of conferences took place on Friday between Scotland Yard chiefs and Buckingham Palace officials. It is now understood that wherever the King goes in future, particularly on his forthcoming holiday on the Continent, _ additional protection will be provided. Although the King does not welcome the extra precautions, Palace officials believe they are essential because of his informal ways. Officials have been most troubled his insistence on frequently walking in London. He recently walked from the palace to the offices of the Duchy of Cornwall. This is only a few hundred yards, but officials believe such excursions expose him to unnecessary risk, and they wish the King to follow the habit of King George, who travelled everywhere in Gondon in a motor-car. The authorities are completely satisfied that the incident at Wellington Arch was nowise connected with any organised movement. McMahon has been sent to hospital owing to the effects of the crowd’s rough handling preceding his arrest. He is suffering from head lacerations, bruises and abrasions all over his body. Mrs McMahon was allowed to visit her husband in Brixton Prison Hospital. His solicitor has received a stream of letters from eye-witnesses offering evidence on his behalf. EYE-WITNESSES APPROACH POLICE. Within a few hours of Scotland \ ard' s apjDeal for eye-witnesses of yesterday’s incident 121 persons, the majority being women, including'visitors froiil overseas, have communicated with the authorities. The testimony of all of them appears to be valuable anci they will be interviewed by detectives with a view to their giving evidence Under the present charge a maximum penalty of 20 years’ penal serviture can be inflicted.

Scotland Yard continues to work at top pressure on its investigation of the revolver incident. High officials conferred with Special Constable Dick.

. J he incident is likely to result in further steps to control weapons in the possession of private individuals. Numbers are known to be at large, one estimate being 100,000. A large proportion of these are big service weapons, but there must be a considerable number of smaller ones of the .22 type, like the one produced m the court yesterday. This is a very common pattern, easilv obtainable from gunsmiths in Britain and most other countries. In Britain a license is necessary. Three years ago Scotland Yard apiiealed for the surrender of firearms, including war souvenirs, and nearly 13.000 pistols and revolvers and 25,000 rounds' of ammunition were given un. A further appeal last year brought in 5000 revolvers. REPLY TO GOVERNOR-GENERAL His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral has received the following from His Majesty the King in reply to the message of sympathy which he sent following the incident in London : “I sincerely thank Lady Galway *nd yourself and the Government and people of New Zealand for your kind message, which I deeply appreciate. EDWARD R. 1.” MR SEMPLE'S TRIBUTE Electric Telegraph—Pri ?s Association CHRISTCHURCH. July IS. A striking tribute to King. Edward as the greatest democrat who lias sat oil the Throne of England, or anv other throne in the world, was paid by the Minister of Public Works, Hen. 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 Air Semple. “The British Empire would have suffered a. terrible shock ii lie had. The King is the greatest democrat, who has sat on the Throne of England, or any other tlircne in the world, as 1 have said on former occasions, In other countries, democracies lime perished and desperate dictatorships have emerged out of the ruins, but. England is one country which has stood steadfast for democratic principles and lias played a wonderful part in attempting to keep the peace of die world. The King is a. man of the people. His attitude toward the Welsh coal strikers proved him, to. be one of the most humane Monarches who has ever lived, and lie is primarily responsible for the great activity in clearing away slum conditions in the groat cities of the Old Land It is, indeed, fortunate that in these changing times when democracy is at the crossroads we should have as our King a man so beloved of his people, and who has been 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 Old Land to he more careful; It is not always the tyrant who is assassinated. Great, humanitarians such as Abraham Lincoln and Jean Juares, of Franco, wore assassinated, and this ought to he a warning, because those fanatics never attack a man when he is protected, but usually shoot hint in, the back.”