FIRST PRIVY COUNCIL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18920, 23 January 1936, Page 5

FIRST PRIVY COUNCIL

Duty As Sovereign Faced OATH OF ACCESSION TAKEN Reliance On Support In Heavy Task

NEW EI/OCH IN HISTORY ENTERED

Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.)

(Reed. January 23, : 11.15 a.m.) • ' v , ■ LONDON, Jan. 22 His Majesty, King Edward VIII, addressing his first Privy Council, said:— "An irreparable loss .to the British Commonwealth of Nations has been sustained by the death of Has Majesty my beloved father. There has devolved upon me the dutj ot sovereignty. I know how much you, and all of my subjects, S hope I may say, the whole world, feel for me in my sorrow and I am confident in the affectionate sympathy winch fll be extended to my dear mother in her overpowering grief. "When my father stood here 26 years ago, lie declared that one of the objects of his life would be ,to tutional government. In this lam determined tq follow mj father's footsteps, and work as he did throughout his life, for the welfare of all classes of my subjects. I place my reliance upon the loyalty and affection of my peoples throughout the Empire and upon the wisdom of their Parliaments to support me in this heavy task. I pray God to guide me to perform it"

After delivering his speech His Majesty took the oath of accession and also subscribed to the oath securing the freedom of the Church of Scotland. The Councillors then swore loyalty to the King and kissed his hand on being presented The Councillors then returned to Westminster where a special Parliament was summoned.

The Privy Councillors arriving for His Majesty's first Privy Council were headed by the Lord Mayor of London, accompanied by the Sheriffs, who travelled in State horse, drawn landaus, with coachmen and footmen in Historic liveries. Cabinet members and judges wore Court dress, the Archbishop of Canterbury wore his purple robes and Larl Beatty was in his admiral's uniform. Miss Margaret Bondfield, the only woman Councillor, was in deep mourning. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, as Lord President of the Council, informed the assembly of King George's death and the accession of King Edward.

The Council requested the Archbishop of Canterbury to acquaint King Edward with what had taken place in the Chamber.

*The King then walked 50 yards across the Ambassadors' Court to St. James Palace, where the Council was being held. His Majesty wore the scarlet tunic of the Guards and all his orders. He looked ,tired, but his head was high and his step assured, as he strode through the guard of honor, whose crepe-draped colors were new for the first time lowered in salute to the new head of the army.

The Duke of York wore a naval uniform, and the Duke of Gloucester wore the levee dress of the Hussars.

Many naval and military officers, including General Sir William Birdwood, attended the King. The doors of the Council Chamber were flung open, an official announced "His Majesty the King," and the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mr. MacDonald entered, escorting King Edward by the hand.

Councillors bowed low and listened attentively to the King's speech.

Then followed the reading of the Proclamation at various points.

The crowd outside Charing Cross' was one of the vastest seen in the precincts of the City. The air was so still, and all was so silent that every word uttered by ,tlie King of Arms was distinctly audible.

The demonstrativeness of the City contrasted with the reading of the Proclamation elsewhere. Immediately following the National Anthem, someone shouted, "King Edward the Eighth." The Lord Mayor, seeing that the crowd desired to express its loyalty, took off his threecornered hat and waved it above his head, crying: "Three cheers for the King." The dignified, scarlet-robed City Fathers led an immense burst of cheering, which was taken up by the densely-packed crowds in surrounding streets. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen then formed a procession back to the Guildhall, closing another chapter in the City's history.

The proclamation was voiced by the Garter King of Arms from the balcony of St. James' Palace amid all the traditional pageantry and heraldry. The sun shone with golden softness through a slight mist. It was a solemn moment. Not a sound came from the. vast quietlydressed crowd.

trappings, the procession halted at the monument at Charing Cross. The heralds sounded a fanfare and a Lancaster herald stepped out of the coach with the proclamation in hand. Few of the vast silent concourse were able to hear the words, though many could see his lips moving.

The heralds and pursuivants wore magnificent mediaeval uniforms embroidered with gold, the only color in the gathering, in which the predominant note was black. Even the Guardsmen were sombre figures in heavy greatcoats, the officers wearing black crepe. The regimental colors were draped in black.

A fanfare marked the conclusion and the herald stood hat in hand during the National Anthem before re-entering the coach. The procession then proceeded along the Strand to the City.

Not even the new King can challenge the rights of the City of London, which are ever giuarded jealously. When the procession reached Temple Bar, the City's dignitaries, headed by the Lord Mayor,-assembled in the shadow of the law courts to challenge the King's officers' right to enter the city.

Just before 10 a.m. the guard of honor stationed directly in front of the Palace was brought sharply to attention. Four heralds appeared on the balcony wearinn huge black cocked,, hats trimmed wi\h ermine. As the palace clock struck the hour the trumpeters sounded a double fanfare.

The crowds who had waited since daybreak were rewarded by the rarely seen spectacle of a single red silken rope stretched across the street, symbolising the City's rights. A triple fanfare from the King's trumpeters answering the fanfare from the City's trumpeters recalled London's struggles for freedom early in the nation's history.

A great silence fell as the Garter King of Arms read the proclamation. Saluting guns boomed dully throughout the recital of the formal words inaugurating, a new epoch in the Empire's history, ine trumpets again rang out when the Garter King of Arms concluded, "God Save the King." The troops were then brought sharply to attention, the National Anthem was played softly, to the accompaniment of roll of black-draped drums, and the colors were dipped in solemn salute. The King momentarily appeared at the palace window.

The blue-mantled Pursuivant of Arms rode forward alone. "Who comes there?" challenged the City Marshall. The Pursuivant replied with the historic formula and was conducted to the Lord Mayor, to whom he delivered the Order-in-Council directing the reading of the proclamation, which the LorcT Mayor read aloud, and then ordered the removal of the barrier.

The Garter King of Arms' heralds proceeded in Koyal coaches to Charing Cross along troop-lined streets with an escort of Guardsmen. It was an unfamiliar and impressive sight to Londoners. Wearing) black tunics and mounted on coal-black horses, with black

The procession moved to the corner of Chancery Lane, 50 yards within the City boundary. There the proclamation was read with a ceremony similar to that at Charing Cross.