FREEDOM OF LONDON

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17170, 13 October 1923, Page 2

FREEDOM OF LONDON

PREMIERS HONOURED. MR BALDWIN’S SPEECH. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright lleuteT's Taleeram*. (Received October 13, 12.20 p.m.) LONDON, October 12. With time honoured ceremonial, the Premiers. Mr Baldwin (Britain), Mr Mackenzie King (Canada), and Mr Bruce (Australia), were presented with the Freedom of the City of London in the historic Guildhall which was thronged with distinguished people, including the Duke and Duchess of York, Lord Salisbury, the Duke of Devonshire. Lord Derby, and practically th© entire Cabinet, the majority of members and advisers of both the Imperial and "Economic Conferences and many visitors from the Dominions’. Responding to the presentation, Mr Baldwin regarded it as a good ornen that lie and liis colleagues stood oil that platform. All three were inexperienced and inexperience gave men faith to take risks which must be taken these days. Referring to unemployment, Mr Baldwin declared that the moment when it must take years for the old markets to recover was the moment for the old world to call in the new world to develop a fairer inheritance than either yet enjoyed. “I am convinced,” he said, “that with the enthusiasm and ability of the members of the Conferences, sorno solution will he found for the grave problems besetting us and that the Imperial Conference will not rise from its labours before accomplishing something to the permanent good of our own Mr Mackenzie King emphasised the

point that the Freedom of London was linked by an unbroken tradition with the freedom of British Nations as expressed by Imperial Conferences. Mr Bruce was accorded a. remarkable ovation. He recalled the intimate relations between London and the overseas Dominions throughout history. Mr Baldwin, responding to his health a*, a luncheon to the Freemen, recalled with pride the financial stability of the City of London in war time, pointing out that the position could only be maintained if the large industrial population in the country had work. While other countries also suffered derangement of markets, Britain, owing to the circumstances of the case, suffered most. Th© time had not come for him to enter into details as to what he believed it possible to do to provide that in future year’s Britain would not suffer as she is now suffering. He urged the necessity of pushing on the development of the Empire with the utmost celerity and ardour. He was confident that in that direction alone lay the hop© of the future for Britain and her crowded masses of population.