QUAINT CEREMONIAL AT ISLE OF MAN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11637, 15 August 1905, Page 2

QUAINT CEREMONIAL AT ISLE OF MAN.

For the first time in the history of the Isle of Man there was recently a gathering of motor men and a collection of cars at the foot of Tynwald Hill, the attraction being -an important ceremony, without which the contests of the week could not be held in Manxlaud. Every law passed by the Manx- Legislature must not only receive- the Eoyal assent, but also be read from the top of Tynwald Hill, before it can come into legal effect; and the occasion of the ceremony was the promulgation of the Highway (Motor Car) Act of .1905, legalising the exclusive use of certain roads by the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland for the purpose, of the, motor tests. The function opened with a service in the Church of St. John's, within a stone's throw of the Hill, and here motorists and other membrs of the public commenced . to assemble shortly after ten o'clock, in order to witness the arrival of the historic Court. The road leading to the sacred edifice was lined with the Isle of Man Volunteers and Army Eeserve men, who received the Deputy-Gov-ernor, Deemster Knean ,acting in the absence of the Governor, Lord Raglan), with a Eoyal salute — the Deemster for the moment being the representative of His Majesty the King of Great Britain *and Ireland. About the same time there arrived tlie members of both the Legislative Chambers, the Council, and the House of Keys, who combined go to make up the ancient Court. There followed officers and officials whose duties seem peculiar to the island. For instance, there were several Coroners who never hold inquests, but act apparently as process servers, and also captains of parishes, whose duty it is, in case of necessity, to call out the local Militia force. The robes of the clergy, headed by the Bishop of Soder and Man, the uniform wor,n by the Speaker, the robes of the Attorney-General and other law officers, and the uniforms of the various branches of island officialdom, assisted to make a striking picture. A notable figure was that of Mr Hall Came, the famous novelist, who is a member of the House of Keys. He wore a broad-brimmed hat and a flowing cape. Tlie church ceremony over, a procession to Tynwald Hill was formed. First came four constables walking abreast, next the coroners, then the captains of companies and the clergy, who were succeeded by the representatives of the House of Keys and the Council, and almost bringing up the rear was the Deputy-Governor, immediately preceded by an official bearing the Sword of State with its point upward. The procession moved from the outer door of the church and so on to Tynwald between lines of volunteers and bluejackets. A t this point in the vicinity of the church, and also on approaching his seat on the ancient mound, the Deputy-Governor and the Court passed over a pathway that had been strewn with rushes contributed by the owner of a farm whose predecessors have from time immemorial paid their rent in this frugal way. On arriving at Tynwald Hill the Deputy-Governor, with the Bishop on his right, took his seat on a high-backed crimson chair, with the members of the Council, the Upper Chamber, around him, whilst on the lower tiers of seats sat -the representatives "of the House of Keys, the clergy, and officials. After a brief but quaint formula, the Court was opened, and then the proceedings commenced. Deemster Moore read, in clear and loud tones, an abstract of the Highways (Motor Car) Act, 1905, which authorises races with motor cars and provides for the use of the roads, the suspension of traffic, and the restriction of speed in populous places. So that there might be no misunderstanding of any lacking bilingual attainments, the terms of the measure were repeated in the vernacular of the island. The ceremony over, the Court returned to the church for the transaction of ordinary business.