FREEDOM OF THE CITY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 202, 24 May 1944, Page 5

FREEDOM OF THE CITY

Significance of Custom Mr. Fraser received the freedom of the city of Edinburgh recently. On his previous visit to Britain he collected the freedoms of six other cities. It would appear that other visiting Prime Ministers will return homp laden with an assorted collection of city At ’first glance there appears nothing of any material advantage in becoming an honorary freeman of a city. In New Zealand it is not the custom for cities to bestow their freedom on anyoue. In Britain, however, it was long a custom of each city to admit freemen according to its own peculiar customs. The bestowal gave the individual concerned the right to vote at a Parliamentary election of the borough aud exempted him from all tolls and dues. Since 1835 there have been modifications. . ■ It would appear that modifications to the privileges of freemen were overdue even 100 years ago. In the old days the freeman’s first quality was a scrupulous regard for his own well-being. The freemen of Ipswich established their right to free cakes and wine at the King’s birthday. Another perquisite was the distribution of half-crowns to freemen who scrambled for them. In those days freemen were allowed to vote even though they were in prison. In some cities freemen had certain duties. In the city of Berwick the freemen became virtually the municipal corporation. They paraded the streets every Sunday morning to “inspect” the public houses during divine service. They provided the town waits, w'ho walked to and from churph playing violins. Six weeks before Christmas it was the duty of the freemen of some cities to serenade the townsfolk, for which they were each paid the sum of £B. Nowadays the freedom of these selfsame cities means little. It is perhaps as well that the Dominion Prime Ministers do not find themselves burdened with the tasks mentioned. They receive, however, as token of appreciation, a scroll in a suitable ornamented casket, and take a higher precedence at ceremonial functions conducted by the city concerned. —E.A.A.