The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY. AUGUST 22, 1927. HISTORY RECALLED.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY. AUGUST 22, 1927. HISTORY RECALLED.

Onk of the special delights at the Westland Competitions .now proceeding >;:> merrily and .success! ttlly. has been the presentation of several Sbakespeioan items. Tin; three gentlemen fmit Grcvmoutli delighted the large an-

dience. on S:itur<lay with their wry fine work. To-night we are to hear some of our voting ladies in .some of the great author’s work also. It' is all very interesting. On Saturday one of the speakers’ potuTrayed the diabolical Gloucester, and a.s last \\ edin sdity was the annive: sary of his greatest crime, it is interesting to recall the event to give point to the very line presentation Mr McGrath gave of the character in question—it "'ill help to impress the minds of the auditors with the greater excellence of the pouch-av-al when lhe deeds of Gloucester tire recalled to mind. The story goes that four hundred and forty-four years ago. „n August 17th. 1,183. King Edward V. and his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, were assassinated at the instigation of their infamous uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Hidin',rd 111., who paved his way to the throne by perpetrating a series of the most diabolical deeds recorded in the history of Britain. When Edward IV. died in the month of April, 1 183, his eldest son and heir, Edward, was only twelve years of age, and the Duke of Gloucester was appointed to act as -regent during the minority of the youthful sovereign. At first the Duke made a great show of loyalty and affection towards the two sons ot his late brother but after lie had succeeded in removing them from the custody of their mother he discarded his mask of friendship. The hoys were taken to the Tower of London, where, although installed m the royal residence, within its walls with considerable pomp and ceremony, they were completely in the power of their unscrupulous uncle, who at once commenced his campaign to secure the throne for himself. The Duke imprisoned or murdered every prominent person possessing the power or the inclination to thwart his design, and then made the false assertion that the princes were not the-legitimate sons of his brother, a. fact which, if it had been true, would have made him the rightful heir to the throne. His wicked scheme succeeded so well that the citzens of London soon begged him to become their king, and he. alter making a show of cleverly assumed reluctance, graciously consented. He was crowned in 'Westminster Abbey on July 6th., after which he made a. royni progress through the country, and he was staying at Warwick when he dispatched orders to Sir Robert Braekenliury, the Governor of the Tower, that he was to arrange to have the princes murdered secretly. Sir Robert refused to obey, and was subsequently ordered to hand over his keys for one night to Sir James Tyrrell, the Master of the j Royal Horse, who made no scruples about committing the foul deed. On August ITtli. Tyrrell took over the keys of the Tower, and in the dead of night proceeded to the chamber in which the unfortunate hoys were sleeping peacefully. This chamber was situated in the Garden Tower, ever since known as the Bloody Tower, and while Tyrrell stood at the door to guard against interruption, two hired assassins, Miles Forrest and John Dighton crept softly towards the !>ed where the two princes were lying clasped in each other’s arms. One of the hoys awoke, and raised a cry, but lie was instantly smothered beneath a pillow, while the other was stabbed to the heart as he slept. The bodies of the murdered boys were carried to the White Tower, where they were buried in a hole in the wall of the stone staircase, which was carefully sealed up. and there they remained hidden for a couple of centuries. During _some structural alterations in the reign of Charles 11. the hones were discovered, and they were then removed to Westminster Abbey, where they were placed in a small stone casket in the beautiful chapel erected by Henry VTT.

There seems to be some writing on the wall as regards the course of jxilitie-s in New /calami. A very circumstantial account comes from Auckland of a break away from the itelorm Party, amt the formation of a new party. Events ,sj far are very secret, but reports leak out, and there appears to be a good doal more than meets the eye in this instance, in the probabilities of the oceason. Auckland has the reputation for being a factor in the making of New Zealand politics. ilium had the reputation from the early days. Even (luting the period of the extended Liberal revival, if vas a factor, and to-day possesses one ol (ho two strongest- ami most iulluential of the Liberal organs. And if is noticeable of late that, the Liberal organ is very much awake to the course- of events. Its daily cartoon almost regularly- holds Ministerial action up to contempt, ami the value of satire can always ho recognised. As to the new party, hawever, it is said to have captured the sometime organiser of the Reform Party, so tbf.it we should say linaneo will not be one ol its difficulties. Without knowing anything of the inside story, we should not he surprised to learn that late events in the Pacific have something to do with now born zeal politically up Auckland way. There are considerable trading interests in that quarter with the Pacific, ami the high-handed action of the Government in Samoa, lor instance, has never been explained adequately. However, things are happening behind the .scenes, apparently which give some promise of shaping New Zealand polities, for the moment, too. the overtures between the Liberals and the Nationalists appear to be suspended. There may be I something in this negative attitude I also. II seems to u,s inevitable that i before the next general election comes round, there must lie a whole-hearted fusion between the two divisions referred to. It is not fair to their followers all through New Zealand to divide the public support of so great a following. If that Liberal host should lie joined with the considerable party breaking away from Reform in Auckland. then a very strong political combination must result. On top of that, there is the political unrest of the farming community. These forces eonjoined and all things are possible in Dominion politics. Bui there is si ill one thing needful, and not any possible sign of .solution—who is to be the leader of this new political force?