NEW LORD MAYOR

Hokitika Guardian, 15 November 1930, Page 3

NEW LORD MAYOR

CITY OF LONDON’s CHOICE. LONDON, October 2. The City of London chose, its Lord Mayor this week at a meeting following the election of Sheriff's. The picturesque pageantry was fully maintained. The present Lord Mayor (Sir William Waterlow), and the Lord Mayor-elect clad in their State robes, and each carrying a. posy of old Engish flowers, emerged with fine dignity from the Guildhall amid a flourish of crumpets, while the bells of St .Lawrence burst into a merry peal. AVithin the hall there was the sweet 'smell of wild herbs—a survival of the mediaeval custom of combating tiro evil odours of an insanitary city. At the commencement of the ceremony. the Omnium .ordered all who were : not Liverymen to “depart cnee on pain of imprisonment.” Then the Recorder (Sir Ernest AVijd). called out the mures of the four, eligible candidates, starting with that qf William Phene Neal, who .was. tlie ( next, in notation. The Livery, with the loyalty that is traditional in the city, p.ried out a.s with one voice“ All! All!” Then, when the name of Sir Stephen Tvillik was called: “Next Year! Next year!” was the unanimous

response. Alderman AV. P. Neal, who is a solicitor by profession, has been a member of the corporation for nearly forty years. Indeed, he is stated to have twentv years’ longer experience at the Guildhall than anv other alderman who has not been Lord Mayor. It is thirty years since, be : . was elected a. member of the Pavior Company, ol which lie is at! present Afaster. This is the first time foF fi'tv years that : a practising solicitor! has reached the highest civic office in London. Whether lie will introduce tio the Lord A 1 avoids Show on November 9 any feature illustrative of the law and its administration remains to be seen.

Eulogising Sir AVilliam AVnterlow’s ■mergetic mayoralty a. liveryman remarked that one evening the Lord Mayor dined in Paris, and was with '>is printing colleagues in Edinburgh the following day. Sir AYillia.m had made a practice of attending a different citv church every Sunday.