Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-19
BRITISH MAYORS
QUEER stunts
r,etorn of EIecting Towns Chief
executive in Belfry Of Church
Is Observed.
MS FEAT, HOWEVER, IS EASY.
s.,. Other English Mayors Are
Dpucked" in River and Others
Made TO "Dance."

| ,sge fraternities and other secret
ordars require of their initiates
few more curious or exartihg
ustunts" than the citizens of many
towns in the British Isles still exact
from successful candidates for the office
n, mayor The Englishman is known
To stick TO old ways about as tena-
ciously as the Old Man of the Sea
s,uck to Sindbad the Sailor, but some
Of the mayora inauguration cere-
monies still observed in the ancient
towns NAV be described IN American
slang as "the limit" Moreover. in
nlaces where these old customs have
been allowed to die natural death,
an attempt Is being made to resurrect
them, This is the result of many noble
men and mon Of wealth having defeated
business men in the run for office, the
former having more time and regard
for the preservation of the ancient cere-
monies. many OF which date back to
the middle ages.
sHARPEsT OF ALL.
The strangest of these ceremonies and
customs are now. observed In the So
called Cirque ports, of which Lord
Curzon was once lord warden and
where. at Walmer castle. the late Lady
Curzon was taken with her serious ILL
ness. The eldest of the towns. a tribu-
tary of and belonging TO the Clnque
ports, Is Brightllngsea, little place
famous for It's oysters, and for having
furnished shippers for several Ameri-
can cup challengers, the last OF these
having haan i.antain Cuean,nro
Although It has town hall Bright
lingseas municipal election is held in
the befry OF the parish church, on the
first Monday IN January. The church
bell summons the voters, and they
gather In procession at the church,
yard gate. Headed by the deputy. for
such Is the chief magistrate called. and
other officials with ancient names. thew
proceed 10 the belfry. A ships captain
carries the deputy's regalia, consisting
OF a truncheon and handsome chain
formed OF gold models of oysters, and
silver models Of fish.
CoNF1sCATIoN PENALTY.
The Keeper OF the records asks tbe
freemen TO elect Deputy for the
cinque Ports Liberty" Several nom
nations being made, the nominees have
70 retire while the balloting. is done,
none can refuse to accept any office
10 which he is elected on penalty of
cohhscation Of his property. At a re-
ceht election. W. B. Wenlock was elect
ca by majority Of one vote. He as
sumed the office after journeying to
ssaiawich, the ancient royal town where
az su was installed. He then returned In
san resaiia 10 his own city hall where
nv was proclaimed deputy. A fish din
blaze Of glory. 1' 40
Among the other ceremonies which a.
tended the election OF MAYORS IN Ena
lahd is queer one at Tfyerton. a re.
my NOUS OLD country town in Deyonshire
mere me 'ducking' Of the MAYOR ia
an ihvariable part OF the program. A
sMean OF water was presented to the
soMn ny Isabella, Countess OF Devon
,p,ne SIX centuries ago. Annually since
,h according TO the conditions ~
,ro, inheritance. the towns chief ma e;s-
, urv ana the high bailiff have been
n. V nm p9ully into the water to remind
Il o"le.ais and citizens that the stream
- gilt OF the kind oounteua AZ
n,sy oe imagined this method of nerA
r " the noble lady's memorv 10
effective, and. howeyor
4, ,o'h h II may seem II cannot he aaid
r w ~ as dry" MS some of The tna,,rA
mn, r ceremonies the newer towns
LITERALLY WEIGHED IN
AN, ,ae mayors of High wvcombs n
h The f5n a,lsh are literally Weighed
found ua 'ance, and, apparently, never
wanting. This is for come
NAV ha . .hWn In High Wycombe. n
custom ' h IN the Middle Ages, for the
turtles nus nus been continued for cen-
pualiac ap,v,anuerosity was considered q,
ceremonv ~ ior Office holding. AS the
the beyinr,s, periorlned publicly at both
Mayors t arn and the end of the
are carefnIi,, ol otiice and the figures
be to asceria accorded, the purpose may
has grown ..sn whether the magistrate
how, the n,s tal IN public office--anv-
erlcan cities, carried out In AM
pefhsnost lgin Of municipal "erafto ,,av
ages De traced back 10 Inc Lay NY,
where 'he irish town or I.i,narior
got his UT centuries past the nawnr h
a,rsnsa uotl free. He has. I'm ssc, .hs
quarier " privilege Of leyying a toii ~
bro,rh, VI ton OF coal on evar,, 49, ~
SIX hundrn1o me city and as Ave or
Port ever Goa, laden ships enter the
The greats, 'eu, ne gets plenty of fuel
10 give ~ pofllon OF which he Is SAID
of Llmosw inc poor. The coal deaIars
itmpts ~ nave made Repeated az
mate era,,, "oWn this custom OF ..Iae,,i-
!udre through the .oo,rts wh.u-
MOI he Jus Insisted that tradi,ioo our ,na
Is sacrificed to Justice e'''0h must
n. AARBoR JURISDICTION.
elaine lord mayor of Corr, an,,,,
a dari "Rsrbor Jurisdiction by ,hro oua,iy
and b, escorted by all the civ n,,,",s
launch ,'oed guests, he stean,ss ''n,a's
and f,nt 10 a certain snot tan,s W
a dart as far r LOW LOW Of the boat he throws
lslnt deflhss ssaward as possible Th,s
70 the civ We boundaries BELONGING
asIties ana o. tar as claiming nronas
A. It is nst nalnor rights is concernad
hat the da.urally TO Cork's adva,,,
uble, The ' sn should go as far ,a ,aso
liable nra l'sspeptiye mayors dn n pys-
tying IL ~euslng before eleetiors pnsiu-
Nh, ! pu'-do his Predecessor. 'ach
n CANES caa CHURCH OFFICERS.
Esl cou n,a somerse,shirs. thu mint,
The mavnl dominates church nu
sssfYlees a, must attend IN. state ,has
Sunday We parish church on Ma s ~.
-. 'D'ills the worship Iona
ftono.... 80 i'ad