The Bermuda Song figured prominently at Saturday night's Speaker's Dinner -- one day after an Opposition MP remained seated while it was played.

Shadow Environment Minister the Rev. Trevor Woolridge, who dined on surf and turf along with about 300 other guests of House Speaker the Hon. Ernest DeCouto -- had left the banquet room at the Southampton Princess by the time the after-dinner orators stepped to the podium.

On Friday, at an Ecumenical Service at the Anglican Cathedral marking the 375th anniversary of Bermuda's Parliament, Rev. Woolridge stood and sang the national anthem, "God Save the Queen''. But he remained seated and silent for The Bermuda Song, which immediately preceded the anthem.

Rev. Woolridge later said a national song had no place in a colony like Bermuda, and it should never be placed next to the national anthem at an official function.

But Lord Weatherill, the main speaker who with his wife Lady Weatherill was guest of honour at the dinner, said he was "greatly touched'' by the words of The Bermuda Song when he heard them at the Cathedral.

"May you indeed go from strength to strength,'' said the former Speaker of the House of Commons, who recited several lines of the song.

His speech, well laced with humour, closed with the words: "Long live Bermuda -- this beautiful Island in the sun.'' Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan -- who was criticised when he raised the Independence issue before the Queen at last year's Speaker's Dinner -- steered clear of the thorny issue that has dominated Bermuda's political agenda.

But Sir John, too, talked about the song that was created following a contest.

"I'm glad, sir, that you have recognised The Bermuda Song, and hope too that we can go from strength to strength,'' the Premier said as he looked toward Lord Weatherill.

Yesterday, Rev. Woolridge said continued use of the song by Government or anyone who planned official functions was "in very poor taste''.

"Those who may not like `God Save the Queen' as our national anthem will just have to wait until such time as we have our own national anthem as an independent Bermuda,'' he said.

If Lord Weatherill chose to refer to the song in his speech "as a good host, I have no difficulty with that'', Rev. Woolridge said.

"I do of course have serious problems with a Premier who would choose to do so,'' he said. "He would be aware of the facts and circumstances far better than our guests,'' and as a proponent of Independence "should clearly be trying not to confuse people by referring to this song and not the national anthem''.

But Sir John said yesterday the ceremony at the Cathedral incorporated many things Bermudian, and there was no attempt to suggest The Bermuda Song was the national anthem. "We could have sung, `Bermuda is another World','' Sir John said.

It was up to Rev. Woolridge not to stand for the song if he wished, the Premier said. "That's his option -- it's not a national anthem.'' Parliamentarians past and present, Lord and Lady Waddington, Chief Justice the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward, Senate President the Hon. Albert Jackson, Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade and many of the Country's top public servants were among the guests.

Invitees received booklets about Bermuda's Parliamentary history written by Mr. Colin Benbow.

Mr. DeCouto told the crowd that "Bermuda has indeed come a long way'' in its 375-year history of Parliamentary democracy. Through periods of "flux and adaptation'', the constant in the Island's history had been "a stable form of Government''.

"The system has survived the ravages of time, and although not without shortcomings, has served us admirably well.'' Lord Weatherill, a longtime Conservative who was Speaker of the House from 1983 to 1992 and served in Burma and northwest Europe during the Second World War, said it was important for politicians to speak in plain language to discourage public apathy in times of tremendous change.

And MPs and Senators should set an example by following "the politician's creed'', he said.

"If we promise we must explain; if we propose, we must deliver. If we make mistakes, we must be first to admit them; if we ask for sacrifices we must be the first to make them.

"And above all, we must give the people a vision of the future that is attainable.'' Sir John, who spoke last, praised Lord Weatherill as "a firm believer in the democratic system and the Commonwealth''.

It was important for the common man to be made to understand his responsibility in a democracy, the Premier said.