A FIXED EASTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3757, 21 February 1928, Page 2

A FIXED EASTER.

MANY ADVANTAGES

COMMONS PASS SECOND READING OF NEW BILL.

London, February 17. In the House of Commons Captain Bourne moved a private Bill to stabilise Easter Day on the Sundayfollowing the second Saturday in April. He explained that the suggested date would meet the ecclesiastical wish to avoid the risk of the Feast of the Annunciation clashing with Passion Sunday. The Bill would not operate until the Government, through the League of Nations, had sought the agreement of the Western Powers. Educational authorities everywhere favoured a fixed Easter as advantageous to the arrangement of terms. .

■Sir Henry S'lesser moved the rejection of the Bill. He said that there was no justification for the change of a religious festival which had existed for 1600 years. Sir William Joynson-Hicks (Home Secretary) said that there was ‘ no intention that there should be two Easters, secular and ecclesiastical. The Primate had spoken in the House of Lords favouring a fixed Easter, secular and ecclesiastical, on educational grounds, provided that it was not attempted without the consent of the Roman Church. The Government would leave the Bill to a free vote and take its passage as authorising negotiations to obtain the ecclesiastical authorities’ consent. Sir Henry Slesser withdrew his amendment and the Bill was read a second time.

Though the House of Commons read a second time the Stabilisation of Easter Bill, lobbyists point out that even if it passed its remaining stages Easter may continue to wander about the calendar for many years. First there must be international negotiations for an agreement between States, and similarly between the churches.

If a general agreement is reached, a resolution of both Houses is needed to put tht Bill into force.