RIGHTS OF PEERESSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 83, 29 June 1927, Page 1

RIGHTS OF PEERESSES

LORD ASTOR’S BILL WITHDRAWN By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright LONDON, Monday. In the House of Lords to-day Viscount Novar drew attention to the disappearance from the order paper of Viscount Astor’s bill to qualify peeresses to sit in the House. This measure has twice previously been rejected. Lord A'fctor explained that as the Government was about to introduce a

House of Lords Reform Bill a new situation had been created, especially as the Marquis of Salisbury and the Earl of Birkenhead had stated that in the event of reform there would be no objection to considering the claims of peeresses in their own

right to sit. Therefore Lord Astor said he had intimated that he wished to withdraw his bill. The House formally granted leave for the withdrawal of the measure.— A. and N.Z. Under the bill peevesses in their own right would not become automatically entitled to a seat and vote in the Upper House. Clause 1, sub-section (1) stated that “His Majesty may direct that a peeress in her own right (not being a peeress only of Scotland or of Ireland) shall during her life be summoned by writ to Parliament, and any peeress receiving a writ of summons by virtue of such a direction of His Majesty shall be entitled to sit and yote in the House of Lords,” Scottish and Irish peeresses would be granted the rights of election at present enjoyed by Scottish and Irish peers. .