REGENCY BILL PASSED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 352, 5 February 1937, Page 5

REGENCY BILL PASSED

NO DIVISION.

THIRD READING.

“Wild Men of Left” Make Lively Passages.

(British Official Wireless.) Received 1.30 p.m. Rugby, February 4

The Regency Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons without a division. Lively passages between the socalled "wild men of the Left” and Sir John Simon occurred during the committee stage of the Regency Bill. Mr Anthony Eden, on the first clause laying down that the Sovereign attains majority at the age of 18, said that the ordinary minor could not manage an estate at that age. Citizens cannot vote or peer or commoner take a seat in Parliament until the age of 21. Sir John Simon, Home Secretary, recalled that Queen 'Victoria came to the throne when she was only 18. He did not think that there was any justification for departing from the traditional age. The clause was adopted without a division. On Clause 2 the Home Secretary moved an amendment making it possible for four or more persons, instead of three or more, to declare the Sovereign incapable of performing Royal functions. He explained that in the case of three out of six, there might be an equal division among the six.

Messrs. Mander and Eden thought that no member of the Royal Family ought to be associated in the matter, the former arguing that the person next succeeding would be in a difficult position if he or she had to decide whether the Sovereign was insane or not. There might be some feeling in the country and the person ascending the Throne should not be the subjetc of any such controversy.