HISTORIC ACT

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1936, Page 10

HISTORIC ACT

DELEGATION OF POWERS

FAMILY'S RESPONSIBILITY

NEW CONSTITUTIONAL

PRACTICE

(Received January 21, 12.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 20. The "Sun-Herald" news agency in London says that his Majesty made constitutional history embracing the whole Empire this afternoon, when supported by pillows on which he was tenderly raised by doctors and nurses, he watched through the communicating doors the brief meeting of the Privy Council and signed the document "George R" constituting a Council of State.

It will be recalled that during his Majesty's illness in 1928 the Council appointed included the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor, and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The "Sun-Harald" agency is informed that there is no precedent for a Regency Council composed exclusively of members of the Royal Family. It is understood that this is regarded as a corollary arising out of recent constitutional changes in the •jritish Commonwealth as a result of Mr. Balfour's 1926 declaration, the Statute of Westminster. The formation of the Council and its personnel rests solely with his Majesty, who delegated to his family Sovereign powers to perform certain duties xon his behalf, constitutional provision for which is contained in the fact that as members of the Crown they possess a link with the Dominions similar to himself. EQUALITY OF STATUS. It is pointed out that his Majesty is King of each Dominion precisely as he is King of England, an equality of status having been established between Britain and the Dominions. The Council could not include Ministers of the Mother Country unless Ministers of each Dominion were also appointed. This was obviously impracticable. His Majesty, evidently acting on the advice of the highest constitutional authorities, limited the Council to his own family, realising, as does the whole nation, that his sons, through their experience and sympathetic understanding of the problems of the British peoples, would adequately discharge all their responsibilities. All communications from the King to the Dominions have lately been carried out in accordance with the new constitutional nractice under which the Crown is linked' direct with the GovernorGeneral, omitting the High Commissioners, while the Dominions Office is the only channel of communication as between Governments.

It is understood that the Prime Ministers, of the Dominions conferred with the British authorities 'during the jubilee celebrations to clarify the procedure and meet such an eventuality as the present one, and it is believed that the position was then clearly defined, though it is stated that the proceedings were not documented.