GRANDMA’S APRON

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 9

GRANDMA’S APRON

South Africa No Longer Tied CORONATION OATH BILL By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received February 5, 5.5 p.m.) Cape Town, February 5. In the course of the debate on the Coronation Oath Bill, members of the Dominion Party asserted that the Bill proved the Government’s determination to maintain the divisibility of the Crown. The Prime Minister, General J. B. Hertzog, replied : “We no longer, belong to Britain, and are no longer tied to grandma’s apron strings. We now stand on a par with her.” The Bill does not give the actual terms of the oath, but declares: "Au oath shall lie administered to the King at the coronation, the purport of which shall be that he will govern the people' of the Union according to the Statutes agreed on in the Union Parliament, and according to its other laws and customs, and that he will cause law, justice and mercy to be executed in all his judgments.” General Hertzog said the Bill provided a common form of oath to which the Dominion Governments had agreed. The Bill also provider! for the Gover-nor-General to appoint a person to administer the oath or to arrange with any other Dominion for a collective oath “in a form to be agreed upon.” The Bill was read a second time. NEW FORM OF OATH London. February -1. It is not expected that any Home or Dominion legislation will be required regarding the new form of the coronation oath. It will, as a result of consultations, recognise the changed position of the Dominions since the South African Parliament passed the Bill.