LEGITIMACY BILL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 December 1926, Page 11

LEGITIMACY BILL.

A LIVELY" DEBATE. IN HOUSE OF COMMONS. MV CABLE PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIGHT LONDON, Dee. 13. In the House of Commons the Legi timaey Bill gave rise to a warm debate.‘as to whether it was right to legitimise a person whose father or mother was married to a third person when the illegitimate one was born. The Bill, as amended, refuses to legitimise such person. Another amendment was moved, providing for legitimising such a person on the ground that canon law should not prevail against the will of the House oi Commons, and it was a medieval idea to visit the sins of the parents upon the children. Mr E. A. Harney (Liberal) urged that the suggestion spoiled the Bill. It was a cobweb spun by ecclesiastical brains. Captain Hacking, on behalf of. the Government, said the Bill would have been on the statute books years ago but for this controversy. Nevertheless, not only the interests of the child, but those of the wife, must be considered. Acceptance of the amendment would break up many happy homes, and there would be a grave risk of losing the Bill in the House of Lords. The amendment was rejected by 208 votes to 101, and the Bill read a third time.