LEGITIMACY BILL PASSES LORDS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLXI, Issue 3481, 15 December 1926, Page 7

LEGITIMACY BILL PASSES LORDS

Canoa Law Urged as Mediaeval

WARM DEBATE ON DIFFICULT POINT [By Electric Cable—Copyright.) [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received Tuesday 7 p.m) LONDON .Dec. 13. In the House of Commons, the Legitimacy 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 a person. Another amendment was moved providing for the legitimising of such a person on the ground that Canon law should not prevail against the will of the House of Commons, and that it was a mediaeval idea to visit the sins of the parents upon the children.

Hon. E. A. Harney (Liberal) urged that th e sub-section 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. The 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 timo,