REGENCY BILL DEBATE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19247, 12 February 1937, Page 13

REGENCY BILL DEBATE

ATTITUDE TO THRONE

LABOUR PARTY VIEW

(Peed. Peh. 11. 7, p.m.) LONDON, Peh. 10.

Tins attitude of the British Labour Party to the Throne was .staled by Lord Sncll when the House of Lords passed the second rending of the Regency Bill. lie said: "We accept il without argument and without, hesitation in the present form. but if circumstances should arise where a change is made in the relationship of the King to Parliament, we would require a revision of that attitude. We recognise that this at present is not a mailer for us alone, but also for the Dominions, and as there is no reason to suppose the Dominions arc not fiillv in agreement with the proposals; the, Labour Party will assist in (lie passage of the hill." Lord Donoughmqre questioned the provision that a Regent must, be next in suecession to the Throne if not disqualified by age or in other .ways mentioned. ITo csked the peers to visualise the situation under the Act if William 17 had developed an illness and ft Regency had become necessary. Princess Victoria, who was the, immediate heir, was under agp and. therefore the Regent would have been the Duke of Cumberland, in which case there would, have been a revolution. lie was a gallant soldier, but a-hitler party politician and unpopular. Viscount Halifax replied that the on-Jr-rtfons to making, a Regency automatic were less than those to making it selective.