§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)I request permission, Mr. Speaker, to ask you a Question on a point of Order, in which a good many others besides myself are interested. When you, Sir, commenced, on Thursday last, to read Her Majesty's Gracious Speech, I happened to have my hat on, and I did not remove it, but remained covered. The suggestion has been made that I did not act properly in that respect, or in accordance with the Rules of the House, and if so, of course, I should at once apologize to you and to the House for having violated any of its Rules and customs. But since I have been a Member of Parliament I have always understood that the Rule is, that when a Member appears at the Bar and informs the Speaker that he has a Message from Her Majesty to this House, signed by herself, he is desired to bring it up, and the Message is brought up to the Chair and read by the Speaker, all Members being uncovered; and their being uncovered is recorded in the Votes and on the Journals. But those are the only occasions on which Members are expected to be uncovered. In all other cases of Royal Messages we are not, I understand, expected to remove our hats. If I am right, I hope, Sir, that you will relieve the feelings of some hon. Gentlemen by so informing the House; if not, I shall, as I have said, at once apologize to it and to you?
§ MR. SPEAKERIn reply to the right hon. Gentleman, I have to say that he has correctly drawn the distinction between Messages direct from the Crown under the Sign Manual and read from the Chair, and Messages in answer to Addresses from this House. With reference to the Speech from the Throne, what is read by the Speaker from this 261 Chair is only a copy of the Speech which is delivered in "another place" before both Houses of Parliament. It is, therefore, not regarded as directly emanating from the Sovereign, and neither by the Rule of the House, nor by the custom of the House, is it obligatory for any hon. Member to uncover.