§ 7.29 p.m.
§ Mr. A. HendersonI beg to move,
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty in pursuance of the provisions of Section 157 of the Government of Burma Act, 1935, praying that the Government of Burma (House of Representatives) (Amendment) Order, 1946, be made in the form of the draft laid before Parliament.This Motion is consequential upon a Measure which has just become law and which prescribes that the age of 21 laid down in the Franchise Act in respect of the general constituencies in Burma shall also be the age of qualifying to vote in the special constitutencies which were established under the Government of 1299 Burma Act, 1935. The University of Rangoon constituency, eleven Commerce and Industry constituencies, and the four Labour constituencies will now be subject to this qualification at 21, as provided in the Franchise Act itself for the general constituencies.
§ 7.30 p.m.
§ Earl WintertonI am very glad that the Government have stood firm against some of their less instructed supporters—I cannot imagine any other term which would more adequately describe them—and have resisted the efforts of these less instructed supporters, to use a euphemistic term, and refused to agree to the ridiculous point they put forward that the voting in the whole of Burma should be at the age of 18. I notice that none of those supporters is present in the House at the moment. I would congratulate the hon. and learned Gentleman on the quality which he has shown, and which is very rare in the present Government, of standing fast against the ignorance of his own supporters.
§ Ordered: "That the Debate be now adjourned "—[Mr. Collindridge.]
§ Debate to be resumed upon Monday next.