A.D. 1927. conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, or to a term of imprisonment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and such imprisonment. Short title, 3. This Act may be cited as the Sale of Honours 5 (Prohibition) Act, 1927, To make illegal any arrangement or Ordered to be brought in by Mr. Thurtle, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Buchanan, Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be Printed, 8 March 1927. To be purchased directly from H.M, STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses: 120, George Street, Edinburgh; York Street, Manchester; Teaching to Children Bill. MEMORANDUM. The object of this Bill is to prevent the perversion of the minds of children under sixteen years of age by seditious and blasphemous teaching or literature. The Bill does not in any way deal with propaganda amongst adults. The definition of "seditious matter" embodied in the Bill expresses the common law of England as laid down in numerous decided cases and summarised in Lord Halsbury's Law of England, vol. 9, p. 463, and in Stephen's Digest of the Criminal Law, 6th ed., pp. 70, 71. The definition of "blasphemous matter" embodied in the Bill is in accordance with the law as laid down by the House of Lords in the case of Bowman v. Secular Society, Limited, 1917, A.C. 406. No new offence is created by the Bill. The change made is one of procedure only. Blasphemous Teaching to Children. A BILL то Prevent the teaching of seditious and blasphemous A.D. 1927. doctrines and methods to children; and for other purposes connected therewith. BE E it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, 5 as follows: 10 15 20 25 1. Any person who— (a) teaches seditious or blasphemous matter to shall be guilty of an offence under this Act. " Offences. 2. For the purposes of this Act "seditious matter Definition means words spoken, written, or printed with an of" sediintention tious (a) to bring into hatred or contempt, or excite matter." disaffection against the Crown or the Constitution of the United Kingdom; or A.D. 1927. Definition of "blasphemous matter." Penalties. Short title. Blasphemous Teaching to Children. (b) to incite His Majesty's subjects to attempt, otherwise than by lawful means, the alteration of any matter in the State as by law established; or (c) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility 5 between different classes of His Majesty's subjects: Provided that nothing in this Act contained shall make it an offence to speak, write, or print words with the object of pointing out errors or defects in the Govern- 10 ment or the Constitution with a view to their reformation, or pointing out, to order their removal, matters which are producing or have a tendency to produce feelings of hatred and ill-will between different classes of His Majesty's subjects. 3. For the purposes of this Act "blasphemous matter " means words spoken, written, or printed whereby it is sought to bring the Christian religion into contempt by means of ribald, contumelious, or scurrilous language. 15 4. Any person guilty of an offence under this Act 20 shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding four months, and to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, and the provisions of section seventeen of the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, shall apply. 5. This Act may be cited as the Seditious and Blasphemous Teaching to Children Act, 1927. 25 |