§ On the motion of the Attorney-General, the House went into Committee on this Bill.
Mr. O'Connellwished to know whether, in considering this Bill, an opportunity would be given to correct what was erroneous in the last measure. He hoped it would be so framed as that such amendments could be made. According to the provisions of the Bill of last Session, no chapel could be registered unless as a separate building. Now that was inconvenient, for there were many chapels which existed in connexion with other buildings.
§ Lord John Russellsaid, that there would be an opportunity afforded at a future period of introducing any amendments that might be agreed to by the House.
§ Mr. Wilkshoped that the Bill would be postponed for a month, in order that full opportunity might be afforded for introducing such improvements as might be suggested. He expected to receive many valuable suggestions from the Dissenters in different parts of the country.
§ Mr. Baineswished to say a few words with regard to one point relating to the reading of notices before the guardians of the poor. That part of the measure was generally conceived by the Dissenters to be derogatory and insulting, and he was sure that it was not the wish of any branch of the Legislature to accumulate insult on the heads of those whom the Bill originally intended to relieve. There was another point to which he begged to call the attention of the House, and he hoped they would not fail to take it into consideration. It was that part of the Registration Bill by which the guardians of the poor were to be made the superintendent registrars of births, marriages, and deaths. This was an exceedingly objectionable part of the Bill. It was the seventh clause, and if any arrangement could be made to obviate this objection, he thought it would 138 be very acceptable to those on whose behalf it was intended that the Bill should operate beneficially. He was sure his hon. Friend the Member for Boston (Mr. Wilks), would be disposed to give every attention to these points, and that his Majesty's Government would he disposed to co-operate in any measure that tended to give to those who were interested the full effect of the relief sought.
§ Mr. Wilksadmitted that the first point adverted to by his hon. Friend was a monstrous evil on the part of the Dissenters of this country, and one to which every Member who took an interest in behalf of the Dissenting body was bound to give every attention in his power. As to the other point, he was not prepared at that moment to pledge himself, but he would give it every attention.
§ The Bill was reported, with the amendments; and the House resumed.