§ Order for Third Reading read.
§ GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOURsaid, he had been very anxious, indeed, to obtain from the Lord Advocate some statement of what this Bill really was, but he had entirely failed. The Lord Advocate was now present, and he should therefore move that the third reading of the Bill be postponed in order to afford an opportunity for the Lord Advocate explaining the object of this Bill. He must protest against the way in which Scotch business was done. Scotch Members had no means whatever of ascertaining what was the meaning of the Bills brought in, owing to the uncertain and irregular hours of the night 1783 when Scotch business was taken up; and as regarded the Bill now before the House, he defied any man to ascertain from the Census Returns how boroughs were divided. It was different with the Returns of the English Census. There information was obtainable about the divisions of towns, and even useful information about Scotch towns which the Scotch Census did not furnish. By these omissions Scotch Members were entirely without the information which they ought to have. The Bill ought not, therefore, to be read a third time without more information than they had at present. He had done his best to get information from the Lord Advocate, but had failed to.
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANsaid, it was no part of his duty to take the part of the Lord Advocate; but he might remind the House that the Lord Advocate, in moving the second reading of the Bill, did state the full nature of the Bill, and was understood to say that it had reference to the burgh of Wick. He only wished to say that the Lord Advocate did make a statement.
§ Bill read the third time, and passed.