§ Order for Committee read.
§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)said, the Bill was of great importance, and involved a considerable change in the law, and he did not think they ought to take it at that hour of the night. He did not wish to oppose it; but he would appeal to the hon. Member for Glasgow (Mr. Anderson) whether, having taken the one stage in the Bill, Progress should not be reported?
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. M'LAREN)said, he could not assent to the proposition of the learned Attorney General. The Committee were only divided upon some minor matters, and ultimately came to an almost unanimous decision. No Amendments had been given Notice of, and he thought they should snake some progress with the useful and practical measure before them.
§ MR. GORST moved to report Progress.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again."—(Mr. Gorst.)
§ MR. ANDERSONsaid, he was entirely in the hands of the Committee in that matter. He believed there were no further Amendments to the Bill. It was very carefully gone through by the Committee, and, in some respects, altered. 688 He had been willing to receive Amendments, and had let the Bill go through the Committee without pressing any Amendments of his own. He was, however, in the hands of the Committee; and, unless the Lord Advocate had strong reasons to press it through, he was disposed to assent to Progress being reported.
§ THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. M'LAREN)said, if there were to be Amendments, he should at once agree to the proposition. He had understood from the Notice Paper that there were none.
§ MR. H. DAVEYsaid, he took the first opportunity that evening of putting an Amendment on the Notice Paper, which had not got on the printed Papers. He thought no one could read the 1st clause without seeing that the Bill involved serious propositions of law, and would involve also a conflict of jurisdiction between English and Scotch laws. They could not discuss it at that hour of the night.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Committee report Progress; to sit again To-morrow.