§ [THIRD NIGHT.]
MR. GLADSTONEIt may be for the convenience of the House if I state at once that, in consequence of a communication with the right hon. Gentleman opposite the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Stafford Northcote), Her Majesty's Government propose to make a certain alteration in the course of procedure on Monday and Tuesday, by exchanging the places of the Bills that were intended for those days. It is now proposed, therefore, to take the Consolidated Fund Bill for the purpose of the debate connected with the Vote of Credit on Monday, and to take the Registration of Voters (England) Bill on Tuesday.
§ Bill considered in Committee.
1945§ (In the Committee.)
§ MR. TOMLINSONsaid, he had an Amendment on the Paper to move a new clause. He did not propose to move it as it appeared on the Paper, as he had placed it there somewhat hurriedly. He was more anxious to mention the difficulty, and if the Government were not satisfied with the wording of his Amendment he would be glad to alter it in any way they liked, so long as his object was attained. The difficulty which he sought to meet arose from Section 9 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882, which was as follows:—
A person shall not be entitled to be enrolled as a burgess unless be is qualified as follows:—(a.) Has been rated in respect of the qualifying property to all poor rates made during those twelve months for the parish wherein the property is situate.Some difficulties with regard to the construction of that clause having arisen in the minds of Revising Barristers, he thought the Government might take advantage of this Act to make it perfectly clear, and he therefore begged to move the clause he had referred to.New Clause:—
Section nine of 'The Municipal Corporation Act, 1882,' shall be read and construed as if Section nineteen of 'The Poor Rate Assessment and Collection Act, 1869,' and Section fourteen of 'The Parliamentary and Municipal Registration Act. 1878,' were incorporated with the former part of that Act,"—(Mr. Tomlinson.)—brought up, and read the first time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause be read the second time."
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)trusted the hon. Member would not press his clause. The law was perfectly clear, and they could not legislate against every mistake which a Revising Barrister was liable to make. He had looked carefully into the matter, and was satisfied that the law as it stood was perfectly clear, and therefore he trusted the hon. Member would not press his Amendment.
§ MR. TOMLINSONsaid, he would comply with the request of the hon. and learned Gentleman, and not press his Amendment.
§ Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.