§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, W.)appealed to the Lord Advocate not to proceed with the second reading of this Bill to-night, as it contained over 500 clauses, and had only been issued this morning, and in that case to issue before the second reading was taken a Memorandum similar to that issued in 1884, showing the points in which the Bill differed from those previously brought forward.
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR)&c.) (Clackmannan,said, he did not anticipate that there could be any possible objection to taking the stage of second reading as at present arranged, as the Bill had been read a second time in the House of Commons before, and had been referred to a Select Committee, by whom it had been carefully considered. It had come down this year from the House of Lords, where it had been twice carefully considered; and he would put it to his hon. Friends whether they might not take the second reading to-night, and give some time before the Committee stage? [Cries of "No, no!"]