§ (Mr. Dugdale, Mr. Whitmore, Mr. Wharton, Mr. Curzon, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Mark Stewart.)
§ SECOND READING.
§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. DUGDALE (Warwickshire, Nuneaton)said, the object of the Bill would be apparent to every one who had seen it, and would, he thought, meet with approval on all sides. He therefore hoped the House would take the second reading. The object was stated in a short memorandum attached to the Bill itself, which he would read. It gave to Courts of Justice and magistrates the option of sending youthful offenders brought before them to reformatory schools without their first undergoing sentence of imprisonment. Provision was made for such offenders being temporarily detained until the reformatory school was ready to receive them. The Bill was a counterpart of that brought in last Session, when, under the persistent attention of the hon. Member for Mid Cork, it eventually died. On this occasion he hoped it would be more fortunate, and that no hon. Member would oppose the second reading. It had an object that must commend itself to all. He was quite aware that the Home Secretary was going to bring in a Bill dealing with reformatory schools, and if the House passed the second reading of the present Bill, he would defer the Committee stage until after Whitsuntide, and if the Government Bill, in the meantime, was found to contain provisions similar to this Bill, he would be quite prepared to drop the Bill.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Dugdale.)
§ MR. BIGGAR (Cavan, W.)I object. Second Reading deferred till Wednesday 9th May.