§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(The Earl of Onslow.)
§ LORD LAMINGTONsaid, he had been very glad to see that one result of the Colonial Conference had been that a step had been taken in the right direc- 643 tion by the Government in connection with this matter. It had always been a matter of the greatest regret to him, taking the interest which he did in the Colonial Service, that no class had been more neglected than those employed by Her Majesty's Government in the Colonies. Twenty years ago it had been left to him, as a private Member, to introduce a Governors' Pension Bill; until that period no Governor had received any pension at all. The Bill which he had introduced had been very considerably changed during its pro-gross through Parliament, the period of service having been altered from six years to 18. He would endeavour to introduce some Amendment in the present Bill; and he trusted that now, when the public interest in Colonial matters was so great, justice would be done to those who served in the Colonies.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday the 14th of June next.