§ Lord J. Russell moved that the Registers of Births Bill be read a second time.
§ Mr. Cresswellthought it desirable to mention to the noble Lord a circumstance relating to this measure, which had recently come to his knowledge. He found that the registrar did not register births and deaths from his own personal knowledge of the facts, but from information given to him either by the parents of the children born, or by the owners or occupiers of the house in which the births or the death might be alleged to have taken place; and that information was often sent to him in writing by a servant. Now it was quite obvious that the registrar must be liable to be imposed upon, and it had already been discovered that frauds had been practised. In some instances most important and serious consequences might arise from representations being made of the birth of a child which might be altogether factitious; and yet it might be exceedingly difficult, after entries had been made in the register, to trace out the parties committing frauds of that description. In Manchester it had been found that persons had represented children to be dead for the purpose of cheating money-clubs, and one or two prosecutions had already taken place for such offences.
§ Lord J. Russellwas aware that frauds of the description mentioned by the hon. and learned Gentleman had been committed. In the cases which had been reported to him he had directed prosecutions to be instituted. He hardly knew how any other remedy than that of prosecuting cases where the law had been violated could be devised to meet the mischief complained of.
§ Bill read a second time.