HC Deb 13 February 1856 vol 140 c698

Order for Committee read; House in Committee.

MR. F. SCOTT

said, it did not appear to him that there was any immediate haste for this Bill, as it was to affect banks created by charter ten years ago, and which had ten years yet to run. It had been said that the present measure was the same as the Bill of last year which the House had passed; but according to Hansard there had not been a word of argument upon the Bill of last year. He thought it better that the Bill should be well ventilated before it was brought forward, especially as one of the hon. Members for Edinburgh was absent, and the other had expressed no opinion. The whole question of Joint-Stock Companies was now before the House in another form.

MR. WILSON

said, that banking firms were specially excluded from the Joint-Stock Companies Acts: The Banks of Scotland had suffered great inconvenience last year from the postponement of this Bill, as it prevented them becoming corporate bodies under the Act of 1845. It was very desirable, therefore, that no further delay should take place.

Bill passed through Committee; House resumed.

The House adjourned at Three o'clock.