HC Deb 26 July 1858 vol 151 cc2137-8

Order for Consideration, as amended, read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now taken into consideration."

MR. ROLT

said, the Bill contained thirty clauses. It was not founded on the Report of a Commission, it was not introduced by Government, and it had not received that degree of care and consideration which was usual in Bills of this sort. It was not because he thought that, if there were time for full consideration, the Bill ought to be rejected, but because he thought it ought not to be passed without careful consideration that he moved, as an Amendment, that the Bill be recommitted.

Amendment proposed,— To leave out from the word "be," to the end of the Question, in order to add the word "recommitted," instead thereof.

Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

said, among the many disappointments in matters of legislation to which he had been doomed to submit during the latter part of this Session, nothing had cost him more pain than the necessity he felt under of consenting, as he most reluctantly did, to the withdrawal of this Bill. The Bill had emanated from, he might almost say, the greatest lawyer of Ids time in respect to the subjects to which the Bill related. It underwent great discussion in the House of Lords, and it passed the Committee of that House at last with the entire assent of all the law Lords. It was calculated, he believed, to effect many and great improvements upon points on which every member of the community was deeply interested. But he was bound to admit that, as it now came down to this House at this late period of the Session, his hon. and learned Friend had by no means misrepresented the case when he said there had been no opportunity of discussing a single clause of the Bill in this House, and he did not think it would be respectful to the House to press the Bill forward now.

MR. MALINS

expressed his satisfaction at the withdrawal of the Bill.

Amendment and Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Bill put off for a month.