§ Clauses 1 to 12 agreed to.
§ Clause 13 (Tenants of Houses, &c, maliciously injuring them),
§ MR. M'MAHONsaid, he objected to the clause on the ground that it made the removal of fixtures by a tenant, punishable by the criminal law, instead of leaving such questions to be settled, as hitherto, in the civil courts. The clause had been taken from an Irish Act, but he objected to the introduction of such stringent provisions from Ireland, where they had been productive of no good, but of much evil.
THE SOLICITOR GENERALsaid, the law had worked satisfactorily in Ireland, and he would remind the hon. and learned Member that one of the objects of these Bills was to assimilate the laws of England and Ireland in the matter to which they related.
§ Clause agreed to, as were also the remaining clauses.