SIB ROBERT PEELsaid, that he then rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to render putative fathers of bastard children in Ireland liable for their maintenance. Last year the Committee on the Poor Law recommended that some measure of the kind should be passed for Ireland, as these children were now maintained at the expense of the poor rates. The Committee recommended that the board of guardians should sue putative fathers for the recovery of the money expended in the maintenance of the children. It was, however, the opinion of the Poor Law Commissioners that it would be better to assimilate the law of the two countries, instead of reverting to a law which had been abandoned in England after ten years' experience.
§
Leave given.
Bill to render Putative Fathers of Bastard Children, in Ireland, liable for their maintenance, ordered to be brought in by Sir ROBERT PEEL and Mr. CLIVE.
§ Bill presented and read 1o.