§ Order for Third Reading read.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read the third time."—(The Solicitor General.)
THE SOLICITOR GENERALbegged to explain the objects of the Bill. One of the Militia Acts contained a clause that every deserter should be punished by a fine of 40s., or by imprisonment. A deserter was brought before the magistrates of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and they took upon themselves to reduce the penalty from 40s. to half-a-crown. They did so in consequence of a clause introduced into a Gas Act for Newcastle-on-Tyne. It was thought very improper that a Gas Act or any local Act should confer power on the justices to abrogate altogether the general public legislation of the country. It was proposed by the Bill to prevent the application of any similar clause in any other Gas Act. It was not prospective, it was only retrospective; therefore they should be more cautious in allowing such a proviso to be introduced.
§ Bill read 3o, and passed.