§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time.—(The Lord Advocate.)
§ MR. KINNAIRDthought the House was entitled to some explanation of the Bill, which had been often proposed in previous Sessions and as often successfully resisted. He believed that it was now sought, by a great addition to the expenses of the country, in the shape of a wholesale pensioning of existing officials, to carry a measure which was regarded as unnecessary by the majority of his countrymen.
THE LORD ADVOCATEassured the hon. Gentleman that he must have made a mistake with regard to this Bill. It had passed the House of Lords, but had never as yet been the subject of discussion in the House of Commons. It simply abolished the privilege which some persons now possessed of taking documents out of the Registry House—a privilege the continuance of which was deemed inadvisable; but it did not propose the appointment of any new officials, or provide for the pensioning of any members of the existing staff.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed for Thursday, 23rd April.