VACCINATION ACT (1867) AMENDMENT BILL—LORDS' AMENDMENT. (Hansard, 19 August 1871)

§ MR. W. E. FORSTER

said, the House of Lords had struck out of this Bill the 10th clause—an important clause which mitigated the penalties. That clause was passed in that House by a majority of 57 to 12, and expugned in the other House by a majority of 8 to 7, the total number of Peers voting being just about equal to the number of Members on the Select Committee which, after a long and careful consideration, came to a unanimous conclusion in favour of the 1883 clause. He should have had no hesitation whatever in asking the House to disagree to the Amendment, if the period of the Session would allow of such disagreement being made without loss of the Bill; but as that was not the case, and as such a course might involve the loss of the Bill, which would effect great administrative improvements, he feared the House had no choice but to accept the Amendment. Although the clause was, doubtless, an important one, he might remark that it was not necessary to the other parts of the Bill, and with the disease raging in the country as it did, he thought it was not safe to postpone the measure. He regretted the omission of the clause, because in his opinion it struck a great blow at the principle of compulsory vaccination, which their Lordships, as well as himself, thought necessary for the health of the country. He would conclude by moving that the House should agree to the Lords' Amendment.