HC Deb 16 June 1874 vol 219 c1677
MR. E. JENKINS

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, having regard to the intricacy of the subject, and to the fact that many of the Societies affected by the Bill would not have time to place it before their Courts and communicate with their representatives before Monday next, he will consent to postpone the second reading of the Friendly and other Societies Bill?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

, in reply, said, that he was most anxious that the Friendly Societies Bill should be fully considered and discussed. If he postponed it, as he was asked to do, from Monday next, he feared he would lose the chance of passing the Bill during the present year. From the communications which had reached him on the subject, he was of opinion that there were many points in the Bill which would not be really understood until they had been discussed on the second reading. He thought that time would be saved, and the convenience of the Societies consulted, by proceeding with the Bill on Monday, and he proposed to give ample time for further consideration before going into Committee.