§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTH, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, it embodied many of the suggestions of the Select Committee of 1873, for entrusting the Local Government Board with certain powers with reference to local administrative arrears. The Bill would not touch the sacred boundaries of counties, but dealt only with parishes and unions. It would contain provisions under which certain isolated portions of parishes might by Provisional Order be added to the unions with which they were geographically mixed. Certain small parishes would be added to other larger parishes, and power was taken to dissolve certain unions, the object being, as far as possible, to assimilate the union map to the county map of England. The Bill was also an omnibus Bill, and would contain several provisions for the better administration of the Poor Law.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Sclater-Booth.)
§ MR. WHITWELLapproved of the Bill, but the clauses would require careful consideration. He suggested the adjournment of the debate.
§ MR. DILLWYNmoved that the debate be now adjourned.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned."—(Mr. Dillwyn.)
§ SIR WALTER BARTTELOTsupported the Amendment. The Bill might or might not be of advantage to the public, but it required to be thoroughly discussed. He doubted if it was wise or prudent to bring in such a Bill at so late a period of the Session.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Debate adjourned till Monday next.
§ House adjourned at a quarter after One o'clock.