§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. WHITWELL,in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, that it was one of two Bills which it was desired should be referred to a Select Committee. The hon. and learned Gentleman the Attorney General consented to that course being taken, and he should therefore ask the House to assent too. He begged to move the second reading.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Whitwell.)
1163§ MR. RITCHIEsaid, that as he could not hear a word of what was said by the hon. Member for Kendal he should like to know the nature of the Bill. He thought that they ought not to allow a Bill of that magnitude to be passed without some explanation on the subject. On that side of the House they knew nothing whatever about it. He thought it would be well if some Member of the Government would give some indication of the nature of the Bill. The measure had a very high-sounding title, and might make some very important changes in the law, audit was certainly the duty of someone or other to give them some explanation on the subject.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)said, that the hon. Member seemed to have paid more attention to the Bill during the last Parliament than now. The Bill was the same which had been introduced by Mr. Sampson Lloyd—whose absence they all regretted—and it was the wish of the Government that it should be referred to a Select Committee. It was referred to a Committee in the last Parliament, and it was desirable that it should be so referred again. The Government were perfectly willing that the Bill should be read a second time, and then referred to a Select Committee. He did not think that at that hour of the night he need give any further explanation of the Bill.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed to a Select Committee.