§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLER,in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, 686 it was a Bill of a purely technical character. It was prepared by the late Lord Chancellor (Earl Cairns), assisted by eminent conveyancers of Lincoln's Inn, and it had the approval of the Incorporated Law Society. The details of the Bill related to the forms of conveyancing, and would sweep away the redundancy of the present forms and abolish the large expenses connected with them. It appeared to him—and he believed it was also the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown—that the Bill ought to go to a Select Committee; and, therefore, he should simply content himself with moving that the Bill be read a second time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. H. H. Fowler.)
MR. GORSTsaid, he must appeal to the hon. Gentleman not to proceed with his Bill at that hour of the night. He was told by the hon. and learned Member for Preston (Sir John Holker) that it was not the intention to push the Bill through that night. It was a Bill which embodied a great many serious principles, and certainly ought to be discussed. before it was passed. It interfered with freedom of contract, and certainly ought not to pass the House of Commons, at half-past 2 in the morning, without discussion. He moved the adjournment of the debate.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned."—(Mr. Gorst.)
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)said, the Bill was one of three Bills which were formulated by Lord Cairns last year before the change of Government; and probably, if that change had not taken place; they would have become law by this time. He believed it was understood, almost as a matter of courtesy to the late Lord Chancellor, that the House should read the Bills a second time; and if it was thought that the House had treated the Bills with discourtesy, he hoped it would be marked that the hon. and learned Member for Chatham, and other Members on his side of the House, would not allow the Bill to be read a second time.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERsaid, if the hon. and learned Member opposite had 687 looked at the printed Paper he would have seen that he (Mr. H. H. Fowler) was down to move the second reading of the Bill. Earl Cairns did him the honour of placing the Bill in his hands; and, therefore, he thought the hon. and learned Member had made some mistake in speaking as if the Bill was introduced by the hon. and learned Member for Preston. He hoped the House would allow the Bill to be read a second time.
§ Question put, and negatived.
§ Main Question put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed to a Select Committee.