§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ SIR JAMES M'GAREL-HOGG, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, he thought it would be convenient to the House, and to those hon. Members who took an interest in this Bill, that he should shortly state the course which, on behalf of the Metropolitan Board of Works, he pro- 583 posed to take in regard to it. A great number of hon. Members took an interest in it, and a few local Bodies were opposed to it. He therefore wished to state that if the House agreed to read the Bill a second time, he proposed in Committee to withdraw all the clauses except Clauses 11, 12, 13, and 14. Clause 11 related to the better regulation of theatres; Clauses 12, 13, and 14 dealt with the prevention of floods. Clause 18, which dealt with timber stacks, and Clause 19, which related to the cubical contents of buildings, had been much objected to, and it was not intended to proceed with them at all. He wished the House to understand that that step was only taken because the officers of the House had said that it was not proper for a Private Bill to deal with matters which had previously been dealt with by Public Bills. Therefore, these clauses would be withdrawn; but should the House accord him that which he now asked—the second reading of the Bill—he proposed, at a convenient opportunity, to bring in a Public Bill, embodying, with the exception of Clauses 18 and 19, the clauses now withdrawn. Under these circumstances, he begged to move the second reading of the Bill.
§ Motion made, and Question, "That the Bill be now read a second time,"—(Sir James M'Garel-Hogg,)—put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed.