§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ MR. WARTON moved that Progress be reported, as two hon. Members who had placed Amendments on the Paper were not there, and could not be expected to be there at that hour of the morning.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again."—(Mr. Warton.)
923§ MR. R. N. FOWLERsaid, the Bill could be disposed of in less than three minutes.
§ MR. WARTONsaid, he would not press his Motion.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.
§ Clause 1 (Short title of Act).
§ MR. WARTON (for Mr. COCHRAN-PATRICK) moved to insert the word "counterfeit" before "Medal," in page 1, line 5. It seemed to be the impression of the Government that there could be no such thing as a duplicate medal. There were medals given as rewards in schools; some of a more honourable description were medals won on the field of battle in open war or in military operations, as the case might be. But there was a difference between genuine duplicate medals and counterfeit medals.
§ Amendment proposed, in page 1, line 5, before the word "Medal," to insert the word "counterfeit."—(Mr. Warton.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause, as amended, agreed to.
§ Clause 2 (Punishment for selling medals resembling current coin).
§ MR. WARTON (for Mr. COCHRAN-PATRICK) moved the insertion of the words "with intention to defraud," after the word "sells," in page 1, line 10. There might be medals which were properly sold. They all knew that there were large collections of very great interest which might properly be sold, and the element of evil intention should come into play to constitute crime. There was no crime without evil intention.
§ Amendment proposed, in page 1, line 10, after the word "sells," to insert the words "with intention to defraud."—(Mr. Warton.)
§ Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted."
§ MR. COURTNEYsaid, the proposal now made would destroy the value of the Bill. The Bill was framed on an analogy with the law, which made it not only a misdemeanour, but an actual felony, to possess paper capable of being used as Bank of England paper. It was not necessary to prove the intention to defraud.
§ Amendment negatived.
§ Clause agreed to.
924§ Clause 3 (Interpretation).
§ MR. COURTNEY moved to insert the words "or for," after "in," in page 1, line 25.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause, as amended, agreed to.
§ Bill reported; as amended, to be considered To-morrow, at Two of the clock.