§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ Clause 1 (Short title).
§ MR. HEALYsaid, this was the third Settled Land Bill which had been brought in in three years. This system of tinkering with the question led to great complication with lawyers. It would be well that the Committee should receive some explanation from the right hon. Gentleman in charge of the Bill.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSsaid, that a Settled Land Bill was passed last year; but it had been found that it contained one or two points which were difficult to work. This Bill was simply brought in to remove a little friction which was found in the Act of last year, and it had been approved of by all lawyers on both sides of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and also by the Incorporated Law Society. It was not quite clear, under the Act of last year, whether a fine received for granting a lease was to go to the tenant for life, or to be considered as part of the capital of the estate. The point was made clear in this Bill. He did not know whether the hon. Member (Mr. Healy) wished him to go through all the other points of the measure.
§ MR. HEALYsaid, it was not for him to raise any further objection to the Bill. He had only lo remark that it was strange that lawyers on the opposite Benches — Members of the Radical Party—who were supposed to take an interest in the question of settled lands, 936 should permit these attempts to tinker with the matter.
§ Clause agreed to.
§ Remaining clauses agreed to.
§ Bill reported, without Amendment; to be read the third time To-morrow, at Two of the clock.