§ MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, in view of the fact that the Sheriffs' Bill and the Coroners' Bill are pure Consolidation Bills, altering in no respect the existing law, and that the failure to pass these Bills in the present Session will delay for at least a year the publication of the forthcoming revised edition of the Statutes promised by Her Majesty's Government, and will throw considerable expense upon the country, he will reconsider the intention he has stated of dropping the above Bills, and will endeavour to secure their passing in the present Session?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The hon. Gentleman only states the absolute facts, that the Bills to which he refers are Bills to consolidate the existing law, and to bring it into harmony with the practice of the Courts. It would, undoubtedly, be a great misfortune if the labour and expense which have been incurred were thrown away for this Session; and the Government, therefore, will follow the suggestion of the hon. Gentleman, in the hope that the House of Commons will accept two measures which are distinctly beneficial to the public, and which involve no political question of any kind.