§ MR. HENRY H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that Lord Cairns' Conveyancing Acts and Settled Land Act were referred to and fully considered by Select Committees of this House; whether the Government propose that a similar course should be adopted with respect to the Land Transfer Bill; and, whether he thinks that it will be possible to secure a full consideration by a Select Committee of the complicated details of the Land Transfer Bill during the present Session?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster), in reply, said, he was aware that the Acts referred to were very carefully considered by a Select Committee of this House; and he believed they were not the subject of debate in the House at all. If a similar course could be pursued with regard to the Land Transfer Bill, he thought it probably would tend very greatly to the advantage of the measure itself, and of the country. But he had not been able to satisfy himself that that course could be taken. He would make further inquiries, however, and give a further answer to the Question if the right hon. Gentleman would renew it next week.
§ MR. HENRY H. FOWLERI presume, from the answer just given, that the second reading will not be moved for on Thursday.
§ MR. W. H. SMITH, in reply, undertook that no further steps should be taken with the Bill until he had satisfied himself whether it could or could not be referred to a Select Committee.