§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Asquith.)
§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)said, that this Bill had not yet been printed. They had passed a Bill on this subject this year, and there was another on the Statute Book, and he should, therefore, like to know what the present measure was.
§ MR. ASQUITHsaid, it was a Bill of consolidation merely. There were two Acts in existence on the subject, and the object of the present Bill was to consolidate them. It effected no change in the law. The Bill had passed through the House of Lords and the scrutiny of many eminent lawyers.
MR. R. G. WEBSTERsaid, he had gone through the Bill, and had failed to find in it anything about consolidation.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)said, he had great objection to reading a Bill a second time before it had been printed.
§ MR. TOMLINSONsaid, he believed the Bill was correctly described as being a consolidation Bill. It was carefully considered by a Joint Committee of both Houses, of which he was a Member, but at the same time he thought there was a strong objection to passing a Bill which had not been printed.
§ MR. CONYBEAREsaid, that as a matter of Order a Bill should not be read a second time before it had been printed, 1664 whether it came from the House of Lords or not.
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is for the House to judge. There is no question of Order.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLI object.
§ Second Reading deferred till To-morrow.