§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. H. Gardner.)
§ Objection being taken,
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron Waldensaid, he wished to explain that the measure was merely a Consolidation Bill, which would enable the provisions to be more conveniently applied.
§ SIR E. CLARKE (Plymouth)said, he did not want to impede the progress of the Bill. It was said that the Bill was a Consolidation Bill, but he did not regard it as one that ought to be sent to the Standing Committee for consolidation.
§ SIR R. WEBSTER (Isle of Wight)said, he was sure it was never intended that the Committee should deal with Bills of this kind. So far as he knew, it had never been the practice to send merely Departmental Bills to the Committee.
§ MR. DARLING (Deptford)said, he would like to ask whether, in course of the consolidation of these laws, the right hon. Gentleman intended to make an Amendment which had been pressed upon him by the constituency which he (Mr. Darling) represented on the Board of Agriculture—namely, with regard to the power of giving an option to the Board of Agriculture with regard to the Order 388 which they at present made as to the importation of cattle where it was considered that a certain country was affected with disease. The law at present made the exclusion of cattle obligatory. [Cries of "Divide!"] He was not going to object to the Bill, and, of course, anybody who objected to his addressing the House could interfere to prevent the progress of the Debate, but he should be glad to obtain an answer from the right hon. Gentleman upon this point.
§ MR. H. GARDNERsaid, the measure was not an amending but a consolidating Bill.
§ Second Reading deferred till Tomorrow.