§ MR. BUTCHER (York)To ask Mr. Attorney General whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the experimental period of three years has now elapsed since the making of the first Order in Council with reference to compulsory registration of title to land under The Land Transfer Act, 1897; whether he is aware that the chief assistant registrar of the Land Registry has stated that the intention of the Act was that the experiment of making registration compulsory should have a trial of at least three years in the county first selected, and that after the expiration of three years from the making of the first order, an Order in Council might be made, making registration compulsory in any other county, but only on the invitation of the County Council of the county to be affected; and, in order to furnish full information as to the working of the system of compulsory registration in the county of London, so as to enable County Councils to decide whether they should exercise their power of recommending the adoption of compulsory registration in any county, whether His Majesty's Government will take steps to appoint a Parliamentary or other independent Committee to inquire into and report on the working of the system of compulsory registration in London.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir R. FINLAY,) Inverness BurghsThree years have elapsed since the provisions of the Land Transfer Act, with regard to compulsory registration of title, came into operation. I am not aware what 623 statements have been made by the chief assistant registrar of the Land Registry, but the Act itself provides that no orders after the first should be made for three years, and gives the initiative to the County Councils. There is no intention of appointing a Committee to inquire into the working of compulsory registration in London, as it does not appear to His Majesty's Government that there is any sufficient case for the appointment of such a Committee.