HC Deb 25 November 1914 vol 68 cc1278-9

  1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Defence of the Realm Consolidation Act, 1914.
  2. (2) The Defence of the Realm Act, 1914, and the Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Act, 1914, are hereby repealed, but nothing in this repeal shall affect any Orders in Council made thereunder, and all such Orders in Council shall until altered or revoked by an Order in Council under this Act continue in force and have effect as if made under this Act.

Mr. KING

I beg to move, in Sub-Section (1), to leave out the word "Consolidation."

I move that we have some other name for this Bill. It is not the Defence of the Realm Consolidation Bill, but more of a Bill amending two previous Acts passed since the War began. Why not leave out the word "Consolidation" altogether, seeing that the Bill repeals the two former Acts? Then it will be the only Defence of the Realm Act remaining.

Mr. McKENNA

My difficulty is, that if we leave out the word "Consolidation," this Bill will be cited as the Defence of the Realm Act, 1914. There was one Act passed on the 8th August, which, under Section 2, may be cited as the Defence of the Realm Act, 1914, so that we should have two Acts with precisely the same title. The second Act was called the Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Act, 1914. We desire to suggest, by the title, that this Bill contains within itself all the preceding Acts relating to the Defence of the Realm that have been passed during the year 1914. If a better word than "Consolidation" had suggested itself to us, we should have been glad to adopt it. Some word we must have.

Mr. KING

It might be called "No. 3." It is No. 3, and it is not consolidation in the ordinary sense. In order that me may be correct I will withdraw this Amendment, and move another word.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Mr. KING

I beg to move, in Sub-section (1), to leave out the word "Consolidation," and to insert instead thereof, the words "No. 3."

Mr. CAVE

If Acts No. 1 and No. 2 are repealed, the words "No. 3" on the Statute Rook will mean nothing at all. The word "Consolidation" is well known, and we have other Acts in which it appears.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

Does the hon. Member withdraw?

Mr. KING

Yes, Sir.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Question, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill," put, and agreed to.