§ As amended (in the Standing Committee), considered.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the Third time."
§ 4.0 p.m.
§ Sir HERBERT NIELDI do not rise for the purpose of offering any objection to this Bill, which is long overdue, and which, I hope, will put right many of the injustices which subjects of this country have suffered with regard to arbitration; but I do want to ask the learned Solicitor-General, who, I assume, is in charge of the Bill, whether he can tell the House what is the reason why a subject of just as much importance as this in relation to arbitration has not been dealt with by the Government. I would call his attention to the Report of the Committee set up by the Lord Chancellor, and which reported to this House in March, 1927, upon the law of arbitration in relation to this question, and if my hon. and learned Friend will be kind enough to look at this Report and its recommendations, I am perfectly sure he will see the force of the question I am putting to him. If he would prefer that I should put a question on the Order Paper, say, in a week's time, I would be quite content to pursue that course, but I am very anxious that this opportunity should not be lost of calling attention to a most valuable proposal, unanimously come to by the Committee, for the amendment of the law and practice of arbitration in this country. This Report points out the very great difficulty that exists by reason of the law not being sufficiently expansive to enable matters to be dealt with. I repeat again, that if the hon. and learned Gentleman prefers that I should ask him in a week or a fortnight's time what the Government propose to do on the subject of this Report, I shall be perfectly satisfied.
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (Sir James Melville)I should prefer my right hon. and learned Friend to raise the question in about a fortnight's time.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read the Third time, and passed, with Amendments.