HL Deb 02 February 1837 vol 36 cc79-80
Lord Brougham

said, he had now two Bills to introduce, but he should at present merely move their first reading, and should not proceed with them a further stage unless the measures for the improvement and better administration of the laws which his noble Friends, his Majesty's Ministers, were about to introduce to Parliament, should be, in his opinion, inefficient. The Bills which he had now to lay upon the table were these—the one to prevent pluralities, and the other to establish local courts. No change in the latter Bill had been made beyond a few verbal alterations. The Bill, as their Lordships were aware, had gone through several stages, and was lost on its third reading. True it was, there was a great difference of opinion in that House, whether such a measure ought to pass at all or not; but if one ought, then, as he understood the opinions of their Lordships, the present was the form in which it ought to pass. Undoubtedly, as regarded the numbers on the division on the third reading, there was a large majority against it. The noble and learned Lord concluded by moving that the Bills be read a first time.

Read a first time.