§ On the Report of the Registration and Marriage Acts Suspension Bill being brought up,
§ The Lord Chancellorobserved, that the Bill as it came up to them answered every purpose for which it was intended. It provided, that the two Acts relative to Registration of Births, &c., and Marriages, which were to come into operation on the 1st of March next, should not take effect till the 30th of June, and it left in operation the 52nd of Geo. 3rd, which related to registration of births, and the 4th of Geo. 4th, which had reference to solemnization of marriage, which, however, were to be repealed after the 30th of June. This, as he had before said, fully met the circumstances of the case; and, therefore, the amendment introduced by the noble Lord (Ellenborough) on a former evening was unnecessary. He would, therefore, now move, that the words of the second clause "on such day as the registrar shall appoint" be left out, as in his judgment there was no necessity for the alteration.
Lord Broughamwas of opinion, that the alteration was necessary, for by the operation of the two clauses of the two Acts as they now stood; and, as without the alteration they would stand, all marriages would be prohibited from the 1st of March to the 30th of June, and all marriages, except those authorised by licence, would be null and void. His noble and learned Friend (the Lord Chancellor) seemed to think, that were the proposed alteration suppressed, there might arise questions of doubt, but not questions of difficulty, he (Lord Brougham) would, 657 therefore, merely show to their Lordships that questions of difficulty even might arise. His Lordship then contrasted two sections of the two Acts, and demonstrated that the dates were so at variance with one another as to produce the effect he had described. He had considered it necessary to make these remarks, as they would bear out what he had already said.
§ Amendment agreed to. Report received.
§ Bill to be read a third time.