§ Order of the Day for the Third Reading, read.
The Marquess of Normanby, in the absence of the Duke of Richmond, moved the third reading of this Bill.
The Earl of Radnoropposed the Bill. The previous Bill, which this proposed to continue, was passed on the ground that the defendants in these qui tam actions were ignorant of the penalties to which they were liable for betting. It appeared to him, however, from a careful perusal of the evidence before the Committee which had lately sat on this subject, that they were not unaware of the illegality of their proceedings; for they recommended to 1372 the Committee, as the only means of remedying the evil practices in "the ring," that betting should be legalised. But however plausibly they might have pleaded ignorance on the former occasion, they could not do so now, after having had their attention so long directed to the subject.
The Marquess of Normanbysupported the Bill. He was, indeed, rather surprised to hear the noble Earl oppose it at its present stage, because, as he recollected on a former occasion, when it was before their Lordships, the noble Earl seemed to think that it would be better to make the Bill more effective than it was, namely, to go to the entire discontinuance of these actions, instead of merely suspending them. He hoped their Lordships would not hesitate to pass this Bill, the object of which had met with the general concurrence of both Houses of Parliament.
§ After a few words from the Earl of Stradbroke and Lord Foley, in support of the Bill, it was read a third time and passed.