DEFECTS IN LEASES SUSPENSION BILL. (Hansard, 27 July 1849)

LORD CAMPBELL

objected to the second reading of the Bill, the effect of which would be to suspend, until the end of the next Session of Parliament, one of the most useful Bills that had passed the Legislature this Session. He had the honour of proposing the second reading of the Defects in Leases Bill, the operation of which it was proposed to suspend by the Bill now before the House. That Bill was suggested by his hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor General, who drew up a sketch of it, the measure having been perfected by his learned friend, Mr. Coulson, whose assistance to the Government in such cases was of the highest value. The object of the Bill was to remove a scandal which existed in the law of England, and also the prejudice which existed on the subject of entails and family settlements. Under the law as it stood previous to the passing of that Act, repeated instances had occurred of leases having been declared 1023 void in consequence of some defect in their execution; and one of the provisions of the Bill was to the effect, that, in cases where it should be found that any inaccuracy existed in the execution of the powers for granting leases, they should not be declared void, as they were then liable to be, but that they should be held to be good, so far, at least, as the granting of the lease was concerned. The remaining enactments of the Bill, he considered, were of so beneficial a nature, that he could not consent to the suspension of the Act as proposed in the Bill of the noble and learned Lord. Had the Bill been one proposing merely to remedy any defects in the Bill, he would not, perhaps, have had any objection to offer to it; but as the case at present stood, he felt it his duty to move that the Bill be read a second time that day three months.