REGISTRATION OF ASSURANCES BILL. (Hansard, 19 June 1851)

LORD BROUGHAM
observed, that if any of their Lordships were anxious to make themselves masters of the provisions of this Bill, they could not do better than read the very able pamphlet which had just been published in explanation and defence of it by a distinguished member of the English Bar, Mr. Hazlitt. It was a concise and accurate analysis of his noble and learned Friend's Bill for the registration of assurances now before Parliament, The Registration of Deeds in England, its 977 Past Progress and Present Position. He had read it himself with great satisfaction, and he might even say with much instruction. He could not speak in too high terms of its accuracy and luminous perspicuity.

§ LORD LYNDHURST
stated that considerable alterations had been made in the Bill since it was last before their Lordships, and as he had received the reprint of the Bill, as amended, only an hour ago, he would suggest that the further consideration of the measure be postponed.

LORD CAMPBELL
would, with the permission of the House, explain the alterations that had been made, and which, he trusted, would satisfy his noble and learned Friend. But, before doing so, he wished to take this opportunity of concurring in the testimony which his noble and learned Friend had borne to the admirable manner I in which Mr. Hazlitt had explained the j advantages of the Bill, and to the fair and manly way in which he had met the objections. With regard to the alterations to which his noble and learned Friend had alluded, one referred to the qualification of the persons who should be selected by the Crown to hold office as registrars. The alteration proposed that the registrar should be a barrister of seven years' standing; but it was proposed that the assistant registrars might be attorneys or solicitors. Another alteration was that an appeal was to be allowed from the decision of a single Judge to the whole Court in which he sat, so that in no case should the decision of one Judge be final. Another alteration went to remove an objection which had been urged against the existing clause, that it tended to impede commercial transactions. By the new clause the registrar would be enabled to grant the holder of an estate a certificate, which being deposited with his banker, he would be able to raise such a sum of money as he desired on the instant, and without further formalities. Another alteration he might mention provided that instead of a stamped copy of the title-deeds being lodged with the registrar, the lodging of an unstamped copy would be sufficient, so that the holder of an estate might, if he pleased, keep his title-deeds in his own muniment room. These were the principal alterations in the measure, which he hoped would meet with the approbation of his noble and learned Friend.

§ LORD LYNDHURST
said, he was satisfied with his noble and learned Friend's 978 explanation, but much, of course, would depend upon the terms in which the clauses were worded.