§ LORD BROUGHAM moved, that the Order of the Day for the Second Reading be read in order to its being discharged, as it was a measure he could not hope to see carried at that period of the Session. Some time ago he presented a petition to their Lordships from a learned conveyancer, who had for thirty years been the manager of what was called a Manor Court. During that time there had been a transfer of every one of the five hundred and odd estates of which that large manor was composed, and it was found that the average number of words in the conveyances for the sale of these estates was not much above seventy, whilst the expense of conveyance itself never exceeded seven shillings; and there had never been in the whole period a single dispute, much less an action, arising out of any doubt or difficulty as to the conveyance or the boundaries of the estates conveyed. It therefore occurred to many persons who had examined this subject, that an inquiry by means of a Commission would be useful; 800 and, accordingly, an inquiry was instituted the result of which was the Bill, the second reading of which he was now compelled to postpone. The object of the Bill was simply to establish a system of registration, without which it was impossible, as he thought, to carry out any great or useful improvement in the transfer of property.
THE LORD CHANCELLORagreed with his noble and learned Friend that it would be in vain to hope to carry the Bill at this advanced period of the Session. He also concurred with him in thinking that the foundation of all improvement in the nature of simplifying, shortening, and cheapening the transfer of property must be found in some mode or other of registration; that was to say, that facilities should be given to the purchaser of an estate for ascertaining exactly to what incumbrances it was subject. Whether the Bill of his noble and learned Friend was the best mode of doing this he did not pretend to form an opinion. The subject was, no doubt, a difficult and complicated one; and he could assure his noble and learned Friend that the Bill, together with the Report upon their Lordships' table, should have his most serious consideration.
§ Order of the Day read accordingly, and discharged.
§ House adjourned at a Quarter-past Seven o'clock, to Monday next, Eleven o'clock.