§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE EARL OF ST. GERMANSsaid, he rose to move the second reading of this Bill, which proposed to establish a system of registration for Ireland similar to that established for England in 1836 and for Scotland in 1854. The Bill differed, however, in one important particular from 1391 both these Acts, inasmuch as it made no provision for a registration of marriages. The Roman Catholic priests in Ireland were forbidden by law to celebrate mixed marriages; and they were so averse to any measure for the registration of marriages that legislation to that end had been found to be impracticable. He hoped, however, that the time was not far distant when the marriage law of the three countries would be revised, amended, and consolidated, and then the difficulty would probably be overcome. It was proposed that the medical officers of the Poor Law unions should be the registrars, with power, in case of their refusal to act, for the guardians to make appointments of other properly qualified persons. The Bill passed with very little opposition in the House of Commons, and he trusted that it would receive the sanction of their Lordships.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.
THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDEsaid, he would not oppose the second reading, though he considered that some better provision was required to meet the event of the refusal of the medical men to undertake the duties of registrars. With regard to the marriage law of Ireland, he thought that it required amendment, and trusted that it would have the serious attention of the Government. As to the registration, the Government, whilst it acted with judgment, must act with firmness and with a desire to consider the views of all sects.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Friday next.