THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I wish to claim your Lordships' attention while I speak to you a few words conveying the reasons which have induced me to request you to postpone all further consideration of the County Courts Amendment Bill, which I have had the honour to submit to you. It has been represented to me that if the Bill were now to go down to the other House of Parliament it would be impossible to pass it during the present Session, not only from the state of business — which possibly I might get over — but from the circumstance that a Committee is sitting there on the state of the bankruptcy law, with which this Bill is in a great measure connected. That is by no means the argument which has had most weight with me. I am not at all insensible to the opposition which this Bill has met with. Many representations have been made to me from various quarters; and, on the whole, I am desirous of weighing these representations and of re-considering the matter that I may endeavour, if I can, to introduce a Bill, next Session if I live, which will remove many of the objections which have been raised against this Bill. With a measure of this real importance it is hardly to be expected that it can pass through Parliament on its first introduction. It is very desirable to agitate the 1917 subject—to let the country express its opinions, to weigh those opinions, and then after mature consideration to legislate at a future time. That will be my earnest desire, and I shall therefore relieve your Lordships of any further consideration of this Bill at present.
LORD BROUGHAMexpressed his satisfaction at the withdrawal of the Bill, which he thought would not only not have passed this House, but would not have passed the other. He was perfectly confident that imprisonment for debt, which was the main feature of the Bill, and the shutting up of the County Courts, which would have been the immediate consequence, would never be endured by their Lordships or the country.
THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDEhoped that the withdrawal of the Bill would have no effect on the progress of the Irish County Courts Bill, and that some of the indisputably good provisions of this Bill would be introduced into the Irish Bill.