§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE EARL OF DEVONsaid, that the object of the Bill was to enable Her Majesty's Treasury to accept a composition due from the Limerick Harbour Commis- 5 sioners, and moved that it now be read a second time.
§ THE EARL OF POWISsaid, the Bill seemed slightly Hibernian in its character. It not only arranged for the composition of a very heavy debt, but also contained a provision for lending a fresh sum. Surely, if they could repay the fresh loan, they ought also to be able to pay the debt already incurred. He would not oppose the second reading; but he thought that a statement of the past expenditure and future prospects of the Commissioners ought to be laid before their Lordships before the Bill was finally passed.
§ LORD EGERTONthought it impossible that their Lordships could properly investigate the accounts connected with this matter, and thought that the Bill should be referred to a Select Committee, as was done in similar cases in the other House.
§ Motion agreed to: Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed.