§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE EARL OF LICHFIELDstated that he had agreed, at the request of the Government, to postpone the Motion for Second Reading until next week, and begged to correct a misconception respecting the 3rd clause. That clause would in no way interfere with the power given by previous Acts of Parliament to members of friendly societies to insure the lives of their own children. It simply prevented the children becoming members before the age of seven. In reply to a suggestion from a noble Lord on the other side, he begged to say that he was most ready to consent to the Bill being referred to a Select Committee; but upon the understanding that the Committee should confine itself strictly to the clauses of the Bill. He also begged to announce that he intended to move for the appointment of a Commission to inquire into the subject of the insurances of friendly societies in general, more especially with reference to burial societies. He was perfectly persuaded in his own mind that nothing short of a Commission would bring before the public what was going on amongst the working classes, in respect to those insurance offices and companies. In this Bill, he only dealt with the class of societies now registered under an Act of Parliament as friendly societies; but he was aware that a great deal of evil exists in some of those that are unregistered.
§ Second Reading put off to Tuesday next.