§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
THE EARL OF AIRLIE, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, that the Bill had been brought in to remedy some defects which had been found to exist in the Public Libraries Act (Scotland) 1867, and to give additional facilities to the local authorities to whom was intrusted the management of those institutions. Under the existing law, while the rate which might be raised by a library committee was restricted to one penny in the pound, the power of borrowing was unlimited; and the result was that although corporations could borrow plenty of money for other purposes, they could only obtain money for the purposes of a library by 1398 paying a high rate of interest for it. It was proposed by the present Bill to limit the amount to be borrowed to one-fourth of the amount of the rate, and to extinguish the debt by means of an annual sinking fund equal to at least one-fiftieth part of the money so borrowed. It was also proposed to incorporate in the present Bill the provisions of the Commissioners' Clauses Act 1847, instead of the provisions already icorporated, of the Companies' Clauses Act, which were inapplicable, as they applied to joint-stock companies, and did not apply to bodies having charge of public libraries. Then, under the existing law, there was power to make bye-laws and rules, but no power to enforce them. It was now proposed to give that additional power, and to simplify the mode of procedure for recovering such fines and penalties as could now be imposed. A provision was also inserted in the Bill authorizing the Committee of Management to lend books, and to make and issue catalogues. The Bill had received the approval of the Government and of various public bodies in Scotland which were interested in public libraries.
§ LORD COLONSAYsuggested that a provision should be inserted in the Bill for the auditing and publication of the accounts of the Commissioners.
THE EARL OF AIRLIEexpressed his willingness to add such a clause to the Bill, and hoped the noble and learned Lord would assist him in framing it.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.