COMMITTEE. ORDER DISCHARGED. (Hansard, 9 July 1872)

§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY

said, that in consequence of the state of Public Business, there was very little chance of a Bill coming to a successful issue during the present Session if it were opposed, and he believed that this Bill would be opposed by the House of Commons: it was in the power even of a few Members to prevent the passing of a Bill in so short a time as remained from the present date till the end of the Session. Under those circumstances, he would not put their Lordships to the trouble of going into Committee on this Bill; but acting on his own judgment and that of a noble Friend, whose knowledge of the laws of land tenure was very well known, he would re-introduce the Bill early next Session, with the object of having it read with as little delay as possible, and then referred to a Select Committee, who might go into the whole question. In reference to some comments which had been made on the Bill since it was last before their Lordships, he might observe that he could hardly expect the Land Society to be in its favour, as that Society would, no doubt, regret to find that its dividends were no longer to be paid by landed proprietors. It had been said that the Act of 1864 was sufficient to effect all the objects of the Bill. But he found that since the passing of that Act the amount spent under it on farm buildings was £71,000, and for labourers' cottages no more than £8,000—which he supposed would give an average of three farm buildings and eight labourers' cottages a-year. He did not think those results could be regarded as satisfactory. The only danger for the Laws of Settlement was the imputation that under them nothing was done for the improvement of the land. If that imputation were removed, the foundation which the Laws of Settlement had in the affections of the English people were too deep that they should ever be swept away. He would only move that the Order for the Committee be discharged.