§ The Queen's consent signified: Bill read 3a (according to order).
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid, their Lordships would have observed that 728 several proposed Amendments stood in his name on the Paper. With but one exception, those Amendments were verbal and consequential upon Amendments made during the progress of the Bill. The exception to which he referred was an Amendment which he would propose in the 27th clause. It had been represented to him that in various parts of the country, and more particularly in centres of densely populated districts, transactions took place with respect to very minute portions of land, and he was informed that these sales and purchases were effected at very small expense to the parties. He had heard of dealings in which the whole cost of the transfer was only from £3 to £5. It was apprehended that in such cases the provision in regard of compulsory registration of title would impose costs which the transactions would scarcely bear. His impression was that the result of this Bill would be to reduce the expense of transfer even in very small cases; but as he was anxious to avoid any inconvenience that could be reasonably apprehended, he proposed to insert a separate paragraph in the 27th clause—
This enactment shall not apply to any sale where the consideration money does not exceed three hundred pounds, and if the sale be made subject to a rent as created at the sale, such rent shall, in reckoning the consideration under this section, be taken as equal to a gross sum of thirty times the amount of the rent.
§ Amendment made; Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.