§ LORD HENNIKER, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, he would not trouble their Lordships with a lengthened statement on the Bill at that hour in the evening. It had passed the House of Commons without opposition, he believed, and it was more a question for discussion in Committee than on the second reading, when he should, probably, move Amendments, and would explain any point which any noble Lord might wish gone into. The 128 objects of the Bill were to consolidate and amend the present law, to give certain advantages to Industrial and Provident Societies which Friendly Societies enjoyed under the Friendly Societies Act of last year, and which the Industrial and Provident Societies would have enjoyed now if the original Friendly Societies Bill of 1874 had become law. So far it gave effect to the intentions of Her Majesty's Government.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.
§ House adjourned at Nine o'clock, to Thursday next, half-past Ten o'clock.