§
THE EARL OF REDESDALE, after pointing out the great importance of preserving all evidence, documents, and papers so that they could be produced in the cases of Claims to Peerage, moved—
That Standing Order No. LXXXVI. (formerly 128.) be amended by inserting after the first paragraph thereof the following words, viz. ('In all Claims of Peerage the following directions shall be observed with regard to documents delivered in at the Bar in evidence, and the examination of those documents when printed by order of the House:
,'1. In the case of documents in public custody within the United Kingdom, officially certified copies thereof (or officially certified extracts or excerpts of such documents, if deemed sufficient by the Committee,) shall be delivered in by a witness, who will be required to swear that he has examined them with the originals, and that the copies are correct. (With regard to documents in public custody in England, the originals, as heretofore, must be produced at the Bar by an officer of the Department having custody of the same):
' 2. In the case of documents in private custody, the original documents, and copies thereof, shall be delivered in by a witness, who will be required to swear that he has examined the copies with the originals, and that the copies are correct:
' 3. In unopposed Peerage Claims the print shall be examined against the original documents where the same have been delivered in, or, in other cases, against the officially certified copies, by a competent examiner appointed by the Crown Agent. In opposed Peerage Claims, the Crown Agent shall, if he think fit, appoint a competent examiner for the purpose of the above examination. The cost of the examination shall be borne by the Petitioner adducing the evidence, and shall be paid by him from time to time whenever the Crown Agent shall deliver to him or to his agent an account of such charge, or of any portion of the same.' ")
§ Motion agreed to; Standing Order to be printed, as amended. (No. 186.)