THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONsaid, that in his absence yesterday his noble Friend (Earl Granville) drew attention to the circumstance that the Committee on this Bill was set down for Ascension Day. No doubt 141 when the Committee was fixed for the 10th that circumstance had escaped notice. He proposed to postpone the Committee till Thursday, the 17th inst., which he hoped would be a convenient day for their Lordships. On a former occasion his noble Friend had suggested that the Bill should be printed in such form so that what was old might be readily distinguished from what was new in it. He had consulted the draftsman on that point, and it appeared that there might be a difficulty in carrying out the noble Earl's suggestion, as the Bill was a very long one—consisting of between 80 and 90 clauses—and the old and the new parts of it were much mixed up. He was in communication with the draftsman, who was considering the matter; and if the Bill could not be printed in the manner suggested, he would lay on the Table a memorandum describing the proposed alterations in the existing law.
§ EARL GRANVILLEremarked that as the noble Duke proposed to postpone the Committee for so long a time, it would appear as if the Government were not very anxious about the passing of the Bill. He hoped there would be no further postponement, and that on the day named he would be ready to go into Committee.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONreplied that, as usual, his noble Friend had something to say, but the inference drawn by him on this occasion was not correct. He could assure his noble Friend that there was no desire on the part of the Government to delay proceeding with the Bill. As the Business in the other House was somewhat in arrear, nothing would be gained by sending down the Burials Bill within the next week or fortnight — for the other House would scarcely be able to take it up till after that.