§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a and that Standing Order No. XXXV. be considered in order to its being dispensed with."—(The Lord Fitzgerald.)
THE EARL OF LONGFORDsaid, that the Bill ought not to be allowed to gallop through Parliament without notice, or some explanation. The Act which it was intended to amend had only been passed in the First Session of 1884; and though, no doubt, it was a complicated measure, those who were responsible for it should not have allowed a piece of legislation of such a slovenly character as to require a special Bill to amend it. Some Member of the 834 Government ought to be responsible for the careful and proper drafting of Bills.
LORD FITZGEEALD,in explanation, said, that the object of the Bill was merely to correct a clerical error in the Act of last Session with regard to dates. If the error was not provided against at once, some deeds of consequence relating to property in Yorkshire might be defeated or materially delayed in registering. The Bill had passed the other House without any dissent.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly; Committee negatived: Then Standing Order No. XXXV. considered (according to order), and dispensed with; Bill read 3a, and passed.