§ Amendments reported (according to Order).
THE EARL OF GALLOWAYproposed the insertion of an Amendment, the object of which, he said, was to provide that where a person was fined by the Court the penalty "pounds Scot" should be altered to "pounds sterling." He was induced to make the proposal, because he was informed, on good authority, that the Corporation of Glasgow, the Convention of Royal and Parliamentary Burghs of Scotland, the Gene- 1421 ral Assembly of the Established and Free Church, the Synod of the United Presbyterian Church, as well as other Religious Bodies, were in favour of it. He submitted that the phrase "pounds Scot" was obsolete, and that the feeling of the important Bodies to whom he had just alluded as being anxious for the acceptance of this Amendment held the view that if the ancient Statute in regard to Sunday trading was still in force, in that case the penalty should be made a reality in case of conviction.
§ THE EARL OF WEMYSSsaid, he did not see how his noble Friend made out that he proposed no increase of penalty, as the conversion of "pounds Scot" into "pounds sterling," would more than quintuple it.
THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (The Earl of DALHOUSIE)said, that the point had been considered by the Select Committee which discussed the Bill, and a similar proposal was unanimously rejected. He must, therefore, oppose the Amendment.
§ Amendment (by leave of the House) withdrawn.
§ Further Amendments made; and Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.