SECOND READING. (Hansard, 26 January 1886)

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HALSBURY)

, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, the measure had become necessary in consequence of the death of Mr. Brent Spencer Follett, Q.C., who had for some years been Chief Registrar of the Land Registry Office, and because no provision had been made in the Act of Parliament which constituted the office for the duties of the Registrar being performed by another Registrar, and it might be that any proceedings in the office in regard to titles of land would be void. It was therefore necessary that something should be done; but as considerable dissatisfaction had been expressed at the amount of business done and at the disproportionate expenditure of the office, it had been thought inexpedient to make a permanent appointment, especially pending the proposed alterations in regard to land transfer, which subject the Government hoped shortly to deal with. The Land Transfer Bill would include provisions for the registration of land generally, and for the discharge of duties by the Registrars. Under all the cir-stances, the Government thought it would be desirable to make temporary provision for the discharge of the duties of the vacant office. He begged to move the second reading of the Bill.