§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
1873§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HERSCHELL)said, that a question had been raised as to whether this measure should be made retrospective or not; and a suggestion had been made by a noble Earl for the insertion of a Proviso declaring legitimate the children of a marriage in respect to which any question arose and a second marriage was contracted; and in consequence of that the Committee stage of the Bill had been postponed. He had, however, since made inquiries on the subject, and he found that there was no precedent for introducing such a Proviso. Beyond that, having consulted the right rev. Prelate who had introduced the Bill upon the subject, ho had arrived at the conclusion that it was not advisable to create a precedent in the direction suggested, especially as he was informed that there was reason to believe there were no cases in which the legitimacy of such children had been questioned. Therefore, it was not necessary to introduce such a clause as that which had been indicated.
§ House in Committee.
§ Bill reported without amendment; and to be read 3ª To-morrow.