§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ LORD MACNAGHTEN, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, the Bill came to their Lordships from the House of Commons. Its object was to extend and amend the existing Truck Acts, which, as their Lordships were aware, wore aimed against the payment of wages otherwise than by money. The Bill had met with general acceptance in all quarters, and was intended to remedy the defects of the existing enactments in three respects. First, it provided better machinery; secondly, it was extended to trades which wore exempt from the existing Acts which, e.g., were applicable to iron mines but not to lead mines; and, thirdly, it applied to Ireland. The Bill also provided for the payment of wages every week in Ireland, and every fortnight or oftener in the granite quarries of Scotland.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a"—(The Lord Macnaghten.)
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.