§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HALSBURY)said, the object of the Bill was to meet a real and substantial grievance, which he believed existed at the present time, and which prevented the owners of land from enjoying proper facilities for disposing of their property. 234 One serious difficulty which stood in. their way was the perpetual necessity for the examination of the title which had to take place, every time land, however small the parcel, was transferred. It was with a view to get rid of that grievance, and not in order to yield to any popular clamour, that the measure had been introduced. The measure would not abolish settlements or wills, but was designed to prevent litigation in respect of estates tail in future, and would in regard to transfer abolish—as far as possible—the distinction between real and personal property. Without departing from the main lines of the Bill, he was desirous, as far as he could, to meet the suggestions which had been thrown out by both his noble and learned Predecessors in Office, and that he had endeavoured to do by means of a number of clauses, which were of course of a technical nature, and could not be suddenly put before the House so as that their Lordships should be able to understand them at once. He therefore proposed to commit the Bill pro formâ in order to have the Amendments printed together with the Bill, and to postpone the discussion in Committee until after the Whitsuntide Holidays.
§ Moved "That the House do now resolve itself into Committee."—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ Motion agreed to; House in Committee accordingly; Bill reported without Amendment: Amendments made: Bill re-committed to a Committee of the Whole House; and to be printed as amended. (No. 105.)