§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ LORD FITZGERALD, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, the principle of the Bill appeared to be correct, but in details considerable Amendments were required, and he did not intend to proceed with it to any further stage this Session. A few years ago an equity jurisdiction was given to the County Courts in Ireland; but the appeal from the County Courts under that jurisdiction was given, not to the Court of Assize, as was the case in Common Law appeals, but to the Chancery Division. The appeals to the Chancery Division were found to be expensive, and productive of delay and inconvenience; and the object of this Bill was to transfer the appeals from the Chancery Division to the Court of Assize, so as to have but one Court of Appeal. He believed that the principle of the Bill was a sound one.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(The Lord FitzGerald.)
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HALSBURY)said, that the Bill seemed to him to raise a very important principle, and he could not assent to its being 855 affirmed without considering the matter fully. As the noble and learned Lord did not propose to proceed further with the Bill this Session, no harm would be done by reading it a second time, on the understanding that it did not bind them to affirm the principle of the Bill.
§ Objection being raised,
§ Motion and Bill (by leave of the House) withdrawn.