§ LORD HERSCHELLI need detain your Lordships but a very few moments in moving the Second Reading of this Bill. Circumstances, which will be fresh in the recollection of your Lordships, have shown that bribery, or the attempts to corrupt the members of Public Boards or officials connected with them, have been a source of very considerable evil. This Bill attempts to deal with the matter by rendering either a bribe or an attempt to bribe a member of any Public Body or an official of such body a misdemeanour, and making it punishable accordingly with fine or imprisonment or both. I do not think your Lordships will entertain any doubt that it is right that such a punishment should be inflicted, and that an attempt should be made to deter in future persons committing acts of the kind, which has been proved to be extremely mischievous in the past. I need not trouble your Lordships by entering upon any of the details of the Bill. I think myself there are some small amendments of it which will probably be necessary; but it is not needful for me to enter upon these in moving the Second Reading.
§ Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to the Standing Committee for Bills relating to Law, &c.