§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ *LORD KENSINGTONMy Lords, I rise to ask your Lordships to give a Second Reading to this Bill, which has passed the other House of Parliament, and to explain in a very few sentences the object of the Bill. It is to repeal a very old Act of Edward VI. In consequence of the Act, great doubt seems to have arisen in the Island of Anglesey as to whether Quarter Sessions for that county can be held in any other place except the Town of Beaumaris. Beaumaris may have been a very convenient place at the time the Act was passed, in the reign of Edward VI., but as I am informed it is very inconvenient now. It is quite in a corner of the Island 2 there is no railway in connection with it, and all parties interested are unanimously in favour of getting the power which other places have of choosing the place where the Quarter Sessions shall be held. As I am informed, the Grand Jury have on more than one occasion made presentments to that effect; the County Council have unanimously passed a Resolution in favour of the repeal of the Act; and at Quarter Sessions, though there was a division of opinion, the majority was three to one—the figures being 12 to 4 in favour of the repeal of the Act. The promoters of the Bill, and those in that county who support it, ask for nothing more than to be put in the same position as other counties, namely, that they should be able to choose the place which is most convenient for holding those Courts. I beg to move the Second Reading of the Bill. As there is no detail in it at all, if your Lordships have no objection, I will move that it be referred to a Committee of the whole House.
§ Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Monday next.