§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ *THE DUKE OF RUTLANDMy Lords, in the much to be regretted absence of the Lord Privy Seal, I beg to move the Second Reading of this Bill, which has come up to your Lordships from the House of Commons. Its object is extremely simple. Your Lordships are probably aware, from some interesting statements which have been made in another place, that the Seed Potato Act has worked well, and has been largely made use of; but in a few instances its operation has been found defective, owing to the provisions in that Bill, with regard to those who have the misfortune to cultivate land in conacre, and those who are day labourers. Those agriculturists and those day labourers in the West of Ireland appear to be excepted from the benefit of the Act, and this Bill, therefore, proposes to repeal the limiting 5th section of that Act, and to enable in future the Poor Law Guardians of the different Unions in the West of Ireland to sell to the cultivators in conacre and day labourers the seed which they stand so much in need of.
LORD DENMANthought that it would be extremely useful if some provision were made for the purchase of oats in addition to potatoes.
§ Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.
§ House adjourned at half past Six o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven o'clock.