§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, this is a Bill which practically is a Statute Law Revision Bill, although it cannot go to the Statute Law Revision Committee, with the purpose of which your Lordships are now familiar. It is a Bill to collect together in one Act, and where necessary to amend, a very large number of Statutes which at present exist for the protection of persons exercising powers under the law which may sometimes expose them to be the subjects of litigation afterwards. I need hardly say more in recommendation of the Bill than this, that the titles of the numerous Statutes upon the subject actually occupy more than eight folio pages, and that the effect of all that eight pages is comprehended in two sections of the Bill. That is a very desirable thing to do if it is properly done, and I hope at a later stage of the Bill to satisfy your Lordships that it is properly done. That is the sole technical operation of the Bill, and if it accomplishes the object with which it is designed your Lordships will probably think that that is a sufficient explanation of its provisions.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.
§ House adjourned at Five o'clock.