§ Order of the Day for the Second Rending, read.
§ LORD MONTEAGLE moved the Second Reading of this Bill in the absence of Lord Emly. It was a measure of a very simple character, and he need not detain their Lordships many moments in explaining it. By the County Surveyors Act, 1861, the counties in Ireland were scheduled for the purpose of appointing county surveyors. Some were scheduled in two or more divisions. Where counties were scheduled as a whole, power was given to the Lord Lieutenant to appoint one or more surveyors in those counties; but where the counties were scheduled in two or more divisions, there was no corre- 754 sponding power given to the Lord Lieutenant to unite them. It was obvious that circumstances might arise which would render it necessary that counties which were divided under the Act of 1861 should be united. As a matter of fact, circumstances had arisen in the County of Limerick, with which he was connected, which bad induced the Grand Jury to memorialise the Lord Lieutenant to have that county united under one surveyor; but they had been told that that could not be done without legislative sanction by a fresh Act of Parliament. This Bill, therefore, was intended to get over the difficulty. That was its sole object, and he hoped their Lordships would have no hesitation in voting for the Second Reading.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a. —(The Lord Monteagle.)
§ LOUD ACTONsaid, the Bill was very limited in its scope, and was, in the view of the Government, very reasonable in its aims. They would, therefore, agree to the Second Reading. He would not pledge himself as regarded Amendments in Committee, and would, therefore, be glad if the noble Lord would be good enough to postpone the further stage of the Bill for a short time.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday, the 30th instant.