§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ THE EARL OF CHESTERFIELD moved the Second Reading of this Bill, which, he said, was of no public or general interest, and which had passed through all its stages in the other House of Parliament unopposed. Its purposes were twofold: to supplement in some trifling particulars the powers of the Commissioners of Works in respect of the acquisition and sale of property, and, secondly, to define more clearly the powers of the Commissioners with regard to the management of the properties referred to in Clauses 2 and 3 of the Bill. The first clause, which related to the acquisition or sale of property, made three small changes in the powers of the Commissioners. Sub-sections 3 and 4 of Clause 1 established a single method of enrolment in England for deeds entered into by the Commissioners instead of the alternative methods that might be followed. Clause 2 related to property in Canon Row, Westminster, now occupied by the Civil Service Commission, and formerly by the Board of Control. That property was vested in the Crown, and had been for many years in charge of the Commissioners of Works, but up to now had never been legally placed under their management. The object of Clause 2 was to vest that property under the legal management of the Commissioners of Works. Clause 3 was for the purpose of removing any doubts as to whether the Commissioners of Works had power to build on the site of the chapel formerly attached to Millbank Prison. He begged to move the Second Reading of the Bill.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(The Earl of Chesterfield.)
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.