§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—{The Lord Hawkesbury.)
THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWNasked the same question about this Bill. For anything their Lordships knew, they 390 might be passing anything. A great deal of mischief was done in this way. It was frequently found afterwards that difficulties arose from Bills having been passed in the particular form drafted.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI am entirely in accord with the noble Lord in this matter. I have been on Committees where things have been quoted against us. As the noble Lord opposite has just said, we have no means of knowing what is being passed if no chance is given us of looking at the Bills.
*THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The Earl of MORLEY)said, in answer to the noble Marquess, these Provisional Order Bills were now more innocent than they used to be at one time. Some time ago some extraordinary things might have crept into Provisional Orders; but now the Orders were confined to the purposes for which they were intended, and the Bill simply confirmed the various Orders. The Bills were printed and could always be placed on the Table if desired.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI think it is very desirable. The noble Lord knows the old legend which used to be told at Oxford of the ward and the waterman who got leave to marry in a Turnpike Bill.
§ Motion agreed; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.