§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord TWEEDMOUTH)My Lords, the object of the Bill to which I am going to ask your Lordships' assent is simply this: In 1854 by Act of Parliament the Scotch Fishery Board was allotted £3,000 a year for the purpose of harbour improvements in Scotland. Now, £3,000 a year is not much to help on necessary harbour constructions in Scotland; least of all when that sum of money is used in expenditure all over the place, without any fixed policy, but merely to please as many people as possible. The object of this Bill is to allow the Fishery Board to take a larger view of the subject, to follow a more definite policy, and to use this money in a more productive manner. It is proposed to allow them to use this £3,000 a year for the purpose of giving collateral security to the Public Loans Commissioners for the repayment of any loan made by them with the approval of the Fishery Board for the construction or improvement of harbours, and for carrying out harbour works. The Bill has received the unanimous assent of the other House, and I hope your Lordships will give your consent to the Second Reading here.
§ Moved "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(The Lord Tweedmouth.)
§ Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.