§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HERSCHELL)My Lords, the object of this Bill is very simple. At the present time, under an Act passed in 1834, the Justices of a county have power to vary the time of the April Quarter Sessions, so as to prevent any conflict or interference with the Spring Assizes. There have! been lately some re-arrangements of the time of the Assizes, the result of which is that in some counties, not in many, there may be a conflict between the Summer Assizes and the Summer Quarter Sessions. This Bill is simply to enable the Justices to make the same alteration at, the summer period for the Quarter Sessions, in order to prevent conflict with the Assizes, as they can now in the spring. I apprehend there can be no objection to that.
§ 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.