Lords Sitting of 27 February 1896

GRIFFIN'S DIVORCE BILL— [H.L.]
THE LORD CHANCELLORacquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had received by post from Arthur H. Courtenay, Esq., one of the Masters of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in Ireland, a report of the proceedings upon the trial before him of the action Griffin v. Earle. The same was ordered to lie on the Table.
Petition of Richard Hollingsworth Griffin, praying that substituted service of a copy of the Bill, together with notice of the Second Reading thereof, may be made upon Alfred Robert Oakey Loundes, the solicitor to Annie Beatrice Griffin. Presented, and read; and to be taken into consideration on Tuesday next.

ENDOWED SCHOOLS ACT, 1869, AND AMENDING ACTS.
Scheme for the management of the foundation known as the Free Grammar School, in the parish of Langport East-over, in the county of Somerset, founded by the will of Thomas Gillett, dated the 6th December, 1675; and in the matter of the Endowed Schools Acts, 1869, 1873, and 1874. Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and to be printed.—[No. 14.]

EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL CASES.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HALSBURY), in moving the Third Reading of this Bill, said, he had only to ask their Lordships' permission to present a petition from the Incorporated Law Society of the United Kingdom, which
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stated that the existing law, which excluded the evidence of accused persons, produced hardship and injustice, that the proposed alterations would be of great benefit to innocent persons charged with offences, while it would inflict no hardship or injustice on the guilty.
Bill read 3a (according to Order).
On the Motion that the Bill do pass,
THE LORD CHANCELLOR THE LORD CHANCELLOR moved, in Clause 4, page 2, line 14, to leave out "so far as respects Great Britain."
Amendment agreed to.
Verbal Amendment made in the Schedule, agreed to.
Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.

CANAL RATES, TOLLS, AND CHARGES PROVISIONAL ORDER BILLS.
THE EARL OF DUDLEY THE EARL OF DUDLEY moved—
"That this House do concur in the following Resolution communicated by the Commons, viz., 'That it is desirable that all Bills of the present Session to confirm Provisional Orders made by the Board of Trade, under "The Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888," containing the classification of merchandise traffic and the schedule of maximum rates, tolls, and charges applicable thereto, be referred to the Joint Committee of Lords and Commons.'"
Motion agreed to.

COMMITTEE OF SELECTION FOR THE STANDING COMMITTEE.
Report from—That the Committee have nominated the following Lords to serve as Chairmen of the Standing Committee: Lord Halsbury (Lord Chancellor), Viscount Cross (Lord Privy Seal), Earl Belmore, Earl Morley, Earl Camper-down, Earl Kimberley, Earl Northbrook, Lord Herschell.
House adjourned at Twenty-five minutes before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a Quarter past Ten o'clock.