§ LORD HERSCHELLmoved the Second Reading of this Bill, which, he said, had the approval of the Local Government 3 Board and had passed the other House by common consent. A Bill dealing with the same subject was passed last year, but it was made only a temporary Bill to last for a year. The object of the Bill was to insure that where the date of election was fixed before March 25—and it was this year fixed for March 18—the qualification of those who entered into residence the previous March 25, which was the ordinary time for changing residence in many parts of the country, should be a good one. The second clause gave a margin of a month for holding the annual assembly of the parish meeting, instead of a fortnight as at present. It was thought this would be more convenient in some places.
LORD HARRISsaid the Local Government Board had no objection to the Bill, and was very anxious that the Bill should pass as quickly as possible in order that those persons nominated this year might be eligible.
Read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.
§ House Adjourned at Twenty-five Minutes before Five o'clock, to Thursday next, a Quarter-past Four o'clock.