* THE SECRETARY FOR SCOTLAND (LORD BALFOUR)in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, said that their Lordships would have no difficulty in passing the Second Reading, as the Bill was substantially that which passed through the House of Lords last year. This year the Bill had been introduced in another place, where it had passed without Amendment. It was a Bill of only one operative clause, and its object was to enable the trustees of mineral properties to reduce mineral royalties and accept the renunciation of leases. The Act which the Bill proposed to 1406 amend already gave to the trustees of agricultural estates the power to give reductions of rent. On some mineral estates, especially in the west of Scotland, the minerals could not be worked at the present, royalties, owing to the depression of trade and other circumstances. He begged to move.
§ Read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Friday next.
§ House Adjourned at Twenty-five Minutes before Five, o'Clock, till To-morrow, a Quarter past Four o'Clock.