§ On the Order for Second Reading,
THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN [Lord KENRY],said: The object of this Bill, which has come from the other House, is to give additional powers to persons responsible for libraries established under the Act of 1892, and also to give similar powers to persons responsible for libraries which, though not 196 public libraries within the meaning of that Act, are to all intents and purposes public libraries and reading rooms. A very large number of such libraries and reading rooms have been instituted, and are maintained by friendly societies, co-operative societies, and trades unions, which, as your Lordships may well believe, fulfil very useful purposes; and it is sometimes quite impossible for librarians or custodians to maintain order in them. What the Bill proposes to do is to make the use of violent, abusive, or obscene language, as well as betting and gambling, punishable by a fine not exceeding 40s. on summary conviction. I do not think it is necessary for me to say more than that the Bill passed through the other House without any opposition, and that it met with the approval of the Home Office and the Registrar of Friendly Societies.
§ LORD BELPERThe Home Office approve of this Bill. But there is one point to which I would refer. The Registrar of Friendly Societies proposed an Amendment.
THE LORD CHANCELLORI do not intend to oppose this Bill; but, as a matter of fact, I have never seen it. It is a little inconvenient to have a Bill of this sort brought forward without notice. I propose to reserve to myself the right; to oppose it in Standing Committee; I see acts made offences which ought not to be made offences.
Bill read a second time, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.