§ Order for Second Reading read.
*LORD BALFOURI rise to move the Second Reading of this Bill. The object of the Bill is to relieve chairmen of parish and county councils in Scotland who are ex-officio justices of the peace from the necessity of taking the oath on each occasion of re-election to office. The Bill provides that, in the event of one tenure of office immediately succeeding the other, the necessity for taking the oath a second time shall not be enforced. In the event of a period of time elapsing between one tenure of office and another the Bill does not make any change in the present practice. Exactly the same privilege which this Bill seeks to confer upon holders of these offices in Scotland has been conferred by an Act passed last year upon holders of similar offices in England. Under these circumstances, I do not suppose that there will be any opposition to this Bill, which was passed in another place without opposition.
§ Read a second time.