§ Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD BELPERMy Lords, this small Bill applies to purely technical matters in the Inebriates Act of last year. The object of Clause 1 is to make the expenses of all prosecutions under Section 2 of the Inebriates Act, 1898, which provides for the detention of habitual drunkards, payable as in cases of felony. Under Section 6 of the Inebriates Act, 1898, the Secretary of State may make regulations with respect to Inebriate Reformatories, and may thereby impose a fine not exceeding £20, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, with or without hard labour, for the breach of any such regulations. The object of Clause 2 is merely to make it clear that breaches of these regulations may, where they involve fine or imprisonment, be dealt with by Courts of Summary Jurisdiction.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(Lord Belper.)
§ On Question, agreed to.
§ Bill read 2aaccordingly; Committees negatived: Then Standing Order No. XXXIX. considered [according to Order], and dispensed with: Then Bill read 3a, and passed.