HL Deb 29 June 1899 vol 73 cc951-2

SECOND READING.

Order of the day for the Second Reading read.

* LORD PENRHYN

My Lords, the object of this Bill, which has come up to your Lordships from the House of Commons, where it met with no opposition at all, is to include the offence of obtaining money, etc., by false pretences in the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, so as to enable trifling cases, with the consent of the accused, to be dealt with summarily, as may at present be done in trifling cases of larcency. As the law now stands, magistrates are obliged to send small cases of false pretences for trial at quarter sessions, and the persons charged are sometimes kept a long time awaiting trial. In Carnarvonshire, not long ago, a man was charged with obtaining less than 2s. worth of beer by false pretences. He was committed for trial on 26thJuly, and was in gaol awaiting his trial until 20th October following, when he was immediately acquitted. This, I think, illustrates the hardship that may sometimes be inflicted.

Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."

THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY

So far as I can tell, this is a very desirable Bill, but I cannot help remarking that there was great difficulty in hearing what the noble Lord said, owing to the position he took up.

* LORD PENRHYN

This is the first time I have attempted to introduce a Bill in your Lordships' House, and I hope I may be forgiven if I did not speak as clearly and as well as I ought to have done.

LORD BELPER

My Lords, I can say, on behalf of the Home Secretary, that this hits his entire approval. It seems only reasonable, where very small sums are involved, that, with the consent of the person accused, the magistrates should be able to deal with the ease summarily; but it is very desirable to guard against the possibility of justices allowing charges for false pretences to be used for the purpose of enforcing mere debts. On behalf of the Home Secretary, I shall have to move an Amendment in Committee, providing that the accused shall be informed by the magistrates what, in law, false pretences are, so that there may be no chance of his pleading guilty to a charge on which he is not liable to be convicted.

On Question, agreed to.

Bill, read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.