§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND (Lord ASHBOURNE)My Lords, the Bill which I have asked your Lordships to read a second time is a Bill proposing to improve some details of county court administration in Ireland, and I think it will be found very useful in practice. It has been brought to my notice for some years by deputations and correspondence and references in the press that there are many matters in which there might be some advantageous changes made in Irish county court procedure, and my attention has been directed to the circumstance that there are many provisions of the English county court procedure that might be adopted with advantage in Ireland. The result of my consideration is found in the present Bill, which, of course, largely deals with details. I may say we propose, among other things, to make provision for the service of default summonses and for the enforcement of decrees in a better way, also for giving a seal to the county court; and there are provisions with regard to the attachment of debts and for the facilitating and cheapening of proof and various other matters of important detail connected with administration. I am ready to explain any of those matters when we get to the next stage, but I think your Lordships will be satisfied on the present occasion with this short statement, and accord the Bill a Second Reading.
§ Bill read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the whole House To-morrow.