PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN (AMENDMENT) BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 15 March 1904)

§ *LORD ALVERSTONE

My Lords, I need not detain your Lordships more than a very few moments in moving the Second Reading of this Bill. So far as amendments of the law are concerned, the Bill is identical with that which was passed by your Lordships' House last year. It is extremely important that the Bill should be sent down to the House of Commons at as early a period as possible, because all the experience that has been collected since last year shows that the amendments proposed by the Bill are very much desired. I have not re-introduced into the Bill any of the clauses to which objection was taken in your Lordships' House or in the Standing Committee. The operative provisions are those which your Lordships approved last year. Objection was taken, when the Bill was under discussion on the last occasion, to its form, on the ground that it referred to the earlier sections of the Act of 1894. I recognised the objection, but pointed out that it was difficult to amend the law and consolidate; it at the same time. The discussion of last year has enabled me to accede to; the view of your Lordships on the; subject, and I have got over the difficulty this year by consolidating the law; The Amendments of the Act of 1894 will; be found in italics in the print of the Bill, and the parts that are cut out are shown by erased print. In order to follow the amendments proposed in the law, all that your Lordships need read are the parts of the Bill which are in italics, and the parts struck through. All the rest is merely re-enacting the Act of 1894. The result will be that if your Lordships give the Bill a Second Reading, and it passes into law, we shall have amended, and, at the same time, have consolidated, the law. I feel that if the Bill becomes law several grave defects in the Act of 1894 will be remedied.