§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the day for the Second Reading read.
§ * LORD ALVERSTONEMy Lords, I shall not detain your Lordships more than a few moments in stating the objects of this Bill. Up till a few years ago it was supposed that there was a discretion as to granting certificates to solicitors under certain circumstances, but owing to a decision of the Court of Appeal in 1901 it was found that there was no discretion at all in the case of bankrupt solicitors, and the result is that there are upwards of seventy undischarged bankrupts now practising as solicitors. Under the Act of 1888 the Master of the Rolls has discretion in cases where a certificate has been suspended or not taken out for a period of twelve months; and this Bill simply provides, not that a solicitor who is an undischarged bankrupt may not practise, but that he shall only do so where the Master of the Rolls thinks fit to give him a certificate. There may be cases where, having regard to the circumstances of his bankruptcy, it is right that the solicitor should be allowed to practise; but there may be other cases where it would not be right that he should do so. This Bill has passed your Lordships' House on two occasions, and last year it was a Government measure in the other House. It has been felt for some time that there ought to be a discretion such as is given in this Bill, and I ask your Lordships to give the Bill a Second Reading.
§ Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a." —;(Lord Alverstone.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a (according to Order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.