HL Deb 25 July 1907 vol 179 cc10-2

[SECOND READING.]

Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

This Bill has already passed your Lordships' House, and I think the noble Lord the Marquess of Salisbury can claim the parentage of it. It was passed again last year, when the late Lord Davey, whose decease has been a great loss to your Lordships' House, was one of its strong supporters. It has also passed a Select Committee of this House. It was not supposed to have much chance, but, fortunately, through the diligence of a private Member, it has found its way through all its stages unaltered in the other House, and I hope your Lordships will now be able to finish the work which you have already endeavoured to accomplish in former years.

Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(The Lord Chancellor.)

LORD ASHBOURNE

I see no objection to the substance of this Bill, but I would ask my noble friend to get the draftsman to run his eye over the first two paragraphs, because the phraseology appears to me to be more like that of a memorandum than of an Act of Parliament. It plunges at once into a general statement— A married woman is able, without her husband, to dispose of, etc. It states the result of an Act of Parliament, not the Act itself. The next section also is more in the language of a memorandum— This section operates to render valid and confirm all such dispositions, and so on. I am sure the Bill has been placed before your Lordships in absolute good faith by my noble and learned friend, but I think some attention should be given to the phraseology.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

I will leave the parents of the Bill to defend their offspring. I believe it is the outcome of a Select Committee of your Lordships' House. I was not a Member of that Select Committee, and I cannot commit myself to saying whether I approbate or reprobate the language used; but certainly we shall be most happy to consider any objections or criticisms which may be made. After what has been said I will look into it again, but it is exactly the same Bill that was passed before, and the other House have returned it unaltered. Therefore I hope we shall not lightly depart from it.

LORD ASHBOURNE

My Lords, I decline to be regarded as a fault-finder. In the most innocent way I called attention to the phraseology of two paragraphs. But if my noble and learned friend tells me that he is satisfied, and the House of Commons were satisfied, I shall not make any great disturbance over the matter. But, certainly, the phraseology to which I have directed attention is not usually found in Acts of Parliament, and I merely suggest that before it is too late the draftsman should be asked to take a hurried look over it.

On Question, Bill road 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.