§ [SECOND READING.]
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE EARL OF GRANARDYour Lordships will probably wish for one or two words of explanation with regard to this Bill. As your Lordships are no doubt aware, ancient monuments are regulated by two Acts of Parliament. The first, which was passed in 1882, empowered the Commissioners of Works to purchase and accept as gifts or by bequest monuments specified in the schedule of the Act. These were mainly prehistoric works and did not include buildings of an historic character. The Act of 1882 was amended in 1900, when the Commissioners were enabled to accept as gifts or to purchase monuments of historical or national interest, but they were not given the power to accept any such monuments by bequest. At the present moment a gentleman who shall be nameless, who is possessed of one of the finest national and historical monuments in this country, desires to bequeath it to the State, but as the law at present stands the Commissioners are not allowed to accept such a bequest. Hence the necessity for this Bill. I feel it is unnecessary for me to say anything more, and I leave the Bill in your Lordships' hands with every confidence.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Earl of Granard.)
§ LORD AVEBURYMy Lords, as one who was partly responsible for the Act of 1882, perhaps I may be allowed to say 370 that we would have been very pleased to have extended it at the time, but we found it impossible then to get all that we wished. I am glad that the Act is to be extended in the manner proposed, and I heartily welcome the Bill.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next.