TRUSTEE (BODIES CORPORATE) BILL. [H.L.] (Hansard, 25 May 1911)

§ LORD AVEBURY

My Lords, in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, the object of which is to enable certain bodies corporate acting as executors and trustees to charge fees for their services and to act as sole executors and trustees and for other purposes, I will not stand for more than a moment between the House and the important business which is to follow. I venture to hope that your Lordships will consider, if there should be any difference of opinion on the points raised in this Bill, that they had better be discussed in Committee. It is purely a technical Bill dealing with certain practical difficulties which have arisen in the conduct of trustee business. I am bringing in the Bill on behalf of all the great insurance companies and banks who are doing trustee business. They are practically unanimous in support of this Bill, and have asked me to bring it in. I have not heard of any opposition to it, and the Public Trustee, I understand, has been communicated with and sees no reason for opposing the Second Reading. The noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack has also been good enough to inform me that he sees no reason why the Second Reading should not be agreed to, and, of course, any discussion on clauses might come in Committee. I hope, in these circumstances, your Lordships will be good enough to agree to the Second Reading of the Bill.