§ [SECOND READING]
§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD LUCAS)My Lords, this is an extremely small Bill. It is not framed with the object of in any way extending or altering the powers that are at present vested in my right hon. friend the President of the Board of Agriculture who is also one of the Commissioners of the Office of Woods, but merely to simplify the machinery on his behalf. The Office of Woods is the owner of a great deal of property, and there is an enormous amount of business to be transacted in the matter of deeds with regard to the letting of land, and so on. As things are arranged at present, all these deeds have to be brought to him for signature. In almost every other Office this work of fixing signatures to deeds, which is purely mechanical, is done by the Permanent Secretary; and the object of this Bill is simply to make the procedure of the Office of Woods like that of other Offices and to enable the signing of deeds to be carried out by one of the Permanent Secretaries of the Office.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Lucas.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Wednesday next.