§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD HYLTONMy Lords, I ask your Lordships to be good enough this afternoon to give a Second Reading to this Bill, the object of which is to enable bills of exchange, notes, and cheques to be rioted for protest on the next business day following dishonour. Clause 1 reproduces Clause 4 of the Bill on this subject, called the Bills of Exchange Bill, which was introduced in the year 1914 by the then Lord Chancellor, and afterwards dropped. The amendments proposed by that Bill were approved at the time by the Bank of England, the Institute of Bankers, the Incorporated Law Society, various Chambers of Commerce, and other expert bodies to which they were submitted for consideration. This particular provision, it is suggested, is required to be passed at the present time because the clerical staffs of notaries have been so depleted; and that is the case, as your Lordships know, with all business establishments in London and elsewhere. It is most undesirable that the numerous girls in their employ should be wandering round the City in the late evening to make notarial presentments. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Hylton.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Tuesday next.