§ 7.17 p.m.
§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ The FIRST Lord of the ADMIRALTY (Viscount Hall)My Lords, I would like your Lordships to know how much I regret my absence on the Second Reading of this particularly important Bill, and how much I appreciate the very kind references made to the slight indisposition from which I was suffering by noble Lords who took part in the debate. I should like to move that this House do now resolve itself into Committee on the Bill.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Viscount Hall.)
§ Lord LLEWELLINMay I assure the noble Viscount that we are all very glad to see him back in his place to-day, and to know that he is recovered. We know he is very conscientious about his duties 107 and he would certainly have been here to perform the task of moving the Second Reading of this Bill had he been well enough to do so. The noble Viscount, the Leader of the House, took his place, but I have no doubt he has read the report of the proceedings and noted how much we all welcomed this measure. I did not have an opportunity of saying anything then, because others were speaking, but may I say how particularly I welcome it having regard to the very great help Ceylon gave us with our food problems during the course of the war. It was one of the only Colonies that put in a really property administered scale of rations and went on supplying us with our raw materials and our tea through all those years. I am delighted that this new measure of responsibility has been given to the great people of this island.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to and House in Committee accordingly: Bill reported without amendment.