§ [References are to Bill (72) as first printed for the Commons]
§ [No. 1]
§ Clause 7, page 4, line 25, leave out "twenty-one" and insert "fourteen".
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, I beg to move that this House doth agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 1. This Amendment deals with the period of time that a person who arrests (if I may use that term) or detains an animal which is doing damage on his property, having strayed, must keep it before he can dispose of it. We said 21 days. I think the original proposal had been 14 days, and we thought that perhaps that was unfair in country districts to the true owner. Another place, in its wisdom, restored 14 days, because it was pointed out that for most people in urban areas it might be inconvenient to keep an animal for a longer length of time. It is a matter of judgment and opinion. Speaking for myself, I am perfectly happy to agree with the Commons in their said Amendment.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(The Lord Chancellor.)
§ LORD GARDINERMy Lords, I hope that the House will so agree. To save my speaking again on the later Amendment, may I say that I think the fact that the Bill comes back from the other place with only two small Amendments is a tribute both to the Bill as originally drawn by the Law Commission and also to the work that your Lordships' House did on the Bill.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.