of the Sunday Closing Act in Ireland, and I believe its working has been beneficial to the people. I could give fact after fact in support of that statement. Having that experience, I think I am bound to ask my colleagues to support this measure as one tending in the right direction. we the measure to the full, but there are MR. GRETTON (Derbyshire, S.): It appears to me that the House is now in a peculiar position. The Bill which was circulated this morning has only been a short time before the House. Hon. Members, therefore, have only had the opportunity of taking the most cursory glance at its provisions. Those provisions, however, seem to be of the most drastic character, and would close all public houses all over the country for the whole of the day on Sunday. It is a curious thing that the mover of the Bill does not seem to altogether agree with the provisions. of the measure placed in his hands, (5 20.) MR. COHEN (Islington, E): My because he gave utterance to arguments hon. friend opposite said that at the last not altogether in its favour, and he election he stated that he would exercise concluded by intimating that he should his own judgment on this subject. I am be prepared to accept Amendments to about to follow his example, and to modify the measure in accordance with exercise my own judgment. It is the general wishes of the House. Some because I believe this Bill does not of us have had more experience of Bills promote temperance that I intend to than the hon. Gentleman has evidently vote against the Second Reading. I think had, and we know better the course of this Bill is like most temperance legislation business. We know well that no private It is a measure which rather jeopardises Member in charge of a Bill has it in his the cause of temperance by striving after power to give any undertaking of the that which need not and ought not to be kind. The undertaking, no doubt, is given. It would be, to my mind, a very made in perfect good faith and with dangerous thing for the House to read a every good intention, but once a Bill Bill a second time when the majority of passes its Second Reading it passes out its supporters are not wholly in sympathy of the control of the Member who has with its provisions and are relying mainly had charge of it. I remember well a upon the promises of those who (in case which occurred last year in which the most perfect faith) say that if the a similar difficulty occurred. In the Bill gets into Committee they will be in Committee upstairs on that Bill some favour of Amendments which will attenudifferences arose on the part of those ate the proposals. I say that is an who wished to modify the Bill and those unworthy and who supported it, and there would have been no difficulty in their agreeing to some reasonable understanding upon the points of difference, but all came to nothing, because it is out of the power of a private Member to accept any responsibility for a Bill once it is read a second time. In discussing this Bill there are those who have expressed themselves in no unmeasured terms in favour of Sunday closing, and who consequently support VOL. CVII [FOURTH SERIES.] an unsafe course for hon. Members to adopt. If the Bill is one of those which they cannot approve of, the most straightforward thing to do is to throw it out and let another Bill be introduced to which they can give their approval. If the new Bill should be less drastic, there might be some chance of its being passed almost unopposed. This Bill would prevent reasonable people obtaining what they reasonably require, and it would prevent people having a just O and reasonable indulgence on the day on which of all others they would be most likely to avail themselves of it. It would SAVINGS BANKS FUNDS COMMITTEE. Ordered, That the Committee do consist of seventeen Members. Ordered, That Mr. John Wilson (Dur have the effect that those who desired intoxicating drink on Sunday would take care to secure a quantity on the Saturday ham) and Mr. Arthur Morton be added night. Hon. Members can easily imagine to the Committee.-(Sir William Wal with what result. Those who could not be trusted in the face of such a seductive temptation would drink to excess on the Saturday night. The Bill, to my mind, goes in the face of the Report of the Royal Commission, and I warm temperance agitators that they are not likely to promote temperance by these drastic attempts at legislation. I believe the remedy lies not so much in prohibiting all drink, as by punishment as severe as you like for excessive drinking and for drunkenness. The majority of people do not desire to prevent the reasonable consumption of liquor, nor will they ever succeed in such an attempt as this to make everyone a total abstainer on the Sunday. Those who think so never made a more grievous mistake, and I do not believe any legislation which has that object in view is likely to pass the House of Commons. rond.) PRIVATE BILLS (GROUP J). Mr. FISON reported from the Committee on Group J of Private Bills, That the parties promoting the North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Bill had stated that the evidence of John H. Sanders, of Cedar House, Essex Road. Enfield, builder; J. Snelling, of No. 47, Hyde Lane, Edmonton, builder; and E. Thorold Garland, of No. 70, Grand Parade, Harringay, auctioneer, essential to their case; and, it having been proved that their attendance could not be procured without the intervention of the House, he had been instructed to move that the said John H. Sanders, J. Snelling, and E. Thorold Garland do was attend the said Committee tomorrow, at half-past Eleven of the Clock. Reported, with Amendments; Reports It being half past Five of the clock, to le upon the Table, and to be printed. the debate stood adjourned. Debate to be resumed tomorrow. Adjourned at twenty-five minutes before Six o'clock. Mr. Cohen. An Asterisk (*) at the commencement of a Speech indicates revision by the Member HOUSE OF LORDS. Thursday, 1st May, 1902. PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS. IMPERIAL INSTITUTE BILL [H.L.] Presented (pursuant to leave given on Tuesday last); read 1a; and referred to the Examiners. The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House, That the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificate from the Examiners that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with: London School Board (Superannuation). And also the Certificates that the Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have been complied with: Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 2). TIVERTON MARKET BILL [H.L.] Read 3, and passed, and sent to the Commons. CHARING CROSS, EUSTON, AND HAMPSTEAD RAILWAY (No. 1) BILL [H.L.] CHARING CROSS, EUSTON, AND HAMP- CITY AND CRYSTAL PALACE RAIL- EDGWARE AND HAMPSTEAD RAIL- GREAT NORTHERN AND CITY RAIL- NORTH-WEST LONDON RAILWAY GREAT NORTHERN AND STRAND BAKER STREET AND WATERLOO Report from the Committee of Selec Electric Lighting Provisional Orders tion, That the Lord Kinnaird be proposed (No. 3). to the House as a Member of the Select Committee in the place of the Lord The same were ordered to lie on the Castletown. ROSSENDALE VALLEYS TRAMWAYS BILL [H.L.], SOUTH SHIELDS, SUNDERLAND, AND DISTRICT TRAMWAYS BILL [H.L.], MEXBOROUGH AND SWINTON TRAMWAYS BILL [H.L.], MENAI BRIDGE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL BILL [H.L.], BRISTOL CORPORATION BILL [H.L.], SWANSEA CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]. Report from the Committee of Selection, That the following Lords be proposed to NORTH WARWICKSHIRE WATER BILL. the House to form the Select Committee Reported, with Amendments. for the consideration of the said Bills, viz.-D. Northumberland (Chairman), E. Manvers, V. Powerscourt, I.. Sinclair, L. Iveagh. Agreed to, and the said Lords appointed accordingly. The Committee to meet on Monday next, at Twelve o'clock, and all petitions referred to the Committee, with leave to the petitioners praying to be heard by counsel against the Bills to be heard as desired, as also counsel for the Bills. Р COAST RAILWAY BILL [H.L.]. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Returns of accidents and casualties as Returned from the Commons agreed reported to the Board of Trade by the to, with an Amendment. WREXHAM WATER BILL [H.L.]. several railway companies in the United Kingdom during the year ended 31st December, 1901, in pursuance of the Returned from the Commons agreed Regulation of Railways Act (1871); to, with Amendments. together with Reports of the inspecting officers, assistant inspecting officers, and CHARING CROSS, EUSTON, AND HAMP. sub-inspectors of the railway department STEAD RAILWAY (No. 2) BILL [H.L.], CITY AND CRYSTAL PALACE RAIL- EDGEWARE AND HAMPSTEAD RAIL- GREAT NORTHERN AND CITY RAIL WAY BILL [H.L.], NORTH-WEST LONDON RAILWAY GREAT NORTHERN AND STRAND BAKER STREET AND WATERLOO Report from the Committee of Selection, That the Marquess of Zetland be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bills in the place of the Lord Kinnaird; read, and agreed to. REPAYMENT OF LOANS BY LOCAL Message from the Commons for leave for the Lord Welby to attend to be examined as a witness before the Select Committee of that House. RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC. TRADE REPORTS-ANNUAL SERIES. to the Board of Trade, upon certain accidents which were inquired into. WELLINGTON COLLEGE. Report of the Governors, for the year ended the 31st December, 1901; with accounts. Presented [by Command], and ordered to lie on the Table. BOARD OF EDUCATION (WELSH INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION ACT, 1889). Report of the Board of Education on the administration of schools, under the Welsh Intermediate Education Act, 1889. BANKRUPTCY ACT, 1883 (PRO- Accounts showing the receipts and expenditure on account of bankruptcy proceedings during the year ended 31st March, 1902. COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) ACT, 1890. Account showing receipts and expenditure on accounts of proceedings under the Companies (Winding-up) Act, 1890, during the year ended 31st March, 1902. DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACTS, 1894 Order, dated the 23rd day of April, 1902, defining a part of the Port of No. 2781. United States (New York). Harwich as a foreign animals quarantine Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table. WILD BIRDS PROTECTION ACTS A Bill to amend the Wild Birds Protection Acts was presented by the Earl of Jersey; read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 58.) reasons for which a marriage can be dissolved a vinculo. The only existing ground for dissolving a marriage is set out in Sub-section (a) of Clause 1. The clause also sets out five other grounds on which either party to a marriage-the woman being placed in exactly the same position as the man-may petition for a divorce-namely, cruelty, penal servitude for a term of not less than three years, lunacy, living apart for three years, and living apart for one year provided the other party concurs in the petition. Clause 2 provides that when the wife presents the petition she shall have precisely the same remedies against the co-respondent with respect to damages as the husband in cases where the petition is presented by him. Clauses 3 and 4 merely with the settlement of property. are consequential clauses dealing Clause 5 provides for suits for nullity of marriage; and Clause 7 abolishes petitions for judicial separation, restitution of conjugal rights, or in respect of jactitation of marriage. A remedy to obtain the same object as a suit for jactitation is provided in Clause 6, which enacts that a person may present a petition to the Court for a decree declaring that a marriage has or has not been in fact solemnised between Order of the Day for the Secoud him and any other person, and the Reading read. Court may pronounce a decree accordingly. DIVORCE BILL [H.L.] [SECOND READING.] * EARL RUSSELL: My Lords, I must As to procedure, Clauses 8, 9, 10, and ask your Lordships' indulgence while I 11 make considerable alterations. They explain the provisions of this Bill and abolish the present ecclesiastical common state the reasons which to my mind law and the ecclesiastical procedure of justify them. I can assure your Lordthe Divorce Court, and provide for the ships that on my part this measure has not been hastily prepared. I have had framing of rules in accordance, as far occasion to consider the question of the as possible, with the rules in force in the King's Bench Division; power to divorce laws of this country for the past eight years at least, and I have felt that tax costs and have them paid into some Amendment is required. The Bill Court before the hearing is abolished; now before your Lordships has actually but provision is made for security for been drafted for three years. Your costs. Clause 12 provides that a suit Lordships no doubt recollect among the fables of your youth the fable of a fox without a tail, and I have felt until the present moment that if I were to introduce any Bill dealing with the subject of divorce I should be exposed to misconstruction, and my attempt to alter the law would be regarded as not entirely disinterested. That objection no longer applies, and I am therefore emboldened to present this Bill for your Lordships' -consideration. Clause 1 states the for the dissolution of marriage may be brought in the County Court, where the total joint annual income of a husband and wife does not exceed £500; but no claim for damages against a co-respondent shall be made in a County Court. Clause 16 alters the law as to the time when a decree of dissolution of marriage shall take effect. Instead of the present system of a decree nisi running for six months and then being. made absolute, the clause provides that |