In the House of Lords on Wednesday Lord Alverstone, in
moving the second reading of the Prevention of Cor. ruption Bill, paid a very proper tribute to the immense industry and ability devoted to the subject by the late Lord Russell of Killowen. Speaking for himself, and as the result of a great deal of personal work, he was con- vinced that the case for some such legislation as was fore- shadowed in the Bill was overwhelming. Lord Alverstone further defended the provision which made it an offence to solicit corrupt bribes, even though the soliciting was unsuc- cessful,—a provision which was already law with regard to municipal officers under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act. The Lord Chancellor, who followed, while applauding the design of the measure, spoke of the peculiar difficulties of reconciling its meaning with the construction that might be put on its wording. The Select Committee had, he thought, greatly improved the first draft, and on his recommenda- tion the Bill was read a second time without further debate.
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