MAURITIUS. (Hansard, 4 March 1836)

§ Mr. Borthwick
opposed the Motion for the Speaker leaving the Chair, in order that the House might resolve itself into a Committee of Supply. It was not his wish to impede the business before the House, but he at the same time must persist in bringing forward the Motion relative to the Mauritius of which he had given notice, unless the hon. Baronet opposite (Sir G. Grey) fixed some day when it should come on. He had endeavoured to bring it forward on two several occasions, but on each night, owing to some fatality or another, the House was counted out. As, however, he was far from desirous of throwing any obstacle in the way of the Estimates which were fixed for that evening, he should be but too happy if the hon. Baronet would relieve him from the necessity of pressing his Motion by appointing some day when it should come on.

§ Sir George Grey
said, it was his wish to have the question to which that motion referred settled as speedily as possible. He had himself, however, postponed a motion of which he had given notice, in relation to the Mauritius, until Tuesday; 1224 and all he could say was, that if the hon. Member would consent to defer his motion until that day everything the Government could do to facilitate his bringing it forward then should be done; but beyond this he could give the hon. Member no pledge.

§ Mr. Borthwick
could assure the hon. Baronet that he had no intention whatever to act in the present instance hostilety towards the Government; neither was it his wish that any part of the money intended for the Mauritius should be appropriated for the benefit of any other colony, because he considered that such a course would be exceedingly bad policy. He would at once adopt the suggestion of the hon. Baronet, and postpone his motion until Tuesday; but if it were not allowed then to come on, all he could say was that he would insist on bringing it forward on the next supply night, without caring what party suffered, whether the party on his side of the House, or the Gentlemen who sat on the opposite benches.