HC Deb 21 July 1842 vol 65 cc482-6
Lord Stanley

moved the third reading of the South Australia Bill.

Mr. Hume

said, the management of this bill was the most strange of any which he had ever seen, it not having passed through one of its stages until after one o'clock. The House seemed to be quite indifferent to the giving away the money of the distressed people. Were hon. Members aware that this Bill actually gave away 400,000l. to the colony? He intended to move that the Bill be read a third time that day three months, but he believed that he was quite in order in moving a resolution he had prepared. The hon. Member moved as an amendment the following resolutions:

  1. 1." That it appears by the evidence laid before this House by the select committee appointed in 1841, ' to consider the Acts relating to South Australia, and the actual state of the colony,' that under the Act 4 and 5 William 4, c. 95, the commissioners for managing the affairs of that colony borrowed, on the following conditions, the amount of 85,800l. sterling, to defray the expenses of the colonization and government thereof, viz, the sun, of 39,000l. hearing an interest of 10l. per cent., and 46,800l. hearing an interest of 6l. per cent., payable from and out of the ordinary revenue, or the produce of all the rates, duties, and taxes to he levied and collected as the said Act directed in the province of South Australia; and, in case the ordinary revenue shall be insufficient to discharge the obligations of those securities, then the public lands of the said province remaining unsold, and the monies to be obtained by the sale thereof, shall he deemed a collateral security for the principal and interest of these amounts:
  2. 2. "That the select committee reported their opinion to this House, that it was expedient to advance out of the public treasury certain sums, to enable the commissioners to discharge a large amount of bills drawn by the Governor of the colony, and thus to support the credit and afford relief to the colonists of South Australia; and it was at the same time recommended, that all sums so advanced under any Act of that Session, should constitute the public debt of the said province; and that the Crown should he authorised to call for repayment of all such advances of money, on the principle adopted for the recovery of money advanced for public works, not exceeding the rate of 5 per cent. per annum: and it further appears, that, under the Act 4Victoria c. l3, the sum of 155,000l. sterling was accordingly advanced from the Public Treasury as a loan to the commissioners of the South Australian colony, the principal and interest to he repaid in such a manner as should by any Act passed in the same Session be directed:
  3. 3. "That it is now proposed by the Bill before the House to relieve the colony from the payment of interest on that sum of 85,800l., and to place that amount as a charge upon the consolidated fund of this country, at the rate of 3° per cent. per annum, and thereby add to the already heavy burdens of the people:
  4. 4. "That it is further proposed by this Bill to relieve the revenues and lands of the colony of South Australia from all claims for repayment of the loan of 155,000l. sterling advanced under the act of last session, and to add that 486 amount in perpetuity to the national debt of this country:
  5. 5. "That, under these circumstance, it would be a shameful waste of public money for this I louse to sanction, by this bill, the addition of these sums, amounting to 240,800l. sterling to the already heavy burdens of the people of this country.

Mr. B. Wood

supported the amendment.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer

supported the Bill, and denied that he was in any manner responsible for the proposition, all the arrangements having been made by the late Government.

Amendment negatived.

The House divided on the question, that the Bill be now read a third time:—Ayes 6s; Noes 15: Majority 53.

List of the AYES.
Acland, Sir T. D. Henley, J.W
Archdall, Capt. Herbert, hon. S.
Baldwin, B. Hinde, J.H.
Bankes, G. Hodgson, R
Barrington, Visct. Hornby, J.
Bentinck, Lord G. Howard, P. H.
Blackburn, J. I. Hughes, W. B.
Bramston, T. W. Inglis, Sir R. H.
Broadley, H. Jermyn, Earl
Broadwood, H. Jolliffe, Sir W. G. H.
Bruce, Lord E. Knatchbull, rt. hn. SirE.
Burroughes, H. N. Lincoln, Earl of
Cardwell, E. Litton, E.
Clerk, Sir G. Mackenzie, W. F.
Collett, W. R. Meynell, Capt.
Colvile, C. R. Morgan, O.
Damer, hon. Col. Munday, E. M.
Darby, G. Muntz, G. F.
Douglas, Sir C. F. Packe, C. W.
Easthope, Sir J. Parker, J.
Ebrington, Visct. Peel, rt. hon Sir R.
Eliot, Lord Peel, J,
Ferguson, Sir R. A. Philips, M.
Forbes, Pringle, A.
Fuller, A. F. Rashleigh, W.
Gaskell, J. Milnes. Rushbrooke, Col.
Gladstone, rt. hn. W.E. Smith, rt. hon. R. V.
Gordon, hon. Capt. Somerset, Lord G.
Gore, hon. R. Stanley, Lord
Goulburn, rt. hon. H. Sutton, hon. H. M.
Graham, rt. hn. Sir J. Wood, G. W.
Greene, T. Young, J.
Hale, R. B.
Hamilton, W. J. TELLERS.
Harcourt, G. G. Baring, H.
Hardinge, rt. Sir H. Fremantle, Sir T.
List of the NOES.
Aldam, W. Fielden, J.
Bowring, Dr. Gibson, T. M.
Brotherton, J Johnson, Gen.
Cobden, R. O'Connell, M.J.
Duncan, G. Scholefield, J.
Ewart, W Thornely, T.
Walker, R. TELLERS.
Wawn, J.T. Aglionby, H.
Wood, B. Hume J.

House adjourned at three o'clock.