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The following Report was presented from the Committee of Selection:—
The Committee of Selection have to report to the House, under Standing Order, No. 91, that they have not received from Mr. Horsman, one of the Members nominated on the Select Committee on the Group No. 18 of Opposed Private Bills, appointed to meet on Monday next, at One o'clock, either the Declaration required by the Standing Order, No. 90, or any excuse in lieu thereof.
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"Ordered—That Edward Horsman, esquire, do attend the Committee on Group No. 18 of Opposed Private Bills on Monday next, at One of the clock.
§ MR. HORSMAN (who shortly after entered the House)said, he was sorry he was not in his place when the report of the Committee of Selection was read, stating that he had not returned an answer to the summons which was sent to him. It had always been the custom to send to each Member notice from the clerk, begging to know in what period of the Session it would be most convenient to attend these Committees. Every year before this he had had such a notice, and he had replied to it, and this arrangement had been conducive to the convenience of all parties. In the present Session the practice had been given up. ["No, no!"] Then he could only say he had been an unfortunate exception. He had received no information of the kind. If he had received notice, he should have stated that the week beginning the 14th of May was one in which it was impossible for him to pledge himself to attend the Committee, It was not his wish to shrink from the duty imposed upon him; but he thought that for the convenience, not only of Members generally, but of the public, this arrangement should not be departed from. From the course which had been adopted in this particular instance, a hardship had been imposed upon him by being reported for not attending.