§ COLONEL WILSON PATTENsaid, he wished to put a question to the right hon. Gentleman who holds the position of Chairman of Committees with respect to the Private Business of the House. Many hon. Members now serving on Committees on Private Bills felt the necessity, under the present circumstances, of going into the country; and it would not be at all convenient to detain them longer than was necessary. The question therefore, he had to put was whether the right hon. Gentleman was prepared to move on the present occasion a Resolution of a similar character to that he moved previous to the late Dissolution of Parliament, to the effect that Private Bills might be taken up in a future Session of Parliament at the stage at which they were dropped in the present. He wished also to know whether there was any objection to permitting Committees on Private Bills to defer the consideration of any further Bills in the group except those actually under discussion.
MR. FITZROYreplied that with reference to the first question he was prepared to submit to the House in the course of a day or two a Resolution similar to that which he moved prior to the Dissolution of 1857, with the exception of some slight alteration which had been made in the standing Orders having reference to the subscription contract. With reference to the second question whether he should be prepared to move that no further proceedings should take place respecting any Private Bill beyond those under discussion, he 1384 should not do so unless it was for the convenience of hon. Members, because in many groups the Members of the Committee were prepared to continue their proceedings with respect to all the Bills in the group. If such should be the determination of any Committee it would be for the convenience of all parties, and save great expense with respect to witnesses, &c. It was not, however, for him to make any suggestions to Committees with respect to matters under their own consideration, and he should therefore be perfectly prepared to propose a Resolution to the effect that when it should appear to the Committee right that no further proceedings should be taken on Bills before them they should have power to report the same to the House, and that no further proceedings should be taken upon such Bills would be provided for in the subsequent Resolution he should move.