HC Deb 10 March 1881 vol 259 cc774-6

MR. CHILDERS moved to add the names of Dr. Cameron and Dr. Farquharson to the Contagious Diseases Acts Committee, explaining that the Committee had made a Report approving of the Motion.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Dr. Cameron and Dr. Farquharson be added to the Committee."—(Mr. Childers.)

MR. ONSLOW

believed that the two hon. Members named would be able to render valuable assistance to the Committee; but he thought it right that a Conservative Member should rise and protest against the number of Liberal Members on the Committee. There were already eight Liberal Members on the Committee and seven Conservative Members; and if the two hon. Members proposed were added there would be ten Liberals to seven Conservatives. Tie did not wish to go against the Resolution of the Committee, which was agreed to by a considerable majority, nor did he wish to object to the Motion; but he thought it right to make this protest, and he would suggest the addition of two Conservative Members to the Committee, in order to make the two sides more evenly balanced. As a rule these Committees were never constituted with such a preponderating majority on one side, and he thought such a course would create a precedent which it would be bad to follow. He did not think many Members of the Committee would object to the addition of two more Members; and he believed several Members on that side of the House would like to serve on what was a very interesting Committee.

MR. OSBORNE MORGAN

stated that no Party spirit bad entered into the Report of the Committee. The Committee came to the conclusion that it was desirable to have two medical Members on the Committee to assist them in examining the witnesses and in drawing up their Report; and the two names suggested were those of the Member for Aberdeenshire and the Member for Glasgow. They happened to be Liberals; but the Conservative Members of the Committee voted in favour of the proposal, which had not been in the slightest degree a Party matter.

MR. R. N. FOWLER

said, he had been speaking to the right hon. Member for Whitchaven, who was a great stickler for the rights of that (the Conservative) side of the House; and his right hon. Friend had referred with approval to the proposal to add the two hon. Members named to the Committee.

Motion agreed to.