HC Deb 13 July 1882 vol 272 cc291-2
SIR JOSEPH PEASE

asked if the Electric Lighting Bill would be taken to-night?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

replied, that he had put down the Bill, but it had been blocked by one or two hon. Members. Ho did not understand that there was any general opposition to the principle of the Bill, but that the opposition of the hon. Members he referred to was duo to their desire that the Bill should be taken when there could be a reasonable discussion of some of its provisions. This was a Bill of exceptional urgency. There were 30 or 31 Bills introduced dealing with the question of Electric Lighting, and they were all referred to a Hybrid Committee, presided over by the hon. Member for Mid Lincolnshire (Mr. E. Stanhope). Evidence was heard, parties were represented by counsel, and very great expense had been incurred. These Bills had now either been withdrawn or the clauses dealing with electric lighting had been withdrawn, in view of the introduction of a Bill by the Government, It would be a pity that all this money should be thrown away without the business being finally dealt with this Session. What ho proposed was, that this Bill should be put down for a special Sitting taken on Saturday, as it was evidently impossible that urgent Government Business like that now before the House should be made to give way to it; and if the House should assent to this proposal, then the Government would endeavour to take a stage of certain other Government Bills to which there was not anything like any general opposition. Ho might name two of them as most important—the Educational Endowments (Scotland) Bill, and the Government Annuities Assurance Bill.

MR. J. LOWTHER

asked when the Motion would be made for the Sitting on Saturday?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN

replied, that it would be made at the close of the Sitting.

SIR. STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

asked if the second reading of the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill would be taken to-night?

MR. GLADSTONE

said, that the Government desired to reprint, the Bill with Amendments; but the House could not go into Committee pro formâ until the Bill had been read a second time. As that stage was blocked by Notice of opposition, if the opposition were withdrawn, the Bill read a second time, and formally committed and reprinted, the discussion which hon. Members desired to raise on the second reading might, perhaps, be taken on the Motion to go into Committee.

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

said, ho thought the opposition to the proposal of the Government, as a whole, would come better on the second reading. The question of moneys voted for one purpose and applied to another purpose without the knowledge of the House would involve very serious discussion, and it was impossible that it could be taken at a very late hour.

DR. CAMERON

said, that, as ho thought it was utterly impossible that a general and satisfactory discussion could take place upon the Educational Endowments (Scotland) Bill at the fag end of a Saturday Sitting, he begged to give Notice that unless a proper discussion could be secured, ho should renew his opposition to going into Committee and. the subsequent stages.