HC Deb 06 July 1885 vol 298 cc1791-3

Motion made, and Question proposed, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Law respecting the Livery Companies of the City of London."—(Sir Charles W. Dilke.)

MR. R. N. FOWLER (LORD MAYOR)

said, he was at a loss to understand how it was the right hon. Baronet proposed to bring in a Bill of this kind at that time in the morning. He certainly could not allow the Motion of the right hon. Baronet to pass without strongly protesting against the introduction of the measure.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

said, he did not think the right hon. Gentleman would persist in his opposition to the Bill after he had seen its provisions. He might, on examination, find it to be more acceptable than he at first imagined; and he trusted that the right hon. Gentleman would allow the Motion to pass.

MR. PULESTON

said, that, unfortunately, the right hon. Baronet had given no intimation either in that House or elsewhere as to the provisions of the Bill; and he did not think that, as a mere matter of courtesy, the House should be called upon to assent to the Motion for its introduction. No one was more courteous in his dealings with hon. Members than the right hon. Baronet; but they did not think it perfectly fair that they should be expected on the grounds of courtesy alone to agree to his Motion, and he should accordingly feel it his duty to divide the House upon the question.

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

said, he should be quite ready to meet the views of hon. Members by putting off the second reading of the Bill until a day which would give time for its consideration.

MR. WARTON

said, it seemed to be the wish of almost everyone not to proceed with the Bill that Session; and he therefore hoped that the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Puleston) would divide the House against the Motion for its introduction. There was good reason to think that it was not the innocent Bill which it might seem to be from the remarks of the right hon. Baronet. The Government had been occupied in getting rid of a number of useless Bills which encumbered the Order Book; and with all respect to the right hon. Baronet he did not consider that the time for thrusting on the House a Bill that attacked the Corporation of the City of London, which would certainly give rise to much controversy.

MR. ILLINGWORTH

said, that in view of the statement of his right hon. Friend that he would take care that the Bill came forward for consideration at a more opportune moment he would move the adjournment of the debate.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned."—(Mr. Illingworth.)

MR. PULESTON

said, that the effect of the Motion of the hon. Member for Bradford would be to allow the Bill to go forward, and that was not the object which he had in view. He and his hon. Friends, amongst them the Lord Mayor, were diametrically opposed to the introduction of the Bill; and hon. Members were not bound to acquiesce in the bringing in of measures the spirit of which, although the provisions had not been described, had been made abundantly clear to them by the eloquent speeches of the right hon. Baronet. He repeated that they were altogether opposed to the Bill.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR)

said, he hoped there would be no opposition to the introduction of the Bill of the right hon. Baronet opposite, who had stated that he would defer the second reading for a fortnight—or, in other words, that hon. Gentlemen opposed to the Bill would have a proper opportunity of considering its provisions. He trusted that the House would, at all events, allow the Bill to be brought in in accordance with the almost universal practice.

MR. PULESTON

said, he did not quite agree with the remark of the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Local Government Board that it was the almost universal practice of the House to admit Bills of the kind as a matter of course; yet, after the appeal made to him, he was disposed to defer his opposition to the measure to another time.

Question put, and negatived.

Original Question put, and agreed to.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir CHARLES "W". DILKE and Mr. GEOKGE RUSSELL.

Bill presented, and read the first time. [Bill 210.]

House adjourned at half after One o'clock.