HC Deb 27 July 1885 vol 300 cc190-1

(35.) Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum, not exceeding £350, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1886, for the repayment to the Civil Contingencies Fund of certain Miscellaneous Advances.

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

said, he believed that this Vote included a sum of £40, in view of the expense of carrying a distinguished person across to the Continent, instead of his paying his own fare, as he ought to do. He had always voted against Votes of this sort, and he should do so again. He had made these remarks; but he understood that the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere) desired to speak on the question, and he noticed that the hon. Member was out of the House for a moment when the Vote was called on.

MR. LABOUCHERE

said, he was very much obliged to the hon. Member, and begged to move to reduce the Vote by £40, which was the amount of the fare of H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge between Dover and Calais. He did not know that there was any national necessity for His Royal Highness to go to Calais at all. He was not aware that there was any portion of the British Army quartered there. He could understand that in the case of the Prince of Wales it might be a proper thing to make a charge such as this; but the Duke of Cambridge was not a son of the Crown. He was only the grandson of a Monarch; and the Committee know that there were a great many grandsons, and if they were to go on paying for all of them in this way, the charge for fares from one place to another would be something phenomenal. Why did he want a special boat? Why did he not do the same as any other ordinary being, get into the packet, and go over, and get out in the ordinary way when he got there? It was like a man going into a restaurant to dine, and engaging the whole restaurant. He supposed that he should be told that the Queen had the right of taking a man-of-war if she liked. Well, they had been told that the Crown had the power of closing the parks; but it was said at the time that it would cost three Crowns to do it. He knew that there were abstract rights of that sort; but they could never be exercised. Now, this was a very thin House; but he wished them to consider that all those who were absent agreed with him. [Cries of "No, no!"] He believed that hon. Gentlemen opposite agreed with him in their hearts. He objected to this, because the working people of the country felt very strongly on the matter, and their affections were alienated when these constant attempts were made by the Government to put their hand in the public Treasury for paltry sums of this sort. He begged to move the reduction of the Vote by £40.

Motion made, and Question put, That a sum, not exceeding £310, be granted to Her Majesty, to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1886, for the repayment to the Civil Contingencies Fund of certain Miscellaneous Advances."—(Mr. Labouchere.)

The Committee divided:—Ayes 23; Noes 60: Majority 37.—(Div. List, No. 249.)

Original Question put, and agreed to.

(36.) £40,000, Registration of Voters, England.

(37.) £6,600, Registration of Voters, Scotland.

Resolutions to be reported To-morrow.

Committee to sit again To-morrow.