§ Order read for adjourned Debate on Second Reading.
760
§
Motion made, and Question proposed—
That the Bill be now read a second time.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESI do trust that the right honourable Gentleman will not press the Second Reading of this Bill at this late hour. It is extremely hard upon those of us who wish to discuss the Bill to force it upon us at the end of a long sitting after one o'clock in the morning. The Bill professes to be founded on a recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee. That recommendation was entirely based on a series of remissions made by the Treasury, and established by the Public Accounts Committee without any alteration of the law. These remissions were remissions on death duties, and it was shown first of all that the death duties could easily be levied, and that there was no legal authority in the Committee to make these remissions. The result of that was that the Public Accounts Committee took into consideration the whole matter of the remission of duties without due authorisation by law. When I drew the attention of the right honourable Gentleman to this, he informed me that a Bill was to be introduced amending the law in that respect. Now, the first criticism. I have to make of this Bill is that it would not be workable. It deals with matters of extreme complication, and matters of great detail. I confess that I have had so much work to do to-day that I have not had time to examine the proposals of the Bill very carefully, but they deal with Amendments to the Stamp Act, customs prohibitions, excise duties, income tax, and so on. At this time of the night it is utterly impossible adequately to discuss the Bill, and I do not propose to discuss it at any length myself. There are many Amendments which deserve to be considered, and I trust the Government will not force upon an exhausted house a Bill of this sort.
§ MR. PICKERSGILLI think we have some reason to complain of 761 the conduct of Her Majesty's Government in this matter. This Bill was promised before the close of last Session, and yet the Government apparently deliberately have kept it back till the end of this Session, and propose that it shall be read a second time in the small hours of the morning without any explanation or opportunity for discussion. The Bill is of a very comprehensive character. One part of it deals with a number of operations in connection with trade, and I think that in a case of this kind ample time ought to be given to those who are more directly and immediately concerned in the operation and administration of the law which this Bill will affect, to consider it, and to communicate with those honourable Members of this House who represent them. Then there is another part of the Bill which proposes to enact
§ into law certain existing rules of practice with regard to granting relief in the payment of income tax. Now, I do not think that, because these rules are already Hi existence, therefore they ought, without adequate consideration, to be enacted into law. At this hour of the night, when, of course, many of us have been here without intermission since four or five o'clock, it is perfectly unreasonable that those who take an interest in the question should be expected to discuss it as they have a right to do. For these reasons I beg to move the adjournment of the Debate.
§
Motion made, and question put—
That this debate be now adjourned."— (Mr. Pickersgill.)
§ The House divided:—Ayes 18; Noes 104.—(Division List No. 241.)
763| AYES. | ||
| Allen, W. (Newc.-under-L.) | Hayne, Rt. Hon. C. Seale- | Price, Robert John |
| Bowles, T. G. (King's Lynn) | Hedderwick, Thomas C. H. | Sullivan, Donal (Westmeath) |
| Brigg, John | Lawson, Sir W. (Cumb'land) | |
| Channing, Francis Allston | Leuty, Thomas Richmond | TELLERS FOR THE AYES— |
| Clark, Dr.G.B. (Caithness-sh. | Macaleese, Daniel | Mr. Pickersgill and Mr. |
| Daly, James | Maddison, Fred. | Jonathan Samuel. |
| Dilke, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles | Morton, E. J. C. (Devonport) | |
| Goddard Daniel Ford | Norton, Captain Cecil W. | |
| NOES. | ||
| Arrol, Sir William | Cornwallis, Fiennes S. W. | Hardy, Laurence |
| Atkinson, Rt. Hon. John | Cox, Robert | Hermon-Hodge, Robert T. |
| Bagot, Captain J. FitzRoy | Curzon,RtHn.G.N.(Lanc.SW) | Johnston, William (Belfast) |
| Balfour,Rt.Hon.A.J. (Manc'r) | Curzon, Viscount (Bucks) | Kemp, George |
| Barton, Dunbar Plunket | Dalkeith, Earl of | Kenyon, James |
| Bathurst, Hon. Allen B. | Disraeli, Coningsby Ralph | Lafone, Alfred |
| Beach,Rt.Hn.SirM.H.(Brist'l) | Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- | Laurie, Lieut.-General |
| Bhownaggree, Sir M. M. | Duncombe, Hon. Hubert V. | LawrenceSirEDurning-(Corn.) |
| Blundell, Colonel Henry | Fellowes, Hon. Ailwyn E. | Lawson, John Grant (Yorks) |
| Boscawen, Arthur Griffith- | Finlay, Sir Robert B. | Lees, Sir E. (Birkenhead) |
| Brodrick, Rt. Hon. St. John | Fisher, William Hayes | Legh, Hon. T. W. (Lancs) |
| Caldwell, James | Folkestone, Viscount | Leigh-Bennett, Henry Currie |
| Carlile, William Walter | Foster, Colonel (Lancaster) | Lockwood, Lt.-Col. A. R. |
| Cavendish.V. C.W. (Derbysh.) | Foster, Harry S. (Suffolk) | Loder, Gerald Walter E. |
| Cecil, Lord H. (Greenwich) | Gibbons, J. Lloyd | Long, Rt. Hon. W. (Liverp'l) |
| Chaloner, Capt. R. G. W. | Godson, Sir Augustus F. | Lucas-Shadwell, William |
| Chamberlain,Rt.Hn.J. (Birm.) | Gordon, Hon. John Edward | Macartney, W. G. Ellison |
| Chamberlain, J. A. (Worc'r) | Goschen, George J. (Sussex) | Maclure, Sir John William |
| Chaplin, Rt. Hon. Henry | Graham, Henry Robert | McCalmont,Mj.-Gn.(Ant'm N) |
| Charrington, Spencer | Gray, Ernest (W. Ham) | McKillop, James |
| Clarke, Sir E. (Plymouth) | Greene, W.Raymond-(Cambs) | Malcolm, Ian |
| Cochrane, Hon. T. H. A. E. | Greville, Captain | Milbank, Sir Powlett C. J. |
| Collings, Rt. Hon. Jesse | Hall, Sir Charles | Mildmay, Francis Bingham |
| Colomb, Sir John C. R. | Hanbury, Rt. Hon. R. W. | Milton, Viscount |
| Morgan, Hon.F. (Monm'thsh.) | Robinson, Brooke | Webster, Sir R. E. (I. of W.) |
| Morrell, George Herbert | Royds, Clement Molyneux | Went worth, B. C. Vernon- |
| Murray, Rt. Hn. A. G. (Bute) | Russell, T. W. (Tyrone) | Williams, Col. R. (Dorset) |
| Murray, C. J. (Coventry) | Sidebotham, J. W. (Cheshire) | Williams, J. Powell (Birm.) |
| Myers, William Henry | Simeon, Sir Barrington | Wilson J. W. (Worc'sh., N.) |
| Nicol, Donald Ninian | Stanley, Lord (Lancs) | Wortley, Rt.Hon.C.B. Stuart- |
| Northcote, Hon. Sir H. S. | Stanley, B. J. (Somerset) | Wyndham, George |
| Phillpotts, Captain Arthur | Strutt, Hon. Charles Hedley | Wyndham-Quin, Maj. W. H. |
| Richardson, Sir T. (Hartlep'l) | Talbot, Lord E. (Chichester) | |
| Ridley, Rt. Hon. Sir M. W. | Thornton, Percy M. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES— |
| Ritchie, Rt. Hon. C. T. | Tomlinson, W. E. Murray | Sir William Walrond and |
| Robertson, Herbert (Hackney) | Valentia, Viscount | Mr. Anstruther. |
§
Main question—
That the Bill be now read a second time.
§ The House divided:—Ayes 101; Noes 19.—(Division List No. 242.)
763| AYES. | ||
| Arrol, Sir William | Foster, Harry S. (Suffolk) | Morrell, George Herbert |
| Atkinson, Rt. Hon. John | Gibbons, J. Lloyd | Murray, Rt. Hn. A. G. (Bute) |
| Bagot, Captain J. FitzRoy | Godson, Sir Augustus F. | Murray, C. J. (Coventry) |
| Balfour, Rt.Hn.A.J. (Manc'r) | Gordon, Hon. John Edward | Myers, William Henry |
| Barton, Dunbar Plunket | Goschen, George J. (Sussex) | Nicol, Donald Ninian |
| Bathurst, Hon. Allen B. | Graham, Henry Robert | Northete, Hon. Sir H. S. |
| Beach,Rt.Hn.SirM.H.(Brist'l) | Gray, Ernest (W. Ham) | Phillpotts, Captain Arthur |
| Bhownaggree, Sir M. M. | Greene, W. Raymond-(Cambs) | Richardson, Sir T. (Hartlep'l) |
| Blundell, Colonel Henry | Greville, Captain | Ridley, Rt. Hon. Sir M. W. |
| Boscawen, Arthur Griffith- | Hall, Sir Charles | Ritchie, Rt. Hon. C. T. |
| Brodrick, Rt. Hon. St. John | Hanbury, Rt. Hon. R. W. | Robertson, Herbert (Hackney) |
| Carlile, William Walter | Hermon-Hodge, Robert T. | Robinson, Brooke |
| Cavendish,V. C.W. (Derbysh.) | Johnston, William (Belfast) | Royds, Clement Molyneux |
| Cecil, Lord H. (Greenwich) | Kemp, George | Russell, T. W. (Tyrone) |
| Chaloner, Capt. R. G. W. | Kenyon, James | Sidebotham, J. W. (Cheshire) |
| Chamberlain,Rt.Hn.J. (Birm.) | Lafone, Alfred | Simeon, Sir Barrington |
| Chamberlain, J. A. (Worc'r) | Laurie, Lieut.-General | Stanley, Lord (Lancs) |
| Chaplin, Rt. Hon. Henry | LawrenceSirEDurning-(Corn.) | Stanley, E. J. (Somerset) |
| Charrington, Spencer | Lawson, John Grant (Yorks) | Strutt, Hon. Charles Hedley |
| Clarke, Sir E. (Plymouth) | Lees, Sir E. (Birkenhead) | Talbot, Lord E. (Chichester) |
| Cochrane, Hon. T. H. A. E. | Legh, Hon. T. W. (Lancs) | Thornton, Percy M. |
| Collings, Rt. Hon. Jesse | Leigh-Bennett, Henry Currie | Tomlinson, W. E. Murray |
| Colomb, Sir John C. R. | Lockwood, Lieut.-Col. A. R. | Valentia, Viscount |
| Cornwallis, Fiennes S. W. | Loder, Gerald Walter E. | Webster, Sir R. E. (I. of W.) |
| Cox, Robert | Long, Rt. Hon. W. (Liverp'l) | Wentworth, B. C. Vernon- |
| Curzon, Viscount (Bucks) | Lucas-Shadwell, William | Williams, Col. R. (Dorset) |
| Dalkeith, Earl of | Macartney, W. G. Ellison | Williams, J. Powell (Birm.) |
| Disraeli, Coningsby Ralph | Maclure, Sir John William | Wilson, J. W. (Worc'sh., N.) |
| Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- | McCalmont,Mj.-Gn.(Ant'mN) | Wortley, Rt.Hon.C.B. Stuart- |
| Duncombe, Hon. Hubert V. | McKillop, James | Wyndham, George |
| Fellowes, Hon. Ailwyn E. | Malcolm, Ian | Wyndham-Quin, Maj. W. H. |
| Finlay, Sir Robert B. | Milbank, Sir Powlett C. J. | |
| Fisher, William Hayes | Mildmay, Francis Bingham | TELLERS FOR THE AYES— |
| Folkestone, Viscount | Milton, Viscount | Sir William Walrond and |
| Foster, Colonel (Lancaster) | Morgan, Hon.F. (Monm'thsh.) | Mr. Anstruther. |
| NOES. | ||
| Allen, W. (Newc.-under-L.) | Goddard, Daniel Ford | Norton, Captain Cecil W. |
| Bowles, T. G. (King's Lynn) | Hayne, Rt. Hon. C. Seale- | Price, Robert John |
| Brigg, John | Hedderwick, Thomas C. H. | Sullivan, Donal (Westmeath) |
| Caldwell, James | Lawson, Sir W. (Cumb'land) | |
| Channing, Francis Allston | Leuty, Thomas Richmond | TELLERS FOR THE NOES— |
| Clark, Dr.G.B. (Caithness-sh.) | Macaleese, Daniel | Mr. Pickersgill and Mr. |
| Daly, James | Maddison, Fred. | Jonathan Samuel. |
| Dilke, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles | Morton, E. J. C. (Devonport) |
Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.
§ House adjourned at 1.45.