(NO. 183.) COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 20 August 1883)

THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN
asked that their Lordships should allow this Bill to pass through Committee to-day. He had several Amendments; but as they were of an unimportant character, and were not yet in print, they could be taken, he thought, on the Motion for the third reading to-morrow.

§ EARL FORTESCUE
said, he must enter his protest against what he though was an objectionable course in regard to a most questionable Bill. The more he looked at the measure the more he disapproved of it, and the more dangerous did it appear to him. He had very great objection to the power contained in it of erecting cottages being placed in the hands of the Boards of Guardians, who might erect cottages in districts already congested. There was a very great tendency on the part of Irish legislators to assent to any measure which involved an advance from the Treasury for expenditure in Ireland. He supposed there was a general idea that it was a good thing for money to be laid out like this, and that it was a good thing to allow interest to get into arrear, so that it might eventually be wholly or partly forgiven. He protested against Amendments being taken on third reading, contending that ample time should be given for the consideration of the new proposals. Amendments to Bills of this kind were discussed with much greater advantage when the noble and learned Earl the Lord Chancellor was not in the Chair.

LORD VENTRY
said, he had some small Amendments to propose; but he was prepared to postpone their consideration till the third reading of the Bill.

§ THE EARL OF REDESDALE (CHAIRMAN of COMMITTEES)
said, he hoped that their Lordships would not allow Bills to be treated in the way proposed by the noble Earl (the Earl of Dunraven). He supposed the Amendments would be moved, and then the third reading. It was bad enough to have Bills coming to their Lordships' House so late in the Session; but they were asked practically to have no Committee on this Bill, but to reserve the Amendments to a later stage. He thought this was treating the legislation of that House with the greatest possible contempt. He should object to the Bill going through Committee on that occasion.

THE EARL OF DUNRAVEN
said, there was no Amendment of any importance whatever of which Notice had yet been given. The Amendments of the noble Lord (Lord Ventry) were purely verbal, and those of which he himself had given Notice were not calculated to take up any time in their consideration; and he hoped their Lordships would allow the third reading to be taken to-morrow.