§ On the Motion of Sir G. Clerk, the report on Lord Ellenborough's Divorce Bill was brought up. The hon. Member moved that it be read a third time next Monday.
§ Mr. Tennysonwished the third reading to be deferred to a later day. He was not prepared, without first reading the evidence through, to give his vote on the Bill.
§ Mr. A. Ellisprotested against the haste with which hon. Members were hurrying the Bill through the House. He was not 1215 prepared to say that he should vote against the Bill, on the contrary, he thought he should vote in favour of it; but he could not refrain from opposing the proposition that the Bill be read a third time on so early a day as next Monday. He did conceive that the third reading should be postponed until after the holidays.
§ Sir G. Clerksaid, there was no disposition on the part of the supporters of the Bill to hurry it through the House. But a most ample inquiry had been entered into, and he thought a very general feeling existed in the House that, after the evidence was ordered to be printed, as little delay should take place as possible. The House would adjourn on Wednesday or Thursday next for the holidays, and it was desirable, he conceived, to have the fate of the Bill decided before that period. The evidence would be printed and in the hands of Members by Monday next; but if any hon. Member should then state that he had not had sufficient time to consider it, he should be ready to postpone the third reading of the Bill till the next day.
Mr. S. Ricethought it would be extreme injustice to the parties concerned, to postpone the third reading until after the holidays; but he suggested that it should take place on a later day than Monday next—namely, on the following Wednesday or Thursday.
§ On the motion of Sir G. Clerk, the third reading was then fixed for next Tuesday.