Commons Sitting of 21 May 1835

Preamble
This day ballotting for Committees on the Ennis and Halifax elections took place.

ABSENCE OF A MEMBER OF AN ELECTION COMMITTEE.
In the course of a discussion on the Trinity Harbour Bill, a private Bill, Mr. Dyson appeared at the Bar with the reduced list of Members' names composing the Ennis Election Committee. On the Members being called to the Table, however, one of them, Mr. Greene, failed to answer to his name.
The Speaker asked, whether any Member had seen Mr. Greene in the House during the time the ballot was proceeding.
Mr. Hardysaid, that he knew the hon. Member perfectly well, and had reason to believe him to be at this moment in Lancashire. At least he had this morning had a letter from him, dated thence a few days back.
An hon. Membersaid that he had seen Mr. Greene in the House at four o'clock.
The Speakersaid, that such was his own apprehension, and he believed he shared it in common with several other Members.
Mr. Goulburnsaid, that he was wholly out of recollection of any precedent to this very extraordinary circumstance.
The Speaker, after a pause of a few minutes, agreed that it was a most extraordinary case. He certainly had a clear impression that the hon. Member had answered to his name at four o'clock; but as the case stood, he thought the best course would be to postpone the swearing in of the Members until due inquiry had been

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made as to Mr. Greene's absence. If it should prove that the hon. Member had not, as was supposed, answered to his name, the course of proceeding (as the right hon. Gentleman was understood to decide) would be to ballot for another Committee.
The other Members accordingly retired from the table unsworn, and the discussion on the private Bill was resumed.
Mr. Gisbornewas about to address the House, when the proceeding was interrupted by the appearance of Mr. Greene at the Bar.
The Speaker called upon the hon. Member to explain the cause of his absence.
Mr. Greenesaid, that he had been informed that during his absence (not having been at the House before during the day) he
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had been ballotted for and chosen upon an Election Committee. He had been absent, not knowing that it was a necessary part of his duty to be present.
The Speakersaid, that there had been a great mistake; for when the names of Members were called over, he had understood the hon. Member to answer, and he had been so assured by other Members. That, however, not having been the case, and the
ballot having been informal according to the terms of the Act, the House had no alternative but to adjourn. [The Speaker read the Act of 9 Geo. 4, which made it imperative on the House to complete the ballot before proceeding to any other business, and then adjourned the House.]