Mr. Wallacebegged leave to move without making any remarks, that the House do meet at twelve o'clock on Monday to go into Committee on the Poole Corporation Bill.
§ Lord Granville Somersetsaid, that such a sitting would be very inconvenient, and would require strong reasons to induce the House to adopt it. The hon. Member had offered no reasons whatever for the Motion, which he would certainly oppose.
§ Mr. Poulterwould support the motion. It would be impossible to do justice to the Bill—indeed it would be impossible to pass it this Session, unless they got a morning sitting for its discussion. The measure was one that interested all the Corporations in England, and it went to remedy a great national abuse.
§ Mr. Williams Wynnwould not upon that occasion go into the merits of the Poole Corporation Bill, but when the hon. Gentleman said, that it was a Bill that concerned every Corporation in England, he must be permitted to reply that that was the very objection urged by the opponents of the measure against it. They said, and he thought justly, "Why not make this a general measure—why not apply the remedy to all cases, instead of bringing forward a local Bill of this kind?" On the contrary, the hon. Member for Shaftsbury resisted every attempt made on the Opposition side of the House to convert the Bill into a general measure. Everything, in fact, was rejected that did not tend to supersede the decision of a court of law, which it was attempted in the first instance to forestall, and which now it was attempted, if necessary, to overturn. The question now was, whether there was any good reason why this Bill should not take its course like all other business before the House. Why should this merely local Bill supersede all the important local and public business that was going on in the Committees of that House? Committees could not sit when the House was sitting. To himself and to other Members of Parliament it might make no difference if the House sat from twelve o'clock until midnight; but it would be a matter of great moment, and a source of great inconvenience, to the various parties in attendance on Committees, who would be kept in town in consequence. Nothing would be gained, while great inconvenience would be occasioned by taking the discussion of public business at twelve o'clock. Members of that House must take food and have sleep like other persons. If the business of the House was to begin at twelve o'clock, and go on till four, and if public business was to recommence at half-past four o'clock, it would be neces- 11 sary for them to appoint a Committee of Supply for the purpose of procuring dinners to be supplied to Members on the spot at a certain rate. Some time must be allowed to Members for taking food and for other business which every individual must have to perform. The sure consequence of an attempt like this, to force more business on the House than it could get through, would be, that the business would be done in thin Houses, and without due attention and consideration; that improper measures would be carried through, and that measures quite proper in themselves would be passed in an imperfect state, without having undergone that deliberation and discussion which should have been devoted to them. He certainly would give his most decided opposition to the proposition. The noble Lord (Lord John Russell) might undoubtedly allow the Bill to have precedence of the orders of the day that evening, but he (Mr. Wynn) did not think that such important measures as the Church of Ireland Bill, the Stamp Duties Bill, and various other Bills, should he postponed for that purpose.
§ Lord John Russellwas most anxious to consult the convenience of the House, and he therefore should not oppose the motion, if it was the wish of the House it should be carried. At the same time he must state that it was his own opinion it was not advisable for the House to meet on Monday morning. If the House sat at twelve o'clock on that day, three or four important Committees must suspend their sittings. That appeared to him a paramount objection to the morning sitting. The two first clauses of this Bill had already met with great opposition, and if the House should sit on Monday morning, the result would be that the whole time would be occupied with the discussion of the second clause, without making any advance in the progress of the Bill.
§ Mr. Ewartwas favourable to morning sittings. Discussions were then carried on with greater sobriety. They should remember that the whole of the Poor-law Bill was carried through Committee at morning sittings.
Mr. Heathcoatesaid, that the Agricultural Committee would re-assemble tomorrow to make their report, and that it would not be finished for some days. He would protest, therefore, against the suspension of the sitting of that Committee on Monday by an early sitting of the House.
§ Mr. Mackworth Praedwas convinced that the law-officers of the Crown, especially the Solicitor-General, ought to be present at the discussion of this Bill, and it would be impossible for them to attend a morning sitting.
Mr. Wallaceunder the circumstances would withdraw his motion, and endeavour on another day to obtain a morning sitting for the discussion of the Bill.
§ Motion withdrawn.