§ An hon. Member acquainted the House that Mr. G. Bankes, who was yesterday committed to the custody of the Sergeant-at-Armsfor non-attendance when the Wakefield Election Committee was called over for the purpose of being sworn, was confined to his bed by indisposition, and a medical gentleman was in attendance to give evidence to that effect.
§ Mr. Jackson(Mr. Bankes's medical attendant) was called to the bar, and stated that he had seen Mr. Bankes that 368 morning, and found him labouring under a bilious attack, attended with fever. Mr. Bankes was too ill to attend to his duty in the House of Commons. He thought that Mr. Bankes would not be able to attend for four or five days. Mr. Bankes told him that he had been unwell for about ten days.
§ Lord G. Somersetsaid, that considering the evidence given by the medical gentleman, he thought he should not be deemed to encourage the non-attendance of Members struck for election committees if he moved that Mr. G. Bankes be discharged from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms without payment of fees.
§ Sir G. Greydid not mean to make the slightest objection to the motion, but he thought it would be very desirable, when any hon. Member was in such a state of health as to prevent his attendance, that he should get some Friend to apply to the House for leave of absence.
An hon. Member observed, that though he would not object to the present motion, he thought that in other cases some strong notice ought to be taken by the House of the absence of a Member, unless it was satisfactorily explained. Parties were put to enormous expenses by the absence of Members struck for election committees.
§ Mr. Barnardtrusted that no Member who had been ill for ten days would be discharged without payment of fees, for he ought to have informed the House of his illness.
§ Lord G. Somersetsaid, he had been informed that it was Mr. G. Bankes's intention to be in the House last Monday, and that his illness was aggravated by travelling to town for that purpose.
§ Mr. Laboucheresaid, that if it had been Mr. Bankes's intention to attend, and if he was prevented by illness, it would be too hard to make him pay his fees; but he hoped it would not go forth that the House was disposed to deal lightly with these offences, and to accept light and trivial excuses for non-attendance.
The motion "That Mr. G. Bankes be discharged from the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms without payment of fees" was agreed to.
The Members of the Wakefield Election Committee were discharged from further attendance, in consequence of Mr. Bankes's absence, and the Petitions and Lists re- 369 ferred back to the General Committee of Elections.