STANDING ORDERS.

HC Deb 29 April 1846 vol 85 cc1210-1

MR. R. HODGSON

moved the following Resolution of which he had given notice:— To discharge Order (23rd April), 'That it be an instruction to the Committee on every Private Bill, originated in this House, relating to any Railway, before proceeding with the merits of such Bill, to require to be produced before them, and verified by the Promoters, &c.;' and to move, in lieu thereof, 'That it be an instruction to the Committee on every Private Bill, originated in this House, relating to any Railway, to require to be produced before them, and verified by the promoters, &c.' He did not wish to preclude the Committee from obtaining the information ensured by the Standing Order; but he would leave them to get it in the course of their inquiries, with a discretion to enforce the giving of it, if necessary. The House had just had an instance of a Chairman being obliged to come down in order to obtain the leave of the House to proceed in opposition to this Standing Order; and he merely wished to place all Committees in the same position.

MR. T. S. DUNCOMBE

said, he thought the hon. Member had made out no case whatever for the rescinding this Standing Order. The only case to which he had been able to refer, in which it was thought necessary to depart from this Order was that of some Scotch railways.

SIR G. CLERK

agreed with the hon. Member for Finsbury, that with a view to being able to distinguish between bonâ fide projects and bubble schemes, the Committees ought to have all the attainable information possible before them.

MR. HODGSON

said, as his Motion did not seem to meet with the approbation of the House, he would not press it.

Motion withdrawn.