HC Deb 22 March 1847 vol 91 cc318-9

On the Motion for Reading the Orders of the Day,

MR. E. DENISON

, referring to the Prisons Bill and the Custody of Offenders Bill, inquired, whether it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to bring the question of transportation before the House?

SIR G. GREY

replied, that it was not his intention to bring the subject before the House; but the noble Lord the Member for Hertford (Viscount Mahon) had intimated to him that he should take an opportunity of introducing the whole subject. He (Sir G. Grey) proposed to go on with the Bills on Thursday.

LORD J. RUSSELL

, in reply to another question, said, the question, as brought under the consideration of the House by these two Bills, would not commit the House.

SIR J. GRAHAM

was satisfied, from the experience of four years which he had had of transportation, there was an absolute necessity for some change. He was not aware, however, of any mode in which the question could be brought under the consideration of the House, if the advisers of the Crown should think fit to operate by the prerogative, excepting under one of these Bills. The prerogative of the Crown could effect all the changes in the system of transportation, saving only in the case of Irish convicts, for whom provision was to be made in one of the Bills now before the House. Unless the question could be raised directly in some other shape, he did not believe there would be any other opportunity of discussing the question except upon one of these two Bills.

MR. HENLEY

thought some detailed stetement should be made before the House were asked to pass these Bills.

MR. FINCH

asked, whether the Crown possessed the prerogative of altering the sentence of transportation?

SIR G. GREY

replied, there could not be a question of it.

SIR J. GRAHAM

said he should mate no objection to these Bills if there was an understanding that the whole subject would be introduced in a distinct shape shortly after Easter.

SIR G. GREY

hoped the question would be raised in a distinct shape; but there was no Bill before the House that would raise it, although the noble Lord (Lord Mahon) had intimated to him, privately, his intention of discussing the subject.

House adjourned at a quarter past One o'clock.