§ MR. HERRIESinquired of the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Labouchere) what course he proposed taking with respect to the Committee on the Navigation Laws, which was among the orders for that evening, but which, from the business that should precede it, was not likely to be brought on that evening, and he was, therefore, desirous of knowing if the right hon. Gentleman would take it on another day, and if so, on what day? He should also wish to know whether the resolution which was to be proposed now was so nearly in accordance with the resolution proposed last Session, as that the understanding come to on that occasion should be now acted upon—viz., to allow the first reading of the Bill to take place, for the purpose of its circulation through the country, and then to let the discussion be afterwards had on the second reading, when they could enter upon the discussion with a general knowledge of the intentions of the Government on the question. It was important, then, for those who wished to take a part in the discussion, to know whether or not the present resolutions were the same, or nearly so, as those of last year.
§ Mr. LABOUCHEREhoped that their discussions on the subject last Session 565 would not be altogether thrown away, but might have the effect of saving the time of the House now. In answer to the question of the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Herries), he begged to state that it would not be in their power, from the state of the business, to bring forward the Committee on the navigation laws that evening; he should, therefore, postpone it to Wednesday the 14th instant. As to the resolution he proposed moving, he could not certainly say that it would be identically the same as that proposed last Session. He was unwilling to lay it on the table, unaccompanied by any explanation, as the absence of all explanation might give rise to a belief that might not be well founded as to the nature of the modifications proposed. He also thought it expedient that a general resolution of that kind should not be laid on the table before moving the Committee, as it only gave rise to a discussion on the question of the Speaker leaving the chair, instead of that discussion being reserved for the more appropriate occasion of the Committee of the whole House. He was, therefore, reluctant to lay the resolution now upon the table; but he trusted the right hon. Gentleman would reserve any opposition he might have to the Bill until its second reading, and that he would find no difficulty in agreeing to the preliminary resolution on which the Bill was to be founded.
§ Mr. HERRIEShoped that ample time would be allowed to intervene between the proposing of the resolution and the second reading of the Bill.