SUPPLEMENTAL CIVIL SERVICES ESTIMATE. (Hansard, 9 February 1855)

§ MR. WILSON
said, he intended to have proposed that the House should go into Committee of Supply to-day on a Supplemental Estimate for the Civil Services. The Estimate was laid on the table yesterday at an early hour, and it ought to have been printed and in the hands of hon. Members within a short time afterwards; but he was sorry to say that, in consequence of some mistake on the part of the printer, it had not yet come down to the House. He was not disposed, unless the House should wish it, to proceed with the Votes in the absence of the printed documents; but he might just state what the different items were. The first was a sum of 120,400l., 70,000l. for an excess of stationery supplied to the army in the East; the second was a sum of 56,000l. for the printing of patents, which, how- 1395 ever, was not an expense to the country, the money being paid into the Consolidated Fund in the shape of stamps; and the third was a sum of 8,000l. for the extraordinary expenses of Ambassadors at Foreign Courts, incurred in consequence of the large number of messengers employed during the last six months.

§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY
said, that, unless there was an absolute necessity for going into Committee of Supply to-day, he hoped the House would defer it till after the adjournment. It appeared to him that 120,000l. was a very large sum for an excess of stationery. Besides, only one stage could be taken to-day, and he did not think any inconvenience could result from delay.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
said, his hon. Friend the Secretary of the Treasury had put himself at the disposal of the House with reference to this matter. The casual error of the printer, of course, gave any hon. Gentleman a right to object to going into Committee of Supply at that time, and he should not think of forcing such a measure by the vote of a majority. It was true that only a single stage could be taken that day, but it was material that that preliminary stage should be taken. The hon. Baronet (Sir H. Willoughby) would remember that two days ago a Vote was taken for the Ordnance Department. Upon that Vote, and the Vote taken yesterday for the Navy, a Ways and Means Bill would be founded. Now, the great object in taking the proposed Vote for the Civil Service that day was, that it would enable his hon. Friend the Secretary of the Treasury to include the whole three Votes in the same Ways and Means Bill; and he might remind the hon. Baronet that he would have, in Committee on the Ways and Means Bill, precisely the same opportunity of discussing the details of the Votes as he would have in Committee of Supply.

§ MR. W. WILLIAMS
said, he thought that to propose going into Committee of Supply now was a deviation from the ordinary practice of the House; but in the present state of affairs they should not adhere too strictly to forms. They must, however, on this occasion trust the Government, hoping they would apply the public money beneficially and economically, as far as circumstances would permit, for the public service.

§ MR. A. STAFFORD
said, he did not oppose the House going into Committee of 1396 Supply, but he could not help noticing that when hon. Members on his side of the House called attention to matters of urgency connected with the state of the army in the Crimea they were immediately met by objections grounded on the forms of the House; while, on the other hand, whenever those forms stood in their own way, the Government had no scruple in asking the House to waive them. As to the item of 70,000l. for stationery for the army, it might appear a large sum, but he thought that, instead of being too large, it was, perhaps, not large enough, because, when he was in the East, he was informed that there was a difficulty in the way of the soldiers sending home remittances of their pay to their friends from the want of sufficient paper for the purpose.