HC Deb 19 June 1856 vol 142 cc1727-8

Order for Second Reading read.

MR. BENTINCK

said, he wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it was the intention of the Government to bring forward this measure? He had understood the right hon. Gentleman to say that it would not be brought on that night, and that there was no probability of the Bill being read a second time before that day week. Since that announcement was made the noble Lord at the head of the Government had stated that it would be brought on to-morrow. Now, as those two statements did not tally, he should like to know upon what the House might rely?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, that hon. Gentlemen who attended to the business of the House must know how impossible it was to say at what time any particular measure would come on. Things arose suddenly which frequently threw over all previous arrangements. If it could be brought on to-morrow, at a time when it could be discussed, it should be proposed; but if that opportunity did not then occur, it would be postponed to some other time.

MR. BENTINCK

again rose, and was met with loud cries of "Spoke, spoke!" The hon. Gentleman said: Well, then, I move the adjournment of the House.

MR. SPEAKER

informed the hon. Gentleman that he had already spoken on the question, and was out of order in making such a Motion.

MR. E. BALL

said, he would move the adjournment of the House. He might inform Her Majesty's Government that a good deal of excitement on this question prevailed in the agricultural districts, and he trusted that if the noble Lord did not intend to proceed with the measure he would at once say that the pressure of public business was so great that no time could be given to it.

MR. CAYLEY

said, the matter could hardly come on to-morrow, as the Poor Law Amendment Bill stood for discussion, as well as the Militia and other Estimates.

MR. BENTINCK

said, he would admit that it might be very difficult to determine generally what would occupy them on a particular day: hence the noble Lord was master of the situation, and it rested with him to determine when the Bill would be brought on. The noble Lord, however, had had no difficulty whatever in granting Monday to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Fortescue) to bring on his Motion.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

The instance quoted by the hon. Gentleman was one in support of the rule which he had laid down; namely, that when subjects of great importance intervened, everything else had to be postponed in order that an early opportunity might be allowed for their discussion. He must beg leave to say that it appeared very extraordinary that hon. Gentlemen, who by their votes and speeches, attached so much importance to the subject referred to in the discussion about to be raised by the hon. Member, should now dissent from that conclusion. With regard to the Agricultural Statistics Bill, if the Bill could not come on before ten o'clock, they would not press it for discussion if hon. Gentlemen did not wish. But the object of the Government was to have the Bill read a second time in order to refer it to a Select Committee.

The Motion for the adjournment of the House was then withdrawn, and the second reading of the Bill postponed.