HC Deb 21 August 1857 vol 147 cc2002-3
MR. GRIFFITH

said, he would beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman in the Chair whether, when an important Amendment placed upon the Notice Paper is subsequently altered in its leading principle, it will not be desirable that some note of such change should be appended to it? His reason for asking this question was that, during the discussion upon the Divorce Bill some Amendments, and particularly one moved by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the University of Cambridge (Mr. Walpole) in the 53rd clause, were altered from the form in which Notice was originally given of them in such a manner as might have been productive of much inconvenience.

MR. SPEAKER

said, that the terms of the hon. Gentleman's question as to the mode of treating an important Amendment gave rise immediately to one difficulty. Who was to determine what was an important Amendment, and what not? It was the privilege of every Member of the House to give notice of any Amendment, at the same time it was extremely proper and useful that he should have the power of altering the terms of his Amendment in order to make it conform with the Bill in its progress. It did not appear to him to be too much to expect of hon. Members that they should look at the Notice Paper of the day to see what Amendments were to be proposed. He did not think that it would be desirable to make any change in the system which at present existed.

House adjourned at half-past Three o'clock till Monday next.