HC Deb 12 July 1858 vol 151 cc1345-7

House in Committee.

Mr. FITZROY in the Chair.

The following Vote was agreed to.

£11,050, Mixed Commissions.

House resumed.

Resolution to be reported To-morrow.

On the Question that Supply be taken at twelve o'clock To-morrow,

MR. WILSON

said, that the House had been going on with Supply from day to day, which was a somewhat unusual course, but he did not complain of that so much as taking Supply at the morning sitting. As there were a good many Committees sitting in the morning of to-morrow, he hoped the Government would not go into Committee of Supply till the evening.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, that in arranging the business of the House he had no wish but to do that which was in accordance with the disposition of the House, and in going into Committee of Supply at the morning sitting it was not the convenience of the Government that he consulted, but he believed he was consulting the feeling of the House. Believing that, he put it to the House to decide the question, but, as at present advised, he proposed to go into Committee of Supply at twelve o'clock, and by completing Supply opportunity would be given to go on with other business, and he should be able to afford hon. Gentlemen opportunities for discussing subjects which they could not otherwise possess.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, he really thought the proposition of the right hon. Gentleman rather unreasonable. No doubt if the right hon. Gentleman asked the confidence of the House so far as to vote all the remaining Estimates in a lump, the proposal would be agreed to. But if they were to keep up the semblance of a discussion of the Estimates they should be taken at a time when hon. Gentlemen could attend, which they could not do in the morning when many Committees were sitting, as they could not, like that Irish bird, be in two places at once. He thought that on reflection the right hon. Gentleman could not press on Supply at the morning sitting. There was very little business remaining to be disposed of—unless the Government had some to bring forward of which they were not aware—and he did not see the necessity of going on with the Estimates in the morning.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, the noble Lord argued as if the arrangement had had been made to suit the convenience of Government, and not of the House itself. However, the opinion of the noble Lord had great weight with him in a point of that kind, and he would therefore consent to there being no House tomorrow morning, but that they should go into Supply in the evening. It was probable that the Oaths Bill, and another important Bill connected with it, would come down from the House of Lords in the course of the same evening, and it would be necessary to make some arrangement for their discussion. He himself, too, intended to introduce in the course of the week a measure for the purification of the river Thames.

MR. MILNER GIBSON

said, that he was desired by the noble Lord the Member for the City (Lord John Russell) to state that he would, to-morrow, announce the course which he meant to pursue with regard to the Oaths Bill.

Committee to sit again To-morrow.