QUESTION. (Hansard, 19 July 1858)

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
expressed a wish to know whether the Government meant to persevere with the Chinese Emigration Bill, and a hope that if such were the case it would be brought on this week, as it was likely to lead to considerable discussion.

§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY
said, he trusted the finance accounts would for the future be laid upon the table of the House at a period of the Session when they could be more conveniently discussed than had hitherto been the case.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
Arrangements have already been made in order that the necessary financial accounts may be laid upon the table as early as possible; but as preparation and an alteration in arrangements which have long existed must precede the production of these accounts, I cannot speak with certainty on the matter. Her Majesty's Government have given their earnest attention to the recommendations of the Public Moneys Committee; and these recommendations will lead to alterations in the transaction of public business. With regard to the question put by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Taunton (Mr. Labouchere) to my right hon. Friend the Secretary for the Colonies, I must observe that the Bill to which the right hon. Gentleman referred is to come from the Lords, and our attention must, I think, be devoted in the first place to those Bills which have to go up to the Lords; but I think I may say that we shall not press that Bill on the attention of this House this Session. There is another measure of great importance, which I regret to say I cannot ask the House to decide on this Session, though I shall take the earliest opportunity of asking them to sanction it next Sesssion—that is, the Superannuation Bill. I promised the hon. Member for Devenport (Mr. Wilson) that I would communicate with him with respect to this measure; and I take this opportunity of informing him that I shall not press it at present. There is another Bill which is of importance, and which I trust will be, on an early occasion, brought before the House, but which, I think, I cannot, consistently with the rules laid down by the House of Lords, ask this House to proceed further with this Session—the Irish Police Bill. These are the only announcements I have to make with respect to the public business.