HC Deb 27 February 1860 vol 156 cc1904-6

Order for Second Reading read.

Motion made and Question proposed "That the Bill be now read a second time."

MR. LYGON

said, that the measure proposed to transfer the supervision of the mail contract service from the Admiralty to the Post Office, although the latter department had shown itself extremely slow in affording the public the facilities to which they were entitled. Moreover, this Bill was premature as it prejudged the question now before the Committee to whom the task of laying down the principles on which telegraphic and packet contracts should be conducted had been intrusted. If that Committee was to be of any use at all, this measure ought to be postponed until they had reported. He begged, therefore, to move the adjournment of the debate.

Motion made and Question proposed "That the Debate be now adjourned."

MR. KINNAIRD

said, he should support the Second Reading of the Bill, as he maintained that the management of these contracts under the Admiralty was most expensive, and that it was highly desirable, in the interests of public economy, that the change now proposed should be effected without delay.

MR. LAING

said, the measure raised no question as to the manner in which new contracts should be made, but merely transferred the supervision of existing contracts to the Post Office, the department to which such matters naturally belonged, as to it all complaints of irregularity in respect to the mails were in the first instance referred. The Board of Admiralty asked to have the transfer made, as they had quite enough of business of a more important kind to attend to. Moreover, the Committee thought it desirable that the Government should proceed on their own responsibility, and he hoped the House, therefore, would read the Bill a second time.

LORD JOHN MANNERS

said, that the Post Office originally possessed the functions now proposed to be restored to it, when the system worked so ill that it was thought expedient to substitute for it the supervision of the Admiralty. The alteration now proposed was an important one, and ought not to be adopted until the Committee on packet contracts had made some recommendation.

LORD CLARENCE PAGET

said, that the Board of Admiralty was already overburdened with its own proper work in connection with the navy, and ought to be relieved of this extraneous branch of its duties. This business had been thrown upon the Admiralty at a time when the mail packets were vessels of war. But now that the conveyance of the mails was put out to contract and carried on in merchant vessels, there was no reason whatever why the Post Office, with the assistance of the Board of Trade, if necessary, should not discharge this duty.

MR. HOWES

said, he wished to observe that the Committee on Packet Contracts thought they were not called upon to express an opinion on this subject, as the Government had undertaken the Bill on their own responsibility. The Committee doubted whether the matter was within the terms of the reference.

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

said, that the Bill did not bear upon the matters referred to the Committee on Packet Contracts. It was clear that whatever arrangements they might recommend would apply equally to the Post Office and Admiralty management. The transfer of these contracts was merely proposed for the convenience of the departments and in order that the public service might be better carried on.

MR. WHITESIDE

said, he understood when the Committee was moved for, that it was for the purpose of having the advantage of their opinion.

MR. KINNAIRD

said, he did not understand that such was the object.

MR. LYGON

said, he would not trouble the House to divide. When the Bill went into Committee, however, he should propose that the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Packet Contracts.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Main Question put, and agreed to.

Bill read 2°, and committed for Monday next.