LORDS' AMENDMENTS. (Hansard, 13 July 1863)

§ MR. HENNESSY
expressed his satisfaction that the House of Lords had introduced into the Bill an Amendment providing for the holding of courts of inquiry.

§ MR. COX
said, he was very glad that a change had come over the spirit of the Government's dream, and, notwithstanding his 726 democratic notions, with Mr. Cobbett he thanked God that they had a House of Lords.

§ MR. DARBY GRIFFITH
said, he considered the alteration a great improvement, but he regretted that the Government had opposed it with so much obstinacy in that House.

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON
said, he was glad if the hon. Member for the King's County and the hon. Member for Finsbury were able to congratulate themselves on the clause which had been introduced into the Bill in another place, and he should be quite content if that alteration afforded any satisfaction to the Volunteer corps. But as to that clause making any difference in the law as it stood before, he hoped that neither those hon. Members nor the Volunteer corps would flatter themselves that it did anything of the kind.

§ MR. HENNESSY
said, that the Secretary of State for War was reported to have informed a deputation that upon reflection he thought it was desirable the law should be altered, and he accordingly procured its alteration in another place. Now, however, the House was told by the noble Under Secretary for the same Department that what the House of Lords had done was of no importance, and that no real alteration of the law had been made. He believed that the noble Marquess was wrong and his chief was right, and that a valuable improvement in the law had been effected in regard to courts of inquiry.

§ MR. SELWYN
said, he regretted that the measure had been mutilated in the other House by the omission of certain provisions which had been agreed to by that House for facilitating the acquisition of rifle ranges by Volunteer corps. At a time when so much was spent in furnishing the army with the most approved and costly weapons, it was highly essential that proper provision should be afforded in the establishment of rifle ranges for acquiring a thorough knowledge of their use. He deeply regretted that the House of Lords, under what be believed to be a misapprehension of the rights of landowners should have rejected a part of the Bill which was calculated to do much for the benefit of the Volunteer force. If the noble Lord who had charge of the Bill would move that the House disagree with the Lords' Amendments, he would support the Motion.

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON
said, he concurred with his hon. and learned 727 Friend in regretting that the clauses to which he referred had been struck out. That they had been struck out was, he thought, owing to a misconception in the Committee of the other House as to their real scope. At the advanced period of the Session, however, he was unwilling to risk the passing of the Bill by moving that the Lords' Amendments be dissented from.