HC Deb 16 July 1863 vol 172 cc937-9

Order for Committee read.

MR. PAULL moved that the House go into Committee on this Bill.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."

SIR FITZROY KELLY moved that it be committed that day two months. He regarded the measure as a great interference with the rights of people to protect their property and comfort against any kind of vermin.

Amendment proposed, To leave out from the word "That" to the enc of the Question, in order to add the words "this House will, upon this day two months, resolve itself into the said Committee,"—(Sir FitzRoy Kelly,) —instead thereof.

Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."

MR. AYRTON

said, there ought to be some limit to the time of sitting. It was now half past two. He moved that the House adjourn.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."

VISCOUNT GALWAY

hoped the House would not adjourn. They had really had no late nights this Session. He was surprised at the hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets. As to the Bill itself, it was a useful measure, and he trusted it would be passed.

MR. CRAWFORD

said, he was in favour of the adjournment of the House.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Question, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question," put, and agreed to.

Main Question put, and agreed to.

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clause 2 (Penalty for selling poisoned Grain or Seed).

SIR FITZROY KELLY moved an Amendment, the object of which was to make an exception in favour of the manufacturer of "Barber's poisoned wheat for destroying mice and sparrows on the spot." This compound, as Mr. Barber himself would verify, would not destroy anything larger than a mouse or sparrow. The effect of this Bill would be to ruin Mr. Barber's trade.

Amendment proposed, in line 13, after the word "life," to insert the words "save as hereafter mentioned."—(Sir Fitzroy Kelly.)

Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted."

MR. PAULL

quoted from the trade advertisement of Mr. Barber to show that the poison was of a very deadly character. The effect therein described as happening to the sparrows was just what happened to the rooks and the pigeons.

MR. PAGET

opposed the Bill, and moved that the Chairman report Progress.

MR. CLIVE

objected to the proposed exemption, because he did not believe that there was any one so ingenious as to have invented a poison which would kill a sparrow and would not injure a young partridge.

MR. H. A. BRUCE

opposed the clause, and suggested that it be omitted.

Motion made, and Question put, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again."—(Mr. Paget.)

The Committee divided:—Ayes 22; Noes 32: Majority 10.

Question put, "That those words be there inserted."

The Committee divided:—Aye 1; Noes 37: Majority 36.

House resumed.

Bill reported; as amended, to be considered To-morrow.