§ SIR JAMES DUKEsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What course the Government propose to take with reference to the Bill for amalgamating the City with the Metropolitan Police Force?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYreplied, that as the Bill in question proposed to repeal part of an Act which, in Parliamentary language, was entitled a Local Act, a question had been raised as to whether notices should not have been served. The Bill had been referred to the Examiner of Standing Orders, and he had reported that the Standing Orders, requiring notices to be served in November and December last, had not been complied with. Since the Examiner reported, the Bill had been referred to the Standing Orders Committee, and, until they made their report, no further step could be taken with reference to the measure.
§ Afterwards—
§ COLONEL FRENCHventured to remind the Home Secretary that he had not given a distinct answer to the Questions put to him by the hon. Baronet the Member for the City of London (Sir James Duke). He (Colonel French) wished to know what was the ultimate determination of the Government in reference to the Bill for the amalgamation of the Metropolitan and City Police. He hoped the right hon. Gentleman would relieve all their minds by telling them that he did not intend to proceed with the Bill.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, the Examiner had not reported whether the Bill was to be dealt with as a private measure or a public one; but he apprehended that no one conversant with the forms of the House would assert that it was strictly a private Bill. The measure dealt with two subjects—it repealed a private Act as to the City Police, and dealt with a public Act as to the Metropolitan Police. The most that could be said was, that it was a hybrid Bill, and must pass through a Select Committee up-stairs, and afterwards through a Committee of the Whole House. All that the Examiner had reported was, that the Standing Orders were applicable to it, and it would have to go to the Standing Or- 1057 ders Committee, who would report whether the Standing Orders ought to be enforced or dispensed with. If the Committee should report that the Standing Orders were to be enforced, then the Bill could not proceed, the necessary notices not having been given. But if they reported that the Standing Orders might be dispensed with, then the Bill might go on. He could exercise no option at present ns to the future progress of the Bill, for he had no power in the matter.