HC Deb 18 April 1864 vol 174 cc1273-4
MR. GREGORY

having proposed that the following Members be Members of the Select Committee on Scientific Institutions (Dublin),—

MR. WHITESIDE

was proceeding to discuss the propriety of having two institutions—the Dublin Society and the Museum of Industry—situated within six minutes' walk of each other, when the professors were the same, the lecturers were the same, and the subjects were the same, when—

MR. COGAN

rose to order. The simple Question was the nomination of the Committee, and he submitted that it was not competent to the hon. and learned Gentleman to discuss the merits of the Question.

MR. WHITESIDE

submitted that he was quite in order, inasmuch as when the subject was before the House on a previous occasion the understanding was that he might make any remarks which he thought necessary on the naming of the Committee.

MR. SPEAKER

said, it was perfectly true that the House had decided the Question that the Committee should be appointed, and under ordinary circumstances it would be desirable that the discussion should be confined to the names of the Members of whom it should be composed. He understood the right hon. Gentleman to object to some names, and to desire to propose others; it was impossible to prescribe the limits to which the argument of the hon. and learned Gentleman might extend in his endeavour to procure the substitution of one name for another.

MR. WHITESIDE

objected to the name of the hon. Member for Galway (Mr. Gregory), and proposed that the name of Mr. Lowe should be substituted.

SIR PATRICK O'BRIEN

rose to order, stating that the only Question before the House was the nomination of Mr. Gregory as one of the Committee.

MR. WHITESIDE

said, the object of the hon. Gentleman opposite was to prevent him from stating the facts, but they had not the power of doing so. Sir Robert Kay having been made President of the College of Cork was also made President of the Dublin Society, obtaining two salaries. He could not help characterizing the whole thing as a complete job.

MR. SPEAKER

reminded the hon. and learned Gentleman that the main Question now was the nomination of the Committee.

Select Committee on Scientific Institutions (Dublin) nominated:—

MR. GREGORY, Lord HENRY LENNOX, Sir ROBERT PEEL, Mr. LUKE WHITE, Mr. LYGON, Sir COLMAN O'LOGHLEN, Mr. COGAN, The O'CONOR DON, Mr. O'REILLY, Mr. DILLWYN, Sir EDWARD GROGAN, Mr. GEORGE, Mr. LEADER, Mr. LEFROY, and Mr. WALDRON:—Power to send for persons, papers, and records; Five to be the quorum.

MR. ADDERLEY

said, he should raise the Question in the Estimates, and move that the Vote be omitted.

MR. GREGORY

In that case I shall move that the grant for the Royal Dublin Society be omitted.

House adjourned at a quarter after One o'clock.