§ MR. THOMPSONsaid, he rose to move that the Special Report on Group 8 of Railway Bills be referred to the Standing Orders Committee. It was a matter of great importance, so far as the public business of the House was concerned, that the proceedings in reference to Railway Bills should be in accordance with the 875 Standing Orders of the House. The number of Railway Bills was increasing instead of diminishing yearly, and nine-tenths of them were got up by engineers and solicitors who had got nothing to do, and the public were deluded into schemes that rested upon no solid foundation. The Standing Orders should be framed so as to put a stop to this as far as possible.
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Special Report from the Committee on Group 8 of Railway Bills be referred to the Select Committee on Standing Orders, together with the Minutes of the Evidence taken before the said Committee on the 18th day of this instant May, with reference to the Skipton, Wharfdale, and Leyburn Junction Railway Bill; and that it be an Instruction to the Committee that they do report whether, in their opinion, the proceedings herein disclosed involve any infraction or evasion of the Standing Orders, or of the Act relating to Parliamentary Deposits."—(Mr. Thompson.)
§ SIR THOMAS WINNINGTONsaid, as a Member of the Committee, he would not offer any objection to the Motion.
MR. HENLEYsaid, the reference now proposed to be made differed completely from any of those references which, had hitherto been made upon the subject. He thought the hon. Member's object would have been more properly obtained by having the matter referred to the Standing Orders Division Committee, instead of to the Standing Orders Committee.
§ MR. THOMPSONsaid, he had no objection to alter his Motion so as to make the reference to the Standing Orders Committee.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.