HC Deb 19 March 1866 vol 182 cc507-8
MR. E. P. BOUVERIE

said, he had intended to move that this Committee, which was appointed to sit to-morrow, should meet at eleven o'clock; but after the decision at which the House had just arrived, he felt it to be his duty to move that it be ordered to meet at one o'clock. He found, on referring to the Act regulat- ing these matters, that Election Committees were included under the head of Select Committees, and as the House had just determined that Select Committees should not sit until one o'clock, he could not now ask them to appoint that the Totnes Election Committee should sit at eleven o'clock in contradiction to that decision. He therefore moved that the Totnes Election Committee be appointed to meet at one o'clock to-morrow, although he was sorry to be compelled to do so on account of the expense which the parties interested would be put to by the alteration.

MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER

said, he had already informed the Totnes Election Committee that it should meet at the same hour as the other Select Committees.

MR. E. P. BOUVERIE

said, the Speaker had no power to direct when an Election Committee was to meet—the Act of Parliament required the House to appoint the hour, and when a Committee was sworn it was usual for the Speaker to ask the Chairman when the Committee would meet; the Chairman named an hour, and then the Speaker put the Question to the House that the Committee should meet at the hour named by the Chairman. The hour of meeting, therefore, was fixed by Resolution of the House. His Motion was therefore necessary.

MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER

put the Question, that the Totnes Election Committee should meet at one o'clock.

Motion agreed to.

Ordered, That the Committee do meet To-morrow, in one of the Committee Rooms of the House, at One of the clock.

MR. E. C. EGERTON

said, he moved that the Boston Election Committee should meet at one o'clock. He agreed with the statement of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. Bouverie) as to the practice of the House. On the appointment of an Election Committee the Speaker invariably asked the Chairman of the Committee at what hour the Committee should meet, and on ascertaining the time put the Question to the House, by whom the Motion was decided. After the first day the Committee always commenced their proceedings at eleven.

Ordered, That the Committee do meet To-morrow, in one of the Committee Rooms of the House, at One of the clock.

Same Orders with respect to the Great Yarmouth, Nottingham, and Bridgnorth Election Committees.