§ MR. NEWDEGATEsaid, he wished to put a Question to Mr. Speaker on a matter in respect of which the Rules of the House had not been complied with. Three days were usually allowed to witnesses for the correction of Evidence given before a Select Committee. The time had been extended to six days; but some of the Evidence taken a month ago by the Committee on the Ecclesiastical Titles Act had not been returned to the printer yet, and the last of the Evidence taken by that Committee ought to have been returned a week ago. He wanted to know, Whether all the Evidence ought not to have been printed and put in the hands of Members? He believed it would be inconvenient to allow any further delay in the matter. He therefore wished to know, if Mr. Speaker would take measures to expedite the return to the printer of the Evidence?
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, the statement of the hon. Member as to three days being the usual time for the return of evidence sent to witnesses for correction was correct. Owing, perhaps, to the witnesses living at a distance from London, or to some other such cause, the period was sometimes extended; but the time referred to by the hon. Member as that of the delay in the 1224 case of the evidence taken by the Committee on the Ecclesiastical Titles Act was certainly in excess of anything that was customary. He should therefore make inquiries on the subject.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEsaid, he would postpone till Tuesday next the remarks which he had intended to make to-day on certain circumstances connected with the Select Committee.