Commons Sitting of 21 August 1867

MINUTES.
NEW WRIT ISSUED—For the College of the Holy Trinity of Dublin, v. The Right Hon. Hedges Eyre Chatterton, Vice Chancellor of Ireland.
NEW MEMBER SWORN—Henry Self Page Winter-botham, esquire, for Stroud.
The House met at half after One of the Clock.

REPORT OF THE RITUAL COMMISSION.

  QUESTION.
  MR. MONK, who had a Notice on the Paper to ask the Home Secretary, Whether he could give the House any information as to the progress made by the Ritual Commissioners, and when it was probable that their primary Report would be published? said, after the announcement made on Monday by the most rev. Prelate (the Archbishop of Canterbury) in "another place," it was unnecessary that he should ask the first part of
  1640
  that Question; but he hoped the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary would be able to assure the House that the primary Report of the Commission would be made public as soon as possible.
  MR. GATHORNE HARDYsaid, that in order that the Report might be printed as soon as possible, he had that day presented it informally to the House.

VAGRANCY IN THE METROPOLIS.

  QUESTION.
  LORD ELCHOasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether a large increase of vagrancy had not taken place in the Metropolis?
  MR. GATHORNE HARDYadmitted that the subject was worthy of attention, but he was not aware that a large increase of vagrancy had taken place in London, though undoubtedly there was a great amount of it existing there. There could be no doubt that the Houseless Poor Act gave encouragement to vagrancy of every kind, and that a great number of able-bodied men took advantage of it.

PROROGATION OF THE PARLIAMENT.
Message to attend The LORDS COMMISSIONERS.
The House went, and the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills.
And afterwards a Speech of The LORDS COMMISSIONERS was delivered to both Houses of Parliament by THE LORD CHANCELLOR.
Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which,
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
My Lords, and Gentlemen,
By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Wednesday the Sixth Day of November next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Wednesday the Sixth Day of November next.