HC Deb 01 April 1870 vol 200 cc1050-1

Lords' Amendments considered.

MR. GLADSTONE

said: This being a Government measure, it becomes my duty to make a proposal to the House on the subject of the Lords' Amendments. I am not aware of any reason why any of these Amendments should be disagreed to by the House till we come to a very long Amendment in the middle of page 4 of the printed Paper. That Amendment, I am afraid, doubly infringes the privileges of this House, both by altering the manner in which a grand jury is empowered by the Bill to direct that the sum presented should be divided among and paid to such one or more or all of the next of kin of the person murdered, and next by empowering the Judge of Assize, if he thinks that the money disallowed by the grand jury should have been in whole or in part allowed, to make an order dividing such sum or sums of money as he may think fit to be paid to the personal representative, or to one or some or all of the next of kin of the person murdered, and in such shares and proportions as he may think right, or to the person maimed or injured, as the case may be, and to be levied of such county at large, barony or half-barony, or other district, as he may think just. Now, that is, I think, an undeniable case of taxation by the House of Lords, and therefore I believe the proper Motion will be to agree to the Lords' Amendments only as far as the word "levied" in page 4, line 18.

Amendments, as far as the Amendment in Clause 38, page 18, line 18, read a second time, and agreed to.

Clause 38, pages 18 and 19, the next Amendment, read a second time, and disagreed to.

Subsequent Amendments read a second time, and agreed to.

Committee appointed, "to draw up Reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to the Amendment to which this House hath disagreed:"—Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, Mr. Secretary BRUCE, Mr. Secretary CARDWELL, Mr. CHICHESTER FORTESCUE, Mr SOLICITOR GENERAL for IRELAND, Mr. WILLIAM EDWARD FORSTER, Mr. STANSFELD, Colonel FRENCH, Mr. MOORE, and Mr. GLYN:—To withdraw immediately; Three to be the quorum.

Reason for disagreeing to one of the Lords' Amendments reported, and agreed to:—To be communicated to the Lords.