HC Deb 12 June 1871 vol 206 c1930
LORD EUSTACE CECIL

, for Sir HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON, asked, What course the Government intend to pursue with regard to the appointment of a Select Committee on the Game Laws, which stood for that evening?

MR. BRUCE

, in reply, said, the Motion he had proposed to make was one which would necessarily occupy a great deal of time, and he was sorry to say that in the present state of Public Business it was quite impossible for him to fix a Government night on which the discussion might conveniently take place. In the meantime, the Session was fast waning. They had already disposed of two Bills relating to the Game Laws, and such was the ardour for legislation on that subject that there were still four remaining. That proved that there was in the House, not merely great earnestness on that question, but also great diversity of opinion; and hence Government had thought that the best way of dealing with the matter was to refer it to a Select Committee to consider the various suggestions before the House. At that period of the Session, however, and especially if the Motion for the appointment of a Select Committee was to be much further postponed, it would be impossible to have an adequate inquiry on the subject, and therefore he proposed to withdraw the Government measure, at the same time undertaking to move for the appointment of a Select Committee on the subject next Session.