THIRD READING. (Hansard, 7 August 1872)

§ MR. FAWCETT
again rose—

§ MR. SPEAKER
The Question before the House is, that the Bill be now read a third time.

§ MR. FAWCETT
I rise to a point of Order, I understood that on the Appropriation 645 Bill it was one of the privileges of the House that I could refer to any subject, and I understood distinctly that the Question was, that the third reading should be fixed for to-morrow. Was I not in Order? I rose twice with the intention of making some observations on that Motion, and I understood that I could have moved that the third reading be taken on Friday or Saturday. I rose twice.

§ MR. SPEAKER
The Question before the House was, that the Appropriation Bill be read a third time to-morrow. That was agreed to by the House. ["No, no!"] Afterwards, the hon. Member rose; when I had called upon the Clerk to proceed to the Orders of the Day.

§ MR. FAWCETT
The instant you got into the Chair, Sir—I appeal to the House, for I scarcely sat down—I rose three or four times in order not to miss an opportunity, and I believe I was perfectly in Order. And, in fact, if I could not have obtained some distinct understanding from the Government in reference to the subject to which I had referred, I was going to move as an Amendment, that the third reading of the Appropriation Bill be not taken tomorrow, and that Question was not put.

§ SIR COLMAN O'LOGHLEN
To put the hon. Member in Order, I move that the hon. Member for Brighton be now heard.

§ MR. SPEAKER
The Question before the House is, that the Union Officers (Ireland) Superannuation Bill be read a third time.

§ SIR COLMAN O'LOGHLEN
As an Amendment, I beg to move that the hon. Member for Brighton be now heard.

§ MR. FAWCETT
I beg to move the Adjournment of the House to put myself in Order. I am certain, Mr. Speaker, that there was an entire mistake—probably on my part. I am sure no one is more anxious to treat every hon. Member with fairness than you are, and therefore I fear the mistake was on my part, and that I was not quite prompt enough. But I always understood that the Appropriation Bill gives private Members an opportunity of speaking on any subject; and the subject to which I am going to refer is this—My hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone on last Tuesday week asked the Government what facilities they would afford him in order to enable him 646 to bring on his Motion in reference to Kew Gardens? The answer which the Government gave my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone was, that after the essential business had been disposed of, and accordingly—

§ MR. SPEAKER
Order, order! The Question before the House is, that the Union Officers (Ireland) Superannuation Bill be read a third time. According to the rules of debate the hon. Member must confine himself in his observations to matters relevant thereto.

§ MR. FAWCETT
I am sorry to have occasioned this controversy; but I move as a distinct Motion that the House do adjourn, because the way in which business is conducted is such that we cannot possibly proceed. ["Order, order!"]

§ MR. SPEAKER
The hon. Member is altogether violating the rules of debate. The Question before the House is, that the Bill be now read a third time. According to the rules of debate, the hon. Member is bound to confine himself to matters which are relevant to the subject-matter of that Bill. Any discussion with reference to Kew Gardens cannot be said to be relevant to the matter of the Bill which is now the subject of discussion before the House, and any reference to that matter will be out of Order.

§ MR. J. LOWTHER
I would suggest to the hon. Member for Brighton that if he allows the Bill to be read a third time, he would be in Order to move the Adjournment of any Question before the House.

§ MR. SPEAKER
I am bound to inform the House with reference to what has been said by the hon. Member for York, that, supposing this Bill read a third time, I have by direction of the House called on the Clerk to read the Orders of the Day, and he is bound by my instructions under the authority of the House to proceed through the Orders of the Day.

§ MR. FAWCETT
Mr. Speaker, I can only say that I will not for a single moment, after your ruling, attempt to address the House. The best thing I can do is to give Notice, that on the third reading of the Appropriation Bill I will bring the subject before the House.