HC Deb 25 June 1872 vol 212 cc220-2

Order for Committee read.

MR. OSBORNE MORGAN moved to adjourn the Committee to Tuesday, July 9.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House will, upon Tuesday the 9th day of July next, again resolve itself into the said Committee."—(Mr. Osborne Morgan.)

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, that believing it was hopeless to expect that the Bill could be proceeded with in the present Session, and considering that the Notice Paper should not be encumbered with measures that were virtually defunct, he should move that the Committee be resumed on Tuesday, September 3.

Amendment proposed, to leave out the words "9th day of July," in order to insert the words "3rd day of September,"—(Sir Michael Hicks-Beach)—instead thereof.

MR. OSBORNE MORGAN

, remarking that if he did not succeed in making progress on the 9th of July he should withdraw the Bill, protested against this most unusual attempt to get rid of the measure by a side-wind. It would not, however, be killed in that way, for though it might not pass that Session, it would be introduced again and again, until it succeeded.

Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."

The House divided:—Ayes 78; Noes 130: Majority 52.

Words inserted.

Main Question, as amended, proposed, "That this House will, upon Tuesday the 3rd day of September next, again resolve itself into the said Committee."

MR. CANDLISH

expressed his belief that the feeling of the majority then present was different from the feeling of the majority of the House. As he believed that the appearance of the benches opposite was the result of a sharp and decisive whip which had taken the House by surprise, he would move that the debate be adjourned.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned,"—(Mr. Candlish.)

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

said, the course taken that evening had been forced upon hon. Gentlemen on his side of the House in consequence of the refusal on the part of the hon. and learned Member for Denbighshire to proceed with the Committee that evening.

MR. OSBORNE MORGAN

said, he had only desired to save hon. Gentlemen from the labour of considering a Bill in Committee at that hour of the morning (half-past 1). He must again protest against the shabby way in which the Bill had been treated by the hon. Baronet opposite.

SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH

rose to Order. He did not much care for what the hon. and learned Gentleman said, because he could make allowances for his feelings under the defeat he had just experienced; but he wished to know if the word shabby was a proper word to use in reference to his (Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's) conduct.

MR. SPEAKER

said, he thought it was too strong an expression for one hon. Gentleman to apply to the conduct of another.

MR. BRUCE

appealed to the hon. Member for Sunderland (Mr. Candlish) not to put the House to the trouble of dividing. He could not regard the majority opposite as a fortuitous concourse of atoms. It was evidently the result of a very well-arranged plan; but, under the circumstances, he should advise his hon. and learned Friend to submit to stern necessity, and to bring the Bill forward again next Session.

MR. CANDLISH

, in withdrawing the Motion, said, that as it was quite impossible for a private Member to carry a Bill like this, he hoped the Government would undertake to re-introduce the measure themselves next Session.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn.

Main Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.

Resolved, That this House will, upon Tuesday the 3rd day of September next, again resolve itself into the said Committee.

House adjourned at a quarter before Two o'clock.