MR. PRICEasked the Chairman of Committees, Whether, as his scheme for the reform of Private Bill legislation was only sent to Members that morning, he would consent to postpone further proceedings on his Resolutions till after Easter?
§ MR. DODSONsaid, the heads of a scheme which were circulated that morning contained, with one, and that a very minor, exception, no point which was not mentioned in his statement a week ago. With regard to the request for postponement, the adjourned debate was now an Order of the House, and was, therefore, entirely in the hands of the House. So far as he was personally concerned, he considered himself as being pledged to many hon. Members who took an interest in the question to do his best to bring it on to-morrow. No progress could, he thought, be made in reference to the subject until after further discussion. He at the same time fully appreciated the importance of the interests involved in private legislation, and he was desirous that no precipitate conclusion should be arrived at. What he hoped the House would do was to discuss the Resolutions to-morrow, and consent to come to a decision on the first of them. Should that be done, and the feeling of the House be then expressed in favour of allowing further time for the consideration of the other Resolutions, he should offer no opposition to their being postponed until after Easter.