§ SIR EDWARD WATKINsaid, he had a Question to ask of the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury, and in explaining it he should put himself in Order in the usual way.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has given Notice of a Question which he is entitled to put, but he is not entitled to debate the Question.
§ SIR EDWARD WATKINbowed to the decision of the Chair. He begged to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering that twice in the present Session a Private Bill has been rejected on Second Reading by means of a private canvass, he will afford facilities for the discussion of and a division upon the Resolution relating to Private Business Legislation now standing on the Order Book for Monday next?
§ MR. DISRAELISir, "Private canvass" is a very vague phrase. I think that anything like a gross and obvious canvass of votes in favour of a Private Bill is a process which certainly ought to be deprecated. I thought that I observed some three months ago, when a similar question was brought under the attention of the House, that the moral sense of the House exhibited itself in no mistaken manner, and disapproved such conduct. But, at the same time, we must remember that the promoters of Private Bills have not the opportunity of discussion which the promoters of Public Bills have, and that some means to provide explanation, either printed or otherwise, is absolutely necessary sometimes, in order that the merits and nature of Private Bills may be known. It requires caution and delicacy in interfering with these matters. Now in regard to the particular question of the hon. Gentleman—whether we will give him facilities on Monday to discuss this question—without at all denying its importance, I would remind him that the public time which I have to dispose of is now required for many measures of public importance and of more urgent character than the subject referred to by the hon. Gentleman. I should say myself that the matter might rest at present. It is a question which should rather be brought before our notice at the beginning of the Session, and if the hon. Gentleman takes that course, I have no doubt the House will give the subject due consideration, and he will have the advantage in the interval of six months of being able to consider the question himself.