HC Deb 09 July 1877 vol 235 cc972-4

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, after the Order of the Day for the Second Reading of the South Africa Bill, this House will resolve itself into the Committee of Supply."—(Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer.)

SIR COLMAN O'LOGHLEN

asked the right hon. Gentleman whether the House was to expect to have a similar Motion every Monday evening. A fortnight ago, when a similar Motion was brought forward, it was excused on the ground that any further delay in agreeing to the Army Estimates might give rise to a great deal of inconvenience. As the Civil Service Estimates had not been fixed for that day, there was no special occasion for it, and he strongly objected to the large number of Orders, 40 of which were Government Orders, that had been put down for the same day. From the Papers which were put into the hands of hon. Members that morning, it appeared that when they got into Committee of Supply the right hon. Gentleman would ask them to vote £100,000 as a loan to the South African Government, and he considered that Notice an inconvenient one.

THE CHANCELLOE OF THE EXCHEQUER

said that, as a general rule, the Government desired to take Supply on Monday; but on the present occasion it was thought advisable to take first a very important measure — the South Africa Bill, after which Supply might very well follow, assuming that the discussion on the South Africa Bill did not occupy the whole of the evening. It was also thought desirable that, while discussing that Bill, the House should have notice that a Vote would be proposed for the government of the Transvaal. Such being the state of the case, he did not think there was anything of which complaint could be reasonably made in putting Supply on the Paper, especially as the count-out did not occur early on Friday evening and not until after 1 o'clock in the morning, after a full discussion on a subject upon which an important decision was arrived at. The Government had followed the course which they thought would be most convenient to the House, and it was rather hard that any complaint should be made on the subject.

MR. E. JENKINS

objected to a Vote of £100,000 being taken up that night, as Notice of it had only been given that morning.

MR. CHILDEES

took the same view.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

expressed his willingness to postpone the Vote. He thought it desirable, as the House was about to enter upon the discussion of the South Africa Bill, that the House should know what pecuniary help the Government was disposed to give to the work of Confederation. It was with that view the Vote was placed upon the Estimates, and not with any intention of pressing it on that evening on the brief Notice to which allusion had been just made.