HC Deb 07 June 1877 vol 234 cc1477-8

Select Committee to consist of Six Members to be nominated by the House and Five to be nominated by the Committee of Selection.

Mr. WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, Sir WILLIAM VERNON HARCOURT, Mr. RODWELL, Lord EDMOND FITZMAURICE, and Sir HENRY WOLFE, nominated Members of the Committee.

Motion made and Question proposed, "That Mr. Cowper-Temple be one other Member of the Committee.

LORD HENRY SCOTT

called attention to the publication of several letters relating to this question in the public journals, and in particular to a letter of the noble Lord the Member for Calne (Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice), taking objection to the right hon. Member for South Rants (Mr. Cowper-Temple) as a Member of the Committee, on the ground that he was an interested party. The noble Lord proceeded at some length to comment on the conduct of the noble Lord the Member for Calne, both in respect of certain objections he had raised in the debate on the second reading of the Bill, and to the nomination of the right hon. Member for South Hants (Mr. Cowper-Temple) to serve on the Select Committee on that Bill, on the ground of the large interest the right hon. Gentleman had in the subject-matter of the Bill; and also in respect of the noble Lord's participation in a Correspondence which had appeared in various newspapers relating to the same subject:—and complained that the noble Lord (Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice) was not now in his place to raise his objection openly to the nomination of the right hon. Gentleman as a Member of the Select Committee.

MR. FAWCETT

joined the noble Lord the Member for South Hants in condemning the course taken by the noble Lord the Member for Calne, who was not now in his place to support what he had said.

MR. J. COWEN

moved the Adjournment of the House to enable the noble Lord the Member for Calne, who was not present, to give an explanation.

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

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

hoped the Motion would not be pressed, and pointed out that if the noble Lord the Member for Calne was desirous of defending himself, he would have the opportunity of doing so on the Motion for the Nomination of the Committee.

Motion, by leave, withdrawn. Mr. COWPER-TEMPLE nominated one other Member of the Committee:—Power to send for persons, papers, and records; Three to be the quorum. Ordered, That all Petitions presented against the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on the Bill, provided such Petitions are presented three clear days before the meeting of the Committee; and that such of the Petitioners as pray to be heard, by themselves, their Counsel, or Agents, be heard upon their Petitions, if they think fit, and Counsel heard in favour of the Bill against the said Petitions.—(Mr. William Henry Smith.)