HC Deb 09 March 1877 vol 232 cc1733-4

Order for Second Reading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the second time."

MR. WHALLEY

said, he begged to move the Adjournment of the House, for the purpose of calling attention to the course which, on this occasion, the Government had deliberately adopted in order to still further postpone the discussion of the subject of which he had given Notice. He had always understood that when a Vote was taken on the Motion to go into Committee of Supply the practice was to rehabilitate Supply in order that other Members who had given Notices of Motion might have an opportunity of bringing them forward.

MR. SPEAKER

The main Question before the House is the Customs and Inland Revenue Bill. The hon. Member is quite entitled to move the adjournment of the House; but in so doing, he must confine himself to the Question immediately before the House.

MR. WHALLEY

I am stating to the best of my ability the reasons why this House should not only now adjourn, but why it should not re-assemble till the Members of the House, who assemble here at so much trouble and expense, can be assured that they will be treated according to the Rules of this House, and that everything approaching to trickery and unworthy proceedings on the part of the Government—["Oh, oh!"]

MR. SPEAKER

The observation which the hon. Member has now made is quite un-Parliamentary, and I must request him to confine himself to the subject-matter of the Bill.

MR. WHALLEY

But I care nothing about the Bill.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

, interposing, said he thought the hon. Member should be called upon to withdraw his un-Parliamentary expression.

MR. WHALLEY

I withdraw the word at once; but I used it in the sense that to depart from the usual custom of rehabilitating Supply—

MR. SPEAKER

I must again point out to the hon. Member that his observations are not relevant to the subject-matter of the Bill.

MR. WHALLEY

said, he had always understood it to be the custom when the Order for Supply was displaced, for the Secretary to the Treasury to rehabilitate it.

MR. SPEAKER

said, that when there was a Question before the House it was quite open to move the Adjournment of the House upon that Question; but in so doing the hon. Member must confine himself to the Question.

MR. WHALLEY

I beg to give Notice that on next going into Supply I will make another effort to bring this question under the consideration of the House.

Second Reading deferred till Monday next.

Afterwards—

On Question, That the House do now adjourn,

MR. WHALLEY

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If he had any, and what reason, other than that of evading discussion, for not rehabilitating the Motion to go into Committee of Supply on this occasion?

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, that he had acted in accordance with the Rules and Customs of the House in not again setting up the Motion of Supply after half-past 12 o'clock.