HC Deb 23 January 1878 vol 237 cc362-4

Order for Second Heading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now road a second time."—(General Sir George Balfour.)

MR. J. LOWTHER

said, that in connection with the measure he desired to direct Mr. Speaker's attention to a point of Order. Leave had been given by the House to the hon. and gallant Member (Sir George Balfour) to introduce a Bill on the subject of Hypothec, for which Bill another had since been substituted, and had only been delivered to hon. Members that morning. He wished to inquire whether it was in Order for the hon. and gallant Gentleman to ask the House to give a second reading to a Bill which he had not obtained leave to introduce, and which had not been read a first time?

MR. SPEAKER

replied that he had noticed that some material alterations had been made in the Bill. Hon. Members might make clinical or verbal alterations in Bills, but it would not be in Order for an hon. Member to move the second reading of a Bill which, although bearing the same title, differed materially and substantially from the measure which he obtained leave to introduce. The Bill which the hon. and gallant Member now asked the House to read the second time, was not the one which he was allowed to introduce, and therefore the only course open to him was to withdraw the Order for the second reading of the Bill, and to ask leave to introduce a Bill in substitution for it.

GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR

said, that under the circumstances he would withdraw the altered Bill, and move the second reading of the one which he had originally introduced.

MR. ASSHETON CROSS

suggested that the course which the hon. and gallant Member proposed to take would be as far out of Order as his original proposal that the House should read a second time a Bill which he had substituted for the one he had leave to introduce. He submitted that the proper course to pursue, would be to move to discharge the present Order, and to give Notice for leave to introduce another Bill.

MR. SPEAKER

ruled that the proper course open to the hon. and gallant Member was to move that the Order for second reading be discharged, and then, if he thought fit, to move for leave to introduce the amended Bill which had been delivered to hon. Members.

GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR

said, that if he was not permitted to go on with the present Bill he should desire to move the second reading of the first Bill.

MR. SPEAKER

said, that he had already ruled that it was not in Order, under the circumstances, to proceed with the first Bill. The proper course would be to move to discharge the present Order, and to ask leave to introduce another Bill.

MR. RAMSAY

said, it was unfortunate that the Bill (No. 2) had only been circulated to hon. Members that morning. It was still more a matter of regret that his hon. and gallant Friend should not be allowed to proceed with the discussion of his first Bill upon its merits. It was a more comprehensive measure than any Bill previously before them. ["Order, order!"]

MR. SPEAKER

said, that the House was dealing with a point of Order, and it would be clearly out of Order to proceed with any discussion upon the merits of a Bill until that question was disposed of.

GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR

Then, Sir, I now beg to move, with your permission, that the Order for the second reading of this Bill be discharged.

Motion agreed to.

Order discharged; Bill withdrawn.