GOLD AND SILVER HALL MARKING. (Hansard, 24 June 1878)

§ MAJOR NOLAN
moved— That the Select Committee on Gold and Silver Hall Marking do consist of Twenty Members.

§ MR. MONK
inquired why so many as 20 Members were to be placed on the Committee? It was unusual to have so large a number on one Committee, and he thought the hon. and gallant Member ought to state why the ordinary practice had been departed from in the present instance. He presumed the Government had assented to the number being 20, which was considerably in excess of the number fixed by the Standing Orders of the House. In any case, an explanation was desirable.

§ MAJOR NOLAN
offered an explanation. In the first instance, the Committee was constituted of a small number. The Government and the right hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. Adam) expressed a desire that the Irish Members should have one of their number placed on the Committee. From that time the strength of the Committee increased. Four or five Members were added to it, and thus the number was brought up to 19. This being an unequal number, it was suggested that another Member should be placed upon the Committee. The hon. Baronet (Sir Joseph M'Kenna), who had moved for the Committee, was then selected, the right hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. Adam), being quite willing that the hon. Baronet should serve. The Government, also, were consulted in the matter, and were asked to nominate a Member. The right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who represented the Government in the House, replied that he had no interest in the appointment of the Committee; that he had no objection to the proposed addition; and that he left the nomination in his (Major Nolan's) hands, since he had taken so warm an interest in the subject.