SECOND READING. (Hansard, 8 March 1878)

§ MR. RAIKES

Before this Bill is postponed, I wish to mention one circumstance in regard to it, which I think it is my duty to state to the House. In the course of last week, having received a communication from the Board of Trade, stating that in the public interest it was desirable that the Bill should be postponed until Tuesday next, I sent to the Parliamentary agents in charge of the Bill, requesting them to take that course. They, however, thought it proper to decline to accede to my suggestion, and caused the Bill to be put down for second reading to-day. I have thought it right to call the attention of the House to the circumstance, because I believe it is the first instance on record of any Parliamentary agent having disregarded any suggestion regarding the conduct of Parliamentary Business that came from the Ways and Means Office, and it is undesirable on that ground that it should be passed over altogether without notice. I do not wish on this occasion to take any further steps in the matter, particularly as the course which I suggested has now been adopted, and the Bill has been postponed; but, at the same time, I must say that it would only have been respectful to this House on the part of the agents if they had sent an intimation to the Ways and Means Office, that they intended to act in conformity with the direction of its officers.