§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSONmoved for leave to bring in a Bill for further amending the Acts relating to the raising of money by the Metropolitan Board of Works, and for other purposes relating thereto.
§ MR. MONKobjected to the Motion, on the ground that no Notice had been given, and no explanation offered as to the other purposes proposed to be sanctioned by the Bill.
§ SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSONsaid, that when the Notice was called on by the Clerk at the Table he (Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson) did not know that it was a Government Notice. He was, of course, aware that the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mr. Monk) had power to stop the Bill at this stage, and if that course were insisted upon he should have nothing further to say. He merely pointed out that this was an 1277 annual Bill of the Metropolitan Board, giving them renewed powers for borrowing money in accordance with the Acts of Parliament under which their improvements were carried on. The Bill had to be brought in every year by the Treasury, and, in doing so on the present occasion, he was only following the action of his Predecessors in former years, and that taken by himself last year.
§ MR. MONKsaid, he opposed the Motion for the first reading, as he had received no assurance that the Bill would not sanction the payment of expenses illegally incurred by the Board, and disallowed by the auditor.
§ First Reading deferred until Tomorrow, at two of the clock.