COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 27 March 1879)

§ MR. MONK
objected to the Bill going into Committee after half-past 12. It was only read a second time yesterday, and there had been no time to put down any Amendments with regard to it upon the Paper. If the Bill were to be proceeded with, he certainly wished to put down some Amendments, as he thought it was a measure which would involve a material increase of taxation throughout the country. It was also desirable that they should have an expression of opinion from the President of the Local Government Board with regard to it. He thought that the principle of the Bill ought to have been discussed on the second reading; but, owing to its coming on late on Wednesday, there was no opportunity of doing so. As he considered that it was necessary that a discussion should take place on the Order for going into Committee, he begged to move the adjournment of the Debate.

§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTH
hoped that his hon. and learned Friend the Member for Leeds (Mr. Wheelhouse) would not press the Bill into Committee at that hour. He did not dispute his hon. and learned Friend's right to take it then; but he should be satisfied with the unexpected progress made on Wednesday. The Government had assented to the second reading of the measure on certain conditions and qualifications; but he desired to have an opportunity of considering whether he should put Amendments upon the Paper.

§ MR. ANDERSON
asked whether the half-past 12 Rule applied to this Bill? It was desirable that the Bill should stand over, as there had been no time for placing upon the Paper any Amendments with respect to it?

§ MR. SPEAKER
said, he would read to the hon. Member the half-past 12 Rule, by which he would See that it did not apply to the present case. That, except for a Money Bill, no Order of the Day or Notice of Motion be taken after half-past Twelve of the clock at night, with respect to which Order or Notice of Motion a Notice of Opposition, or Amendment shall have been printed in the Notice Paper, or if such Notice of Motion shall only have been given the next previous day of sitting, and objection shall be taken when such Notice is called.

§ MR. WHEELHOUSE
said, that for nine years he had been endeavouring to pass this Bill, but without success. For that length of time he had tried most earnestly to pass this measure for the benefit of the two classes of persons who were often not only poor, but might be without friends, and who were unable to speak for, or help themselves. Mainly, no doubt, in consequence of the half-past 12 Rule, and partly in consequence of other matters, the chance of bringing the Bill into Committee, and through Committee, had been lost to him. Now, he was met by the statement that some hon. Members wished to propose an Amendment to the Bill. The Bill was not then as it was when he first introduced it, for it had been practically laid down upon the lines which he received at the instance of the Government themselves. He would much rather have had his own Bill, could he have passed it intact as he first introduced it; but as the Government was not willing to accept the Amendments which had been placed upon it, he was not merely willing, but really glad to accept them, and he thought it hard that he should be prevented, by a proposal to put down more Amendments, from carrying the Bill through a stage when he had the opportunity.