§ Order for Committee read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."—(Mr. Baikes.)
§ MR. W. H. JAMES moved the adjournment of the debate till after Whitsuntide. The Bill was only read a second time the night before; and though 1203 he believed its proposals were equitable, yet he thought that time should be given in order that the measure should be sent down to town clerks and others in the country whom it affected, for their consideration.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned."—(Mr. James.)
§ MR. RAIKEShad not the least desire to ask the House to proceed with extraordinary haste; but he thought the hon. Gentleman was hardly acquainted with the objects of the Bill. It proposed no new costs and no new system of taxation, but simply proposed to legalize a system which had been in operation for 30 years, of taxing Provisional Orders and Bills of that description in the same way as if they were private Bills. The officer of the House in charge of these Bills had recently had occasion to consider the matter, and he came to the conclusion that there was some question as to its legality. As that officer was paid by salary and not by fees, it made no difference to him, and it was merely enacting the existing practice, because some doubts had arisen on the subject. It did not make any change in the existing practice, and did not impose any fresh costs.
§ MR. COURTNEYsaid, if the Bill merely legalized an existing practice which had been pursued for so many years, it surely might be pursued a little longer. Why could not the hon. Gentleman allow the Bill to be postponed till after Witsuntide.
§ Question put.
§ The House divided:—Ayes 21; Noes 41: Majority 20.—(Div. List, No. 110.)
§ Main Question, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and agreed to.
§ Bill considered in Committee, and reported, without Amendment; to be read the third time upon Monday next.