§ Order for Committee read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."—(Mr. Chaplin.)
§ MR. CHAPLINsaid, if the House would agree to the Motion for going into Committee, he would not proceed any further that night.
§ MR. M'LAGANsaid, the principle of the Bill had been generally approved; but as the House was so burdened with 992 Business, he thought the Bill ought to be referred to a Select Committee.
§ Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word "That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words "the Bill be committed to a Select Committee,"—(Mr. M'Lagan,)—instead thereof.
§ Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
§ MR. CHAPLINsaid, although, on the whole, the proposal of the hon. Member for Linlithgow was not one which he should have preferred, it was not unreasonable. The Bill undoubtedly dealt with a serious question, and he could understand that many Members should think it ought to be referred to a Select Committee. Under those circumstances, he should not oppose the Motion of the hon. Member.
§ SIR THOMAS ACLANDsaid, he had also a Bill relating to this subject, which, instead of being placed before the House that day, had, without any arrangement on his part, been deferred till a later day.
§ MR. COURTNEYsaid, the proposal to refer the Bill to a Select Committee bad come upon the House very suddenly. In the absence of any more responsible Member of the Government, he thought they were hardly in a position to enter into an agreement to refer the Bill to a Select Committee; and, therefore, in order to avoid misunderstanding, he should move the adjournment of the debate.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned."—(Mr. Courtney.)
§ Question put.
§ The House divided:—Ayes 36; Noes 25: Majority 11.—(Div. List, No. 185.)
§ Debate adjourned till Monday 25th April.