HC Deb 04 August 1882 vol 273 cc888-9

Order for Second Reading read.

MR. WARTON

said, that he understood the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister had said that no Bills but Government Bills would be taken at the Saturday Sitting.

MR. COURTNEY

said, he was afraid the Government could not allow the second reading of this Bill to be taken to-morrow.

MR. ANDERSON

protested against the Government pledging the House not to take certain Business on any particular day. It had never been the practice to prevent a private Member putting down his Bill for any day on which the House sat. It was quite an innovation on the part of the Government to say—"We won't allow a Bill to be put down on any particular day." It was a mean and selfish thing on the part of the Government to say—"We will put down our Bills for this day, but won't allow private Members to do so." He would remind the Government that three weeks ago, when they attempted to control the House in this way, the House declined to be controlled, and the Government got a well-deserved defeat. This was an innovation which the House ought not to tolerate, and, he hoped, would not tolerate. It was undoubtedly in the discretion of the House itself whether a Bill should be put down on any particular day. He wished to point out that the Bill now in question was in a peculiar position on account of blocks. One of the hon. Members who had blocked the Bill had gone off to Ireland to amuse himself; and the consequence was that an hon. Member, who was no longer present taking any part in the proceedings of the House, but was 500 miles away, still continued to dominate the proceedings, just as if he were present. That was a most improper state of things. It was an abuse of the Half-past 12 o'clock Rule, and one which the House ought not to permit at all. He hoped the Government would not, at any rate, raise any objection to the Bill being put down for to-morrow. If, when the Order was called to-morrow, the Government or the House did not choose to go on with it, the responsibility was theirs, and he could not complain. He did most distinctly protest against the Government preventing him putting the Bill down for to-morrow.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be read a second time To-morrow."—(Mr. Anderson.)

MR. WARTON

moved that the Bill be put down for second reading on Monday.

Amendment proposed, to leave out the word "To-morrow," in order to insert the words "upon Monday next," —(Mr. Warton,)—instead thereof.

Question put, "That the word 'Tomorrow' stand part of the Question."

The House divided:—Ayes 20; Noes 27: Majority 7.—(Div. List, No. 315.)

"Words inserted.

Main Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.

Bill to be read a second time upon Monday next.