HC Deb 13 February 1882 vol 266 cc620-1
SIR WILLIAM HART DYKE

, in moving the appointment of the Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms (House of Commons) Select Committee for the present Session, said, he noticed an Amendment down in the form of an Instruction to the Committee in reference to certain entertainments given in the Dining Room by the Corporation of London, in accordance with immemorial usage, on the occasion of presenting Petitions by the Sheriffs of London. He had only to say in regard to that matter that, so far as he was concerned, he accepted the Instruction in this respect, that it be considered by the Committee on an early day after its meeting. He could not say what the result of the consideration of the subject by the Committee would be; and he could only say that he had acted as the Chairman of the Committee now for some years, and had partaken of almost every dissipation that the House had been involved in, except dining with the Sheriffs. He had never partaken of their hospitality.

MR. W. H. JAMES

said, he did not wish to enter into the matter on general grounds; but complaints had been very frequently made to him and other hon. Members as to the inconvenience that arose to individual Members and Officers of the House, who found it impossible to have dinner properly served on the nights when these entertainments were given. He had always been met with the statement that the entertainments were given according to ancient usage; but there was some inaccuracy in that, as for a long time the House of Commons had no Dining Room. It was difficult to find out how the custom crept in.

Motion agreed to. Ordered, That a Standing Committee be appointed to control the arrangements of the Kitchen and.Refreshment Rooms, in the department of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House:—Mr. MAURICE BROOKS, Sir WILLIAM DIKE, Mr. HENRY EDWARDS, Sir EDMUND FILMER, Sir GABRIEL GOLDNEY, Mr. GUEST, Sir ARTHUR HAYTER, Lord KENSINGTON, Mr. MONK, Mr. MUNTZ, Mr. RICHARD POWER, Lord HENRY THYNNE, Sir HENRY WOLFE, and Captain O'SHEA:—Three to he the quorum.—(Sir William Hart Dyke.) Instruction to the Committee to inquire and report whether it is desirable to continue the use of the House of Commons' dining room for the purpose of entertainments given by the Corporation of London, in accordance with immemorial usage, on the occasion of presenting Petitions by the Sheriffs to the House.—(Mr. Walter James.)