NOMINATION OF SELECT COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 22 June 1882)

§ MR. SALT
said, he begged to move the nomination of the Select Committee on Canals.

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
said, he thought he could object to the Motion, on the ground that the names of the Committee were put down last on Saturday. He found the names on the Saturday Paper, but since then they had been altered. The number had been increased by the names of Sir Edmund Lechmere, Mr. James Campbell, Sir Joseph Pease, Mr. Jackson, and Mr. Magniac, and this increase entirely changed the features of the Committee. He believed it had been held by the Prime Minister himself that if a change took place in the names of a Committee within the 24 hours, any Member had a right, during those 24 hours, to object to the Committee being taken. Under the circumstances, he begged to object to the Committee being now taken.

§ MR. SPEAKER
I understand the four names mentioned by the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere) appear amongst the Notices of Motions for the first time to-day.

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
Five names.

§ MR. SPEAKER
These names have been added to the Committee since the last Sitting; therefore, if the hon. Member thinks proper to object to proceeding at this hour with these names, his 166 objection would be good against these particular names.

§ MR. SALT
said, he, perhaps, ought to apologize for the names mentioned by the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere) not having been put on the Paper sooner. He, however, saw no reason why he should not proceed with the names with which he could proceed.

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
said, he would, in that case, wish to move the adjournment of the House.

§ MR. SPEAKER
There is no question at this moment before the House. The first question I have to put to the House is that Mr. Salt be a Member of this Committee. If the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere) thinks proper, he can now move the adjournment.

§ MR. LABOUCHERE
said, he would move the adjournment of the debate, and he would tell the House why. About 10 days ago he put down the names of Mr. Bradlaugh and Baron de Worms to serve on two Committees—the Landed Estates Committee and the Canals Committee. The Government wished the Landed Estates Committee to go through at once, and, therefore, he did not press the two names in respect to that Committee; but he meant to do so with respect to the Committee on Canals. He wanted to raise the question whether Mr. Bradlaugh had a right to sit on that Committee. The Committee which it was now proposed to appoint consisted of 15 Members; but at the time he gave Notice of his Motion it consisted of a less number. The Speaker would observe that his (Mr. Labouchere's) Motion did not block the Committee—it was merely a second Motion—but two Gentlemen (Colonel Makins and Mr. Warton) had been good enough to block his Motion. Of course, he could counteract that by blocking the proposal to nominate the Select Committee on Canals. He had, however, no wish to do that, because he desired it to be decided whether Mr. Bradlaugh could serve on a Committee or not. Under the circumstances, he would move the adjournment of the debate. They had just had an instance of a protest on the part of many Members against controversial Business being taken at so late an hour, and he was sure those Gentlemen who voted just now in favour 167 of reporting Progress would vote with him now.