SECOND READING. (Hansard, 25 April 1883)

§ MR. BUCHANAN
Mr. Speaker, I have to call your attention to an important matter, upon a point of Order. In point of fact, there are two points in which I submit that this Bill is out of Order. In the first place, the title of the Bill does not correspond with the substance of it; and, in the next place, the Bill itself does not correspond with the Order of Leave to introduce it. Leave was given to introduce "A Bill to Amend the Law of Settlement and Removal of Poor Persons to Ireland," and the Bill itself is entitled "The Poor Removal and Settlement (Ireland) Bill." But the substance of the measure deals with the repeal of a certain number of English Acts which certainly relate to the settlement and removal of poor persons, but not to the removal of persons to Ireland. Therefore, as the title and the substance of the Bill do not agree, I contend that the measure itself is out of Order. The title, I submit, does not govern the substance of the Bill. The second point of Order is that the Bill does not correspond with the Order of Leave to introduce the Bill. The Order of Leave moved by the hon. Baronet the Member for Coleraine (Sir Hervey Bruce) on the 16th of February was for a Bill to Amend the Law of Settlement and Removal of Poor Persons to Ireland. I have stated, and I believe it is the fact, that the substance of the Bill has nothing to do with the settlement and removal of poor persons to Ireland, but that it deals with certain English Acts relating to the removal of poor persons. I wish to call attention to Rule 358 of the "Rules and Orders of the House," which states that— Every Bill not prepared in pursuance with the Order of the House, or according to the Rules and Orders of the House, shall be ordered to be withdrawn. 1083 I submit to you, Sir, that the expression "every Bill" means the whole Bill, including the title and substance as well, and I contend that this Bill has not been prepared in pursuance of that Order.

§ SIR HERVEY BRUCE
Have I permission to answer the remarks of the Hon. Member? [Mr. SPEAKER signified assent.] Then, as the hon. Member in charge of the Bill, I have to say, in answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh (Mr. Buchanan), I have no objection to remove the words "to Ireland" from the description of the Bill. At the same time, I cannot see that the Bill is out of Order in consequence of those words being in it, because it is undoubtedly a Bill for the removal of poor persons from one place to another, and I do not see that the words "to Ireland" alter the nature and principle of the measure, although they may be unnecessary.

§ MR. SPEAKER
The question for my decision appears to be whether this Bill, as introduced and set down for a second reading, is in pursuance with the Orders of the House. Now, the hon. Member for Edinburgh has referred to the Rules and Orders of the House, and has read Order 358, which states that— Every Bill not prepared in pursuance with the Order of the House, or according to the Rules and Orders of the House, shall be ordered to be withdrawn. It certainly does appear to me that this Bill has not been prepared in pursuance with the Rules and Orders of the House, and therefore it ought to be withdrawn.

§ SIR HERVEY BRUCE
After your ruling, Sir, of course I have nothing to say but that I shall ask leave to-morrow to introduce a fresh Bill on the subject.

§ MR. J. N. RICHARDSON
I wish to know, on the point of Order, if it is necessary that the hon. Baronet should go through the form of re-introducing the Bill in a regular form, or whether it can be set up in any shorter manner?

§ MR. SPEAKER
The hon. Member should move to discharge the Order for the second reading of the Bill, and then ask leave to bring in another Bill.

§ SIR HERVEY BRUCE
Can I do that now, or must I ask the leave of the 1084 House to introduce a fresh Bill to-morrow?

§ MR SPEAKER
The first step to be taken is to discharge the Order for the second reading of the Bill. Does the hon. Member move that the Order be discharged?

§ SIR HERVEY BRUCE
Yes, Sir.

§ SIR HERVEY BRUCE
I will tomorrow ask leave to introduce a fresh Bill on the same subject.

§ MR. SPEAKER
The hon. Member is at liberty to take that course if he thinks proper; but it can be done at the end of the present Sitting. The hon. Member, however, must consider and settle the point as to the title of the Bill.