HC Deb 02 August 1883 vol 282 cc1302-4

Order for Third Reading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."—(Mr. John Holms.)

SIR JOSEPH M'KENNA

wished to ask for the ruling of the Speaker upon a point of Order. He wanted to know whether, as it was intended to oppose the third reading of the Bill, it would be regular to discuss it now, or whether it would not be necessary for the Bill to stand over until another day?

MR. SPEAKER

In the case of a Private Bill, if the hon. Member opposed the third reading, it would have to stand over. But this is a Public and not a Private Bill, and. the discussion can be taken now.

SIR JOSEPH M'KENNA

said, he was altogether without documents that were necessary for him to lay his case before the House; and, therefore, he should have preferred the postponement of the discussion. But if it was ruled that the debate was to go on, he would be prepared to explain his views in regard to the Bill, although he believed that the opposition would apply more to the second Bill upon the Paper than the present one.

MR. SHERIDAN

said, he had a Notice on the Paper in reference to the second Bill. He thought it was absolutely necessary that both Bills should be taken together.

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member's Notice which appears upon the Paper applies to the next Order of the Day.

MR. SHERIDAN

said, he was under the impression that by the Standing Order any Notice of opposition given to a Bill of this nature rendered it essential that the discussion should be postponed until another day.

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member is mistaken. The Standing Order does not apply in this case, because the Bill is a Public Bill.

MR. SHERIDAN

wished to point out that it was promoted by a private Company.

MR. SPEAKER

It is a Provisional Order Bill, and all Provisional Order Bills are Public Bills.

MR. SHERIDAN

said, he understood the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade to intimate that in face of the opposition raised to the second Bill it would go over until tomorrow.

MR. JOHN HOLMS

said, that was a mistake.

MR. TOMLINSON

, on a point of Order, wished to know how it was, if this were a Private Bill, that it came on at the time of Private Business?

MR. SPEAKER

Provisional Order Bills are always taken after Private Bills.

MR. SHERIDAN

said, he would make an appeal to his hon. Friend the Secretary to the Board of Trade to allow the Bill to stand over.

MR. HICKS

asked if it was competent for any Member to move that the Bill be re-committed?

MR. SPEAKER

Certainly.

MR. HICKS

said, he thought that would be the best way to relieve the House from its present difficulty. He would therefore move that the Bill be re-committed in reference to the Strand District Order.

Amendment proposed, to leave out the words "now read the third time," and add the word "re-committed,"—(Mr. Hicks,)—instead thereof.

Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

said, he strongly objected to the manner in which this question of electric lighting was being dealt with. He had already said what he desired to say in reference to these Bills.

Message to attend the Lords Commissioners;— The House went;—and being returned;—

Mr. SPEAKER

reported the Royal Assent to several Bills.