§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ SIR EDWARD WATKINsaid, that in consequence of an intimation he had received from the Secretary of the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Chamberlain), who had a Motion on the Paper for the rejection of the Bill, he would move that the Bill be read a second time upon that day week.
§ SIR EDWARD WATKINsaid, that if the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire (Mr. Hicks) chose to amend his proposal to that day fortnight, he had nothing to say against it; but his own proposal was to postpone the second reading for a week, with a view, upon that day, of fixing such a day for the discussion as would be most convenient for the right hon. Gentleman and the House in connection with the despatch of important Public Business. He desired to say that last week a similar adjournment had been made, as the night originally fixed was not considered a convenient night for discussing the Bill. He wished now to suggest that a question had since been raised which might very much shorten the discussion whenever it did take place. He understood from the newspapers that the noble Lord the Member for Flintshire (Lord Richard Grosvenor) had stated publicly that the Prime Minister was still in favour—he thought these were the words of the noble Lord—of the construction of a tunnel under the Channel to connect England with the Continent. He (Sir Edward Watkin) would, therefore, suggest that the Prime Minister should say whether he corroborated the statement of the noble Lord, because, in that case, he would be quite prepared, as the issue would be a very short one, and seeing that a General Election was coming on, to move the discharge of the Order for the Second Reading, after that expression of opinion. He thought, however, that from his (Sir Edward 303 Watkin's) point of view an expression of favourable opinion at this moment would be exceedingly useful in calming certain asperities which were manifesting themselves on the other side of the Channel. If, on the other hand, the right hon. Gentleman the Prime Minister were now to say that his opinion having been in favour of the construction of a Channel Tunnel, he had altered that opinion, and at no time or under any circumstances would he support the establishment of direct communication between the Continent and this country, he should be equally prepared to move the discharge of the Order for the Second Reading, hoping that he might be more fortunate after the General Election, which might possibly, among other changes, bring about a change of Government. He begged to move that the second reading of the Bill be postponed until that day week.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be read a second time upon Tuesday next."—(Sir Edward Watkin.)
§ MR. HICKSsaid, that having been the humble instrument in a previous Session—no Member of Her Majesty's Government having risen to oppose it—of causing the Bill to be thrown out, he desired to say a few words upon the proposal of the hon. Baronet. He believed that the large attendance in the House at that moment was in consequence of the feeling entertained by hon. Members as to the importance of the questions at issue in connection with this Bill; and he did not think the general feeling would be in favour of postponing the consideration of the measure for so short a time as a week. If it was to be postponed at all, hon. Members ought to have full Notice, so that they might be able to make arrangements to be in their places to oppose the measure. He felt fortified in expressing that opinion by the fact that on entering the House he heard from the Officers of the House that an understanding had been come to between Her Majesty's Government and the promoters of the Bill for the postponement of the second reading for a fortnight. He, therefore, begged to move, as an Amendment to the proposal of the hon. Baronet, that the second reading be postponed until that day fortnight.
§ Amendment proposed, to leave out the word "next," in order to insert the words "5th May,"—(Mr. Hicks,)—instead thereof.
§ Question proposed, "That the word 'next' stand part of the Question."
§ SIR EDWARD WATKINsaid, he did not object to the proposal of the hon. Gentleman. All he wished was to fix a convenient day consistent with the discharge of the important Public Business now before the House, and also with reference to the convenience of the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade.
§ Question, "That the word 'next' stand part of the Question," put, and negatived.
§ "5th May" inserted.
§ Main Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.
§ Bill to be read a second time upon Tuesday 5th May.