MOTION FOR A SELECT COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 15 July 1885)

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON),
in rising to move— 880 That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into and report upon the circumstances under which the Expenditure and Liabilities incurred by the Admiralty under the recent Vote of Credit have exceeded the revised Estimate stated to the House by the late Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 5th of June, 1885; that the Committee do consist of Seven Members, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection; Three to be the quorum:—Power to send for persons, papers, and records, said: In making this Motion, I beg permission to read the following letter, which I have received from Lord North-brook:— 4. Hamilton Place, July 15, 1885, 9.30 A.M. Dear Lord George,—I have just received your letter of yesterday. You are quite correct in saying that I' impugned the accuracy of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's figures' in the speech I made last night in the House of Lords, and I accept with pleasure the proposal which, you inform me that Her Majesty's Government are about to make to-day that the 'merits of the controversy' between us should be tested by a Select Committee of the House of Commons, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection. I understand from your letter that the Reference is to be limited to this matter, which is a very simple one, and need take but a short time. I should be obliged to you if you will read this note from me in the House of Commons when you make your Motion, as I have not time to be sure of communicating with any of my late Colleagues.—Yours, &c, NORTHUROOK.

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
There is only one observation I wish to offer with reference to a statement which Lord Northbrook is reported to have made of a personal character touching myself. No one will desire now to discuss the merits of this question; but I find that Lord North-brook is reported to have said yesterday that I was desirous of making an attack upon him. I wish entirely to repudiate any such desire. I felt it necessary, in the discharge of my duty, to state to the House that the £9,000,000 had been exceeded, and also the reasons why, in my belief, that excess had occurred. I certainly did not make that statement because I was desirous of attacking Lord Northbrook.

§ MR. CHILDERS
After what has fallen from the right hon. Gentleman, I think I ought to say that I was in the House of Lords yesterday, and heard, I believe, every word that Lord Northbrook said. Certainly I did not hear him make any charge against the right 881 hon. Gentleman of desiring to make any attack on him. Prom my knowledge of the characters of both the right hon. Gentleman and Lord Northbrook, I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman would never be desirous of making an attack on the noble Lord, and that the noble Lord would never intentionally have imputed any such desire to him.

§ MR. MOLLOY
said, that as Ireland was very much interested in this question, he should like to know whether the Committee was to be composed exclusively of the two great Parties in the House, or whether a Member of the Irish Party was to sit upon it?

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
It is impossible for me to bind the action of the Committee of Selection, though I have not the slightest doubt that they will take all circumstances into consideration.

§ MR. SEXTON
said, that as the Chairman of the Committee of Selection was present he would ask him to give an assurance that at least one Member of the Irish Party would be placed on the Committee.

§ SIR JOHN MOWBRAY
said, that he could not answer that appeal, as he had no right to speak on behalf of the Committee of Selection. A highly respected Member of the House sitting beside the hon. Member was on the Committee of Selection, and he would doubtless see that the interests of the Irish Party were fully considered.

§ MR. SEXTON
observed that in case no Member of the Irish Party was placed on the Committee he should move the addition of the name of Mr. Arthur O'Connor.