HC Deb 31 July 1885 vol 300 cc683-5

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the first time."—(The Attorney General, Sir Richard Webster.)

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

asked if it was in Order to read a Bill for a first time in this manner? It was a peculiar Bill, and he would like to know why this extraordinary course was being followed?

MR. SPEAKER

The Bill has been brought down from the other House, and it is read a first time as a matter of course.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

The object is to obtain the Royal Assent for the Bill.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read the first time.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(The Attorney General.)

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

rose to ask Mr. Speaker to rule whether, before such a Motion could be made, the suspension of the Standing Orders was not necessary?

MR. SPEAKER

There is no Standing Order applicable to the case; but it is only to be done in order—and I understand the Attorney General is going to take this course—to refer the Bill to a Committee in the ordinary way.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

protested against this extraordinary, this very irregular course. He knew something of the character of this Bill, for he had read the debate in "another place." It was a Bill of this character. A gentleman had claimed the title and Earldom of Mar, which the highest tribunal of the country decided he was not entitled to. But the Committee of the House of Lords now said that he was entitled to it, and the Bill was to restore the ancient Earldom of Mar. That might be right or it might be wrong; but he protested against this measure being taken before other very important matters now before them.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER)

said, that, as he understood it, the matter stood thus: On a previous inquiry there was some technical difficulty in regard to the reception of certain evidence. This Bill had passed the other House with a view to remove the technical difficulty. It was his intention at once to move that the Bill be committed to a Select Committee; but, of course, he presumed that everything would be dealt with by that Committee. He understood there was no Standing Order applicable to the matter which he had moved; and he presumed that if the Bill were referred to a Select Committee there would be no objection to its being read a second time.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a second time, and committed to a Select Committee.

Committee nominated:—Sir ARTHUR OTWAY, Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, Secretary Sir RICHARD CROSS, Sir WILLIAM HARCOURT, Mr. ATTORNEY GENERAL, Mr. SOLICITOR GENERAL, Sir HENRY JAMES, Sir FARRER HERSCHELL, Mr. COCHRAN-PATRICK, and Dr. FARQUHARSON.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

said, the Attorney General had told them this was a Bill to enable certain evidence to be received; but from the debate in "another place" he understood it was for the restitution of the Earldom of Mar. He had the strongest objection to that, which, he held, was an unprecedented course to take after the decision of the highest legal tribunal of Scotland. The Bill ought to be printed, and before allowing it to pass this stage they ought to know what the Bill was.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

Perhaps it would facilitate matters if the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy (Sir George Campbell) were put on the Committee.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL

I object, Sir.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

I beg to move, Sir, that the name of the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy be added to the Committee.

Motion agreed to; name added.

Ordered, That Three be the quorum.

Ordered, That the Committee have leave to sit and proceed upon Monday next.

THE ATTORNRY GENERAL

I understand that there is an old and obsolete practice that it is usual to move that all the Members of the Privy Council and all the Members of the Long Robe in the House be added to the Committee; but I do not intend to follow that practice on the present occasion.

Bill to be printed. [Bill 256.]