COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 10 June 1886)

§ MR. J. G. TALBOT (Oxford, University)
This Bill deals with most important interests, and if the hon. Member in charge of it insists in bringing it on I shall be obliged to move the adjournment. I understand the Bill has not been reprinted. It has been considered, and very carefully considered, by a Select Committee; but I object to its being discussed before it is reprinted.

§ SIR JAMES FERGUSSON (Manchester, N.E.)
I rise to Order, Sir. I heard the hon. Member, when he first rose, move the adjournment of the debate. Probably it escaped your notice, Mr. Speaker.

§ MR. SPEAKER
No words to that effect reached my ears.

§ MR. J. G. TALBOT
I said that if the hon. Member in charge of the measure insisted in going on with the Bill I should move the adjournment of the debate.

§ MR. T. H. BOLTON (St. Pancras, N.)
My object in moving that the 1434 House should go into Committee was not with the view of proceeding with the Bill to-night; but I wished to get into Committee upon it and then to report Progress, so that we may discuss it in Committee to - morrow. That course would afford ample opportunity for having the Bill reprinted. I am in hopes that we may be able to deal with the measure this Session. In those counties to which it particularly applies there is a consensus of opinion that the matter should be dealt with as soon as possible. The Bill is the result of an understanding arrived at between all parties in the Select Committee which sat to consider the matter. It would be an unfortunate thing if it should fail to pass, especially seeing that it is unopposed by all who are materially interested.

§ MR. GATHORNE-HARDY (Kent, Medway)
I heard the hon. Gentleman (Mr. Talbot) say that he would move the adjournment of the debate, and I certainly believed that he had done so.

§ MR. SPEAKER
The hon. Member says he did not move it.

§ MR. GATHORNE-HARDY
I heard his remark, and I understood him to say that he moved it. Personally, I was sorry to hear the adjournment moved, for I agree very much with the hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. T. H. Bolton) that in this Bill, as it has passed the Select Committee, we have arrived at a conclusion satisfactory to all parties. I hope we shall be able to pass it. If there is any opposition, however, we must all admit the impossibility of dealing with a measure that has not been reprinted. I trust we shall be able to have it printed and to pass it this Session.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. CHILDERS) (Edinburgh, S.)
The best plan would be to move Mr. Speaker out of the Chair as a matter of form, so that the Bill can be printed. It ought not to be considered before it is reprinted, and an undertaking ought to be given that it will not be. There is no doubt it passed the Committee with general approval.

§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON (Shropshire, Oswestry)
Sir, I must object to the course proposed by the hon. Gentleman in charge of this Bill. The hon. Gentleman says it is not a contentious 1435 matter; but I beg to say that on that point I differ from him entirely, inasmuch as there were very serious contentions in the Committee; and the reconstructed Bill, which hon. Members have not yet seen, will be opposed from various quarters of the House. But, Sir, this Bill has not been printed, and there has been no opportunity for full examination. It will be remembered that four Bills were sent before the Committee; they have only reported on one Bill; and, what is more, the Committee have adjourned till this day four weeks in order to complete their Report. Well, Sir, it does seem to me to be a most extraordinary proposal that you should now leave the Chair, and that one of the Bills that were sent before the Select Committee should be pressed forward with indecent haste, while the other Bills dealing with the same subject remain to be considered and reported upon by the Select Committee upstairs. Not only is the Bill not reprinted, but the Report of the Committee is not in the hands of Members. Therefore, on the ground that the Bill has not been printed, which is admitted to be a good ground for delay, and that it is a contentious Bill, and that there were serious differences of opinion in the Select Committee with regard to it, I appeal to hon. Members not to proceed in the matter any further at the present moment, but to agree to the adjournment of the debate, which, if I am in Order, as I presume to be the case, I now beg to move.