§ Order read for consideration of Lords Amendments.
§ (6.8.) MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)On a point of order, Sir, is it competent to bring this Bill on now if it is objected to?
§ MR. KIMBER (Wandsworth)Before the Amendments are taken I wish to draw attention to a point arising on Clause 14, and to ask whether it will be possible to move an Amendment with a view of getting rid of a blot in the Bill as it left the House of Commons. Clause 14 directs that in the case of the winding-up of companies certain Returns shall be made. One of these Returns is to show the amount of dividends unclaimed and assets undistributed, and that money is to be swept into the Bank of England to the account of the Board of Trade. Now, I feel satisfied the House never intended that that should be done——
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Sir M. HICKS BEACH, Bristol, W.): I rise to order. This is a point which, as the hon. Member knows perfectly well, comes up when Clause 14 is being discussed, and then I shall be prepared to state my views. But I object to a discussion being raised on it now.
§ MR. KIMBERI submit that on the Motion that the Lords Amendments be considered I am entitled to ask for your opinion on a point which I have not yet been able to state. I was about to describe the sub-section, which directs that the money shall be paid into the Bank of England to the Board of Trade account. An Amendment which has been introduced has altered that to the Companies Liquidation account, and I want to ask whether it is competent for me to move another Amendment in that sub-section, not of those words, but of other words?
§ SIR M. HICKS BEACHOn a point of order, I should like to say that the Amendment which the hon. Member desires to make has no reference whatever to these words.
§ MR. KIMBERI ask leave to propose the insertion of words to the effect that when it appears from any such statement or otherwise that the liquidator of a company has in hand any such unclaimed or undistributed assets, the payment thereof, as directed, into the Bank of England shall be limited to cases in which the companies are wound up by order of the Court.
MR. DEPUTY SPEAKERThe hon. Member cannot go back on the original work of this House. No Amendment can be made now unless it relates to an Amendment made by the Lords.
§ Lords Amendments considered; several agreed to; one disagreed to.
§ Committee appointed, "To draw up Reasons to be assigned to the Lords for disagreeing to one of the Amendments:" —To withdraw immediately.
§ Ordered, That Three be the Quorum.