MR. FELL PEASE (York, N.R., Cleveland)I beg to ask the Chairman of the Public Petitions Committee if it is in Order for one individual to sign two or more Petitions on the same subject as a member of different Societies or Bodies in one locality; whether if a person signs any Petition as an individual he is at liberty to sign a Petition upon the same subject as chairman of a meeting or company; and in the event of these being answered in the negative, can any steps be taken to prevent the practice of signing duplicate Petitions?
§ THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE (Mr. M'LAGAN,) LinlithgowIt is not in Order for one individual to sign two or more Petitions on the same subject as a member of different Societies or Bodies in one locality; but if a person signs any Petition as an individual he is at liberty to sign a Petition upon the same subject as chairman of a meeting or company. Duplicate Petitions are returned to the hon. Member who presents them accompanied generally by a note indicating the particular Rule transgressed. A copy of the Rules on the subject is sent every Session to each Member for his own use and for distribution in his constituencies.