§ 4. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That a sum, not exceeding £23,175 (including a Supplementary sum of £9,175), be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1900, for the Salaries and other expenses of Temporary Commissions, Committees, and Special Inquiries, including a Grant in Aid of the Congested Districts Board (Ireland)."
§ * SIR CHARLES DILKEEvery year we have to take note of the fact that, in spite of the recent words of the Prime Minister with reference to Commissions, there is a continual increase in their number. The Liquor Commission is an example to the whole country of the futility of appointing Commissions of this kind on any subject. The only really useful questions I would wish to put is, What is likely to be the fate of the Commission which is inquiring into local rating in this country, which is presided over by Lord Balfour of Burleigh? I do not know whether we can get the information on this Vote. I have a great objection to these ponderous Commissions, the Reports of which are always inconclusive.
§ MR. LEWISI think we ought to have some information regarding the progress made by the Local Taxation Commission. The question submitted to it is one of enormous importance, in which the House and the country are deeply interested. During the Debates 953 on the Tithes Bill, constant reference was made to the work of this Commission. It is extraordinary how easily the Government, when they want to take a particular course, can get an interim Report in favour of that course. I think the Government ought to make some statement regarding the progress of the Commission.
§ MR. LEWISMay I ask when the Commission is likely to report? We are asked to vote the sum of £1,465 for salaries. Last year we voted £1,705 for that purpose, and I want to know whether we are getting value for our money, and how long these salaries are to continue. We consider it is high time that there should be a conclusion to the work of this particular Commission, because the interests involved are very large, and the country is eagerly awaiting some definite scheme for the solution of the taxation problem which presses so heavily on certain portions of the community. Unless the Government can give us some indication of when we may expect the Report of the
§ Commission, I shall have to move the reduction of the Vote by £100.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I believe that the Commission is making rapid progress. The hon. Gentleman himself has referred to the magnitude of its work, and I think the Committee ought not to be unduly impatient as to the time occupied in its, discharge.
§ MR. LEWISThe Commission has dealt with its work in a piecemeal fashion, which is not satisfactory to hon. Members on this side of the House, and I therefore move the reduction of the Vote by the sum of £100.
§
Motion made, and Question put—
That a sum, not exceeding £23,075, be granted for the said Service "£(Mr. Lewis.)
§ The Committee divided:£Ayes, 49; Noes, 114. (Division List, No. 321.)
955| AYES. | ||
| Asher, Alexander | Hazell, Walter | Roberts, John H. (Denbighs.) |
| Asquith, Rt. Hon. Herbert H. | Holland, W. H. (York, W. R.) | Robson, William Snowdon |
| Broadhurst, Henry | Horniman, Frederick John | Sinclair, Capt. John (Forfarsh. |
| Bryce, Rt. Hon. James | Jameson, Major J. Eustace | Soames, Arthur Wellesley |
| Buchanan, Thomas Ryburn | Joicey, Sir James | Steadman, William Charles |
| Caldwell, James | Jones, William (Carnarvonsh.) | Sullivan, Donal (Westmeath) |
| Campbell-Bannerman, Sir H. | Labouchere, Henry | Trevelyan, Charles Philips |
| Causton, Richard Knight | Lambert, George | |
| Cawley, Frederick | Lawson, Sir Wilfrid (Cumb'l'd) | Ure, Alexander |
| Channing, Francis Allston | Macaleese, Daniel | Wallace, Robert |
| Dalziel, James Henry | M'Arthur, William (Cornwall) | Warner, Thomas Courtenay T, |
| Dewar, Arthur | M'Crae, George | Whittaker, Thomas Palmer |
| Dilke, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles | Maddison, Ered. | Williams, J. Carvell (Notts.) |
| Doogan, P. C. | Mendl, Sigismund Ferdinand | Wilson, Henry J. (York, W. R.) |
| Foster, Sir Walter (Derby Co.) | Moss, Samuel | |
| Gladstone, Rt. Hon Herbert J. | Oldroyd, Mark | TELLERS FOR THE AYES—Mr. Herbert Lewis and Mr. Hedderwick. |
| Griffith, Ellis J. | Pickersgill, Edward Hare | |
| Hayne, Rt. Hon. Charles Seale- | Rickett, J. Compton | |
| NOES. | ||
| Anson, Sir William Reynell | Barry, Rt. Hn. A. H. S. Hunts) | Blundell, Colonel Henry |
| Arnold, Alfred | Barton, Dunbar Plunket | Boscawen, Arthur Griffith |
| Atkinson, Rt. Hon. John | Bathurst, Hon. Allen Benjamin. | Brodrick, Rt. Hon. St. John |
| Balfour, Rt. Hon. A. J. (Manch'r | Beach, Rt. Hn. Sir M. H. (Bristol) | Cecil, Lord Hugh (Greenwich) |
| Balfour, Rt Hn Gerald W (Leeds | Bemrose, Sir Henry Howe | Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. (Birm.) |
| Banbury, Frederick George | Bethell, Commander | Chamberlain, J. Austen (Worc. |
| Barnes, Frederic Gorell | Bigwood, James | Chaplin, Right Hon. Henry |
| Charrington, Spencer | Lecky, Rt. Hon. Wm. E. H. | Robertson, Herbert (Hackney) |
| Cochrane, Hon. T. H. A. E. | Leigh-Bennett, Henry Currie | Round, James |
| Coghill, Douglas Harry | Lockwood, Lt. Col. A. R. | Royds, Clement Molyneux |
| Cohen, Benjamin Louis | Loder, Gerald Walter Erskine | Russell, T. W. (Tyrone) |
| Collings, Rt. Hon. Jesse | Long, Col. Chas. W. (Evesham | Seely, Charles Hilton |
| Colomb, Sir John Chas. Ready | Long, Rt. Hon. W. (Liverpool) | |
| Compton, Lord Alwyne | Lorne, Marquess of | Sharpe, William Edward T |
| Cox, Irwin Edw. Bainbridge | Lowles, John | Side bottom, Wm (Derbysh.) |
| Cranborne, Viscount | Loyd, Archie Kirkman | Simeon, Sir Barrington |
| Curzon, Viscount | Lucas-Shadwell, William | Stanley, Edward J. (Somereset) |
| Disraeli, Coningsby Ralph | Macartney, W. G. Ellison | Stanley, Lord (Lancs.) |
| Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- | Macdona, John Cumming | Stirling-Maxwell, Sir John M |
| Doxford, William Theodore | Maclure, Sir John William | Strauss, Arthur |
| Duncom be, Hon. Hubert V. | M'Killop, James | Strutt, Hon. Chas. Healey |
| Fellowes, Hon. Ailwyn Edwd. | Mellor, Colonel (Lancashire) | Talbot, Lord E. (Chichester) |
| Finlay, Sir Robert Bannatyne | Middlemore, J. Throgmorton | Talbot, Rt. Hn. J. G. (Oxf'd Uni |
| Fisher, William Hayes | Moon, Edward Robert Pacy | Thornton, Percy M. |
| Fletcher, Sir Henry | More, Robt. Jasper (Shropshire | Tomlinson, W. Edw. Murray |
| Flower, Ernest | Morrell, George Herbert | Valentia, Viscount |
| Gedge, Sydney | Morton, A. H. A. (Deptford) | |
| Giles, Charles Tyrrell | Murray, Rt. Hn. A. G. (Bute) | Whitmore, Charles Algernon |
| Goldsworthy, Major-General | Murray, Charles J. (Coventry) | Williams, J. Powell- (Birm) |
| Gordon, Hon. John Edward | Murray, Col. Wyndham (Bath) | Williams, John (Falkirk) |
| Gorst, Rt. Hn. Sir John Eldon | Newdigate, Francis Alex. | Wodehouse, Rt. Hn. E. R. (Bath) |
| Goschen, Rt. Hn G J. (St George's | Nicholson, William Graham | Wortley, Rt. Hon. C. B. Stuart |
| Goschen, George J. (Sussex) | Nicol, Donald Ninian | Wylie, Alexander |
| Greene, Hen. D. (Shrewsbury) | Percy, Earl | Wyndham, George |
| Gull, Sir Cameron | Pollock, Harry Frederick | Wyvill, Marmaduke D'Arcy |
| Hanbury.Rt. Hon. Rbt. Wm. | Purvis, Robert | Young, Commander (Berks, E.) |
| Hornby, Sir William Henry | Rentoul, James Alexander | |
| Johnston, William (Belfast) | Ridley, Rt. Hn. Sir Matthew W. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES—Sir William Walrond and Mr. Anstruther. |
| Lawrence, Sir E Durning-(Corn | Ritchie. Rt. Hn. Chas. Thomson | |
| Lawson, John Grant (Yorks.) | Roberts, John Bryn (Eifion) |
Original Question put, and agreed to.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI now beg to move to report Progress.
§ MR. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy Burghs)I should like to ask what is the object of this motion at the present time. Several of my hon friends are interested in some of the votes yet to be taken, and it would be more convenient to go on with them.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURDo I understand from the hon. Member that some of his friends desire to discuss the remaining Votes to-night? I should like the Votes to be taken, but I cannot afford the time to-night, as there are Bills yet to be discussed.
§ MR. DALZIELThe right hon. Gentleman will see that it is very inconvenient when certain proposals are on the Paper that business should be upset at a moment's notice.
§ MR. CALDWELLMay I point out to my hon. friend that this is not a Supply night. The object of taking Supply was merely to pass certain Supplementary Votes which had to be passed 956 to-night, otherwise the sitting would be devoted to Bills.
§ Committee report Progress.
§ Resolutions to be reported To-morrow.
§ Committee to sit again To-morrow.