HC Deb 30 April 1901 vol 93 c320

Order for Committee read.

LORD HUGH CECIL (Greenwich)

I beg to move, "That it be an Instruction to the Committee that they have power to extend the Bill to the legalizing of marriage with a deceased wife's niece."

*MR. SPEAKER

When the Committee stage of a Bill is called I am bound to leave the chair unless there is a valid Instruction on the Paper, and in my opinion the Instruction of the noble Lord is not a valid one.

LORD HUGH CECIL

On a point of order, Sir, may I point out that my Instruction extends the scope of the Bill? It enables the Committee to enter upon a cognate subject. Would it not therefore be in order?

MR. ELLIS GRIFFITH (Anglesey)

Is the noble Lord in order in arguing a point of order?

*MR. SPEAKER

This is a Bill to remedy a specific alleged defect in the Mining Law. It has been treated as a separate and distinct grievance for many years. If this Instruction is to be allowed I do not see what there is to prevent other hon. Members moving Instructions with regard to every kind of relationship. There are sixty forbidden degrees of relationship mentioned in the Table in the Book of Common Prayer. There would be nothing to prevent fifty-eight other hon. Members moving fifty-eight other Instructions. This is a Bill to deal with one specific question, and the Instruction is therefore out of order.

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clause 1:—

Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Wednesday 5th June.

Adjourned at a quarter after Twelve of the Clock.