AMENDMENT OF STANDING ORDERS. (Hansard, 15 August 1901)

*THE CHAIRMAN OF WAYS AND MEANS (Mr. J. W. LOWTHEK, Cumberland, Penrith)
In moving the Amendments which stand in my name on the Paper I need only explain that they are all drafting Amendments, save one to Standing Order 153, which proposes to enable tramway companies, like railway companies, to raise one-third of their capital by borrowing. At present tramway companies can raise only one-fourth of their capital by borrowing, but Committees of this House have been recently allowing them to raise one-third, and it is now felt that the time has arrived when they should be placed in the same position as railway companies. Power, however, is reserved to the Select Committee to refuse this right in any case if they consider it necessary. I do not think there are any other Amendments which require any explanation, and I shall be obliged to the House if it will pass them as they stand on the Paper.

§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)
claimed the right to say a few words on this matter. Here they had a long series of motions dealing with private business. He did not propose to take advantage of the forms of the House to divide on them, but he did desire to call attention to the accusation readily made against the Irish Members that they desired to bring the House into contempt by an abuse of its forms. If that were true, here was an opportunity for taking half a hundred divisions, under the forms of the House, but they allowed it to go by, as they allowed to go by endless opportunities afforded by private business for what was called obstruction.

§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN, Birmingham, W.)
said he heard with great satisfaction the hon. Member's repudiation of the charge that he and his colleagues desired to bring the House into contempt. But, if such charges were made, they were due to statements by colleagues of the hon. Member, one of whom, at any rate, had publicly avowed that it was the intention of the Irish party to degrade the House of Commons until such time as Home Rule were granted.

§ MR. JOHN REDMOND
I deny that.

§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN
Oh, yes, it was said.

§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)
said the right hon. Gentleman had evidently made what was for him an unusual appearance at the time of private business in order to add fuel to the campaign against the Irish Members which was started at Blenheim. He was glad his hon. friend the Member for Waterford had repudiated the charge of bringing the House into contempt which had been laid at the doors of the Irish Members. For his part, he would never engage in any proceedings of the kind, simply because he did not think they would advance the interests of Ireland. If, when the Colonial Secretary brought his political career to a close, and began to write his last will and testament, the 893 Irish Members were still in the House of Commons—which he sincerely trusted would not be the case—the right hon. Gentleman would find them in the same force and in the same strength as they had been when they were in alliance with himself. With regard to the proposed alterations of the Standing Orders, he only wished to observe that he was sorry that the Chairman of Ways and Means and the Lords Chairman had not taken advantage of the opportunity and of the feeling which undoubtedly existed to really improve the Standing Orders, and put them into a more workmanlike shape. It was admitted the other day by the Lords Chairman that there was necessity for further improvement and revision, and he certainly had hoped that something would have been done to provide something in the nature of a digest of the Orders.

MR. J. W. LOWTHER
said the suggestion of the hon. Member was well worth considering, and he would consult with his noble friend, but he was very doubtful if the House would be content to leave the matter in their hands. It might be desirable to appoint a Committee to deal with the matter.