§ Section 2. "That a sum not exceeding £4,786,700, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the Expense of the Materiel for Shipbuilding, Repairs, Maintenance, &c., including the cost of Establishments of Dockyards and Naval Yards at Home and Abroad, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1904."
§ MR. SPEAKERHas the hon. Member any precedent for proposing the recommittal of a Resolution of Committee of Supply?
MR. GIBSON BOWLESsaid he had fortified himself by referring to the Journals of the House. On 10th Aug., 1880, a Resolution was recommitted to Committee of Supply, and there were good precedents both for recommittal and for postponement. He hoped the Civil Lord to the Admiralty would be able to give satisfactory reasons why recommittal should not take place, but the ground on which he moved was that the Vote was 65 not so fully discussed as a Vote of such importance, and involving so large a sum of money, should be. He wished also to remind the House that it had power to recommit even a Resolution, and he therefore moved.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed. "That the Resolution be re-committed to Committee of Supply."
§ MR. SPEAKEROf course I have not had an opportunity of considering the precedent to which the hon. Member refers, nor was I aware there was any such case. Subject to that, however, I will put the Question.
§ MR. PRETYMAN (Suffolk, Woodbridge)said his hon. friend had not given any reason why the Resolution should be recommitted.
§ MR. PRETYMANsaid that was a very general statement. The Vote might be a large one, but the whole of the sitting was devoted to its discussion. The Secretary to the Admiralty answered every point raised in the debate, as far as he could judge, to the general satisfaction of the Committee. In the absence of any specific complaint he was afraid that was all he could say.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.