MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis), calling attention to the following notice of Motion in the name of the President of the Board of Trade, "That proceedings upon the Port of London Bill may be resumed," said this was an entirely unprecedented Motion, and asked the Prime Minister whether it was intended that it should be decided without Amendment or debate. The right hon. Gentleman gave an undertaking to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Thanet that the Motion should not be drawn into a precedent; nevertheless the Motion made the power to take this action a Standing Order of the House, and, in case the Bill should not be proceeded with this session, he wished to know whether that Standing Order would keep this power alive for next session.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI shall not ask the House to come to a decision on this Motion to-day, but I shall ask the House to come to a decision upon it at some early day, and, parenthetically, I may remark it can be taken after midnight.
397 As to the larger aspects of the question, I hope my hon. friend will give me notice. I do not remember the pledge to which my hon. friend refers, but I think it must have referred to a view which I certainly hold that we ought not to draw this into a precedent for ordinary public Bills without a definite decision of the House. The Port of London Bill, however, is rather in the nature of a private Bill.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not know that the matter rests with me, but if it does I shall allow as little as I can.