HC Deb 06 October 1909 vol 11 cc2164-5

[Mr. EMMOTT, Deputy-Speaker, in the chair.]

Considered, as amended.

Mr. HAY

I rise to protest against this Bill being taken now. It is not even printed. Last night it was under discussion, and the Solicitor-General for Ireland moved or approved certain Amendments, which he said were merely drafting Amendments.

Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER

The hon. Member cannot object to the Bill being taken.

Mr. HAY

On a point of Order. Is it permissible that a Bill should be submitted to a vote of the House without being printed? The Bill was substantially amended and has not since been reprinted. I was in the Vote Office an hour ago to get a copy of it, and was informed that it had not been reprinted.

Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER

I find that this being a private Member's Bill, the hon. Member can object to its being taken.

Mr. J. H. CAMPBELL

May I appeal to the hon. Member for Hoxton to give way? I do not profess myself to know anything about the Bill, but I know it is backed by hon. Members representing all parties in Ireland. There is no opposition to it so far as I know, and I suggest it would be a gracious act on the part of the hon. Member to withdraw his objection.

Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGH

May I also appeal to the hon. Member to allow this Bill to proceed? It is absolutely non-contentious and is backed by Members of all parties in Ireland. That it is non-contentious is shown by the fact that the hon. and gallant Member for East Down (Captain Craig) and myself have both backed the Bill, and any Bill he and I agree upon must be non-contentious. I would remind the hon. Member that we do not know what is going to happen in politics in the next few days. There may be a General Election and this Bill may be massacred amongst others. It is really a simple Bill to protect Irish seaside resorts against growing foreign competition. It is therefore really a Tariff Reform measure, and as the Government is giving facilities for it, I think the hon. Member for Hoxton ought to be delighted to see signs of grace from such a quarter.

Mr. ASHLEY

I must support my hon. Friend. I am interested in Ireland, and when I went to the Vote Office to get a copy of the Bill to see what it was, I was unable to obtain one. I do not even know what Amendments have been made.

Mr. MacVEAGH

They were on the Order Paper yesterday.

Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER

Does the hon. Member for Hoxton persist in his objection?

Mr. HAY

Yes, Sir.

Consideration of Bill accordingly deferred until to-morrow.

Whereupon Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER, in pursuance of the Order of the House of 20th August, adjourned the House without Question put.

Adjourned at Five minutes after Two o'clock a.m. Thursday, 7th October, 1909.