Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERMessage from the Lords that they have passed the Alexander's Restitution Bill, to which they desire the concurrence of this House. Have you the King's consent?
§ Sir G. CAVEYes.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the first time."
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read the first time; read a second time.
§ Sir G. CAVEI beg to move, in accordance with custom, "That the Bill be referred to a Select Committee."
§ Mr. KINGWhat is this Bill that has been referred to us? I do not know what the object of it is, and I think we ought to have some explanation of it.
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERThe hon. Member is too late. We cannot discuss that on the Motion for a Select Committee.
§ Mr. KINGI am one of the very few private Members who has taken an interest in this, and I think we ought to be given an explanation.
§ Sir G. CAVEWe are following the regular procedure, which has been very carefully investigated, dealing with these Bills, which very rarely occur. It is the Alexander's Restitution Bill, and it relates to the Barony of Cobham, which in the days of James I. was forfeited by the then Lord Cobham and George Brooke, his brother and heir, for high treason. Recently the full procedure has been gone through with a view to the restitution to the members of that family of their honours and their position. It has passed the other House of Parliament, and in accordance with precedent it comes down here and has to be sent to a Special Committee. We are following the ordinary course.
§ Sir G. CAVEIt is never there.
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERBy the procedure of the House a Bill of this kind, coming down from the other House with 1101 the King's consent, is immediately taken into consideration, read a first and a second time, and then referred to a Select Committee.
§ Mr. KINGMay I appeal to the Government to put this, off for a future occasion? It really seems to me a very extraordinary thing to take it at two o'clock in the morning. There can be no haste about it whatever.
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERAs I said just now, under the procedure of this House a Bill of this character coming down from the other House must be immediately taken into consideration.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Ordered, That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee.
1102§ Committee nominated of the Attorney-General, Mr. Barnes, Sir Edward Carson, the Chairman of Ways and Means, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Robert Finlay, Mr. Ellis Griffith, Mr. Herbert Samuel, Sir John Simon, the Solicitor-General, Mr. Eugene Wason, and Mr. Stuart-Wortley.
§ Ordered, That three be the quorum.—[Sir G. Cave.]
§ Bill to be printed. [Bill 42.]
§ It being after Half-past Eleven of the clock upon Thursday evening, Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
§ Adjourned at Sixteen minutes before Two a.m., Friday, 12th May, till Monday next, 15th May, pursuant to the Order of the House of the 22nd February last.