HC Deb 08 November 1920 vol 134 cc965-7

The provisions of the Fourth Schedule to The Representation of the People Act, 1918, in their application to elections of Members to serve in the Parliament of the United Kingdom or the Parliament of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland for any of the constituencies named in Part I. or Part II, of the Second Schedule to this Act, shall have effect with the substitution of two pence for seven pence and for five pence.—[Mr. Fisher.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

Question put, "That the Clause be read a Second time."

The House divided: Ayes, 137; Noes, 11.

Division No. 355.] AYES. [8.40 P.M.
Adair, Rear-Admiral Thomas B. S. Glyn, Major Ralph Norris, Colonel Sir Henry G.
Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. C. Goff, Sir R. Park O'Neill, Major Hon. Robert W. H.
Agg-Gardner, Sir James Tynte Goulding, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward A, Ormsby-Gore, Captain Hon. W.
Allen, Lieut. Colonel William James Green, Joseph F. (Leicester, W.) Parry, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Henry
Archdale, Edward Mervyn Greer, Harry Pease, Rt. Hon. Herbert Pike
Atkey, A. R. Hall, Rr-Admi Sir W. (Liv'p'l,W.D'by) Pennefather, De Fonblanque
Baird, Sir John Lawrence Henderson, Major V. L. (Tradeston) Perkins, Walter Frank
Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley Henry, Denis S. (Londonderry, S.) Pollock, Sir Ernest M.
Balfour, George (Hampstead) Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton
Barnett, Major R. W. Hewart, Rt. Hon. Sir Gordon Pratt, John William
Barnston, Major Harry Hinds, John Prescott, Major W. H.
Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) Holbrook, Sir Arthur Richard Purchase, H. G.
Betterton, Henry B, Hood, Joseph Randies, Sir John S.
Bigland, Alfred Hope, James F. (Sheffield, Central) Raper, A. Baldwin
Borwick, Major G. O. Hope, Lt.-Col. Sir J. A. (Midlothian) Reid, D. D.
Breese, Major Charles E. Hopkins, John W. W Remer, J. R.
Bridgeman, William Clive Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) Roberts, Rt. Hon. G. H. (Norwich)
Briggs, Harold Hume-Williams, Sir W. Ellis Rutherford, Sir W. W. (Edge Hill)
Brittain, Sir Harry Inskip, Thomas Walker H. Sanders, Colonel Sir Robert A.
Broad, Thomas Tucker Jesson, C. Seddon, J. A.
Brown, T. W. (Down, North) Jodrell, Neville Paul Shaw, William T. (Forfar)
Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William James Johnson, Sir Stanley Shortt, Rt. Hon. E. (N'castle-on-T.)
Burn, Col. C. R. (Devon, Torquay) Jones, Sir Edgar R. (Merthyr Tydvil) Stewart, Gershom
Burn, T. H. (Belfast, St. Anne's) Jones, G. W. H. (Stoke Newington) Strauss, Edward Anthony
Carew, Charles Robert S. Jones, J. T,(Carmarthen, Llanelly) Sugden, W. H.
Carr, W. Theodore Kellaway, Rt. Hon. Fredk. George Sykes, Colonel Sir A. J. (Knutsford)
Carson, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward H. Kerr-Smiley, Major Peter Kerr Sykes, Sir Charles (Huddersfield)
Casey, T. W. King, Captain Henry Douglas Terrell, Captain R. (Oxford, Henley)
Chamberlain, N (Birm., Ladywood) Knights, Capt. H. N. (C'berwell, N.) Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, South)
Churchman, Sir Arthur Law, Rt. Hon. A. B. (Glasgow, C.) Thomson, Sir W. Mitchell- (Maryhill)
Cobb, Sir Cyril Lewis, T. A. (Glam., Pontypridd) Thorpe, Captain John Henry
Colvin, Brig.-General Richard Beale Lloyd-Greame, Major Sir P. Waddington, R.
Coote, William (Tyrone, South) Lonsdale, James Rolston Ward, Col. J. (Stoke-upon-Trent)
Craig, Captain C. C. (Antrim, South) Loseby, Captain C. E. Warren, Lieut.-Col. Sir Alfred H.
Craig, Colonel Sir J. (Down, Mid) Lyle-Samuel, Alexander Watson, Captain John Bertrand
Craik, Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Lynn, R. J. Whitla, Sir William
Dalziel, Sir D. (Lambeth, Brixton) M'Lean, Lieut.-Col. Charles W. W. Wild, Sir Ernest Edward
Denniss, Edmund R. B. (Oldham) McNeill Ronald (Kent, Canterbury) Williams, Lt.-Com. C. (Tavistock)
Doyle. N. Grattan Malone, Major P. B. (Tottenham, S.) Wood, Hon. Edward F. L. (Ripon)
Edwards, Major J. (Aberavon) Mitchell, William Lane Wood, Sir H. K. (Woolwich, West)
Eyres-Monsell, Commander B. M. Moles, Thomas Woolcock, William James U.
Fell, Sir Arthur Molson, Major John Elsdale Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L.
Fisher, Rt. Hon. Herbert A. L. Moreing, Captain Algernon H. Young, Lieut.-Com. E.H. (Norwich)
Ford, Patrick Johnston Morison, Rt. Hon. Thomas Brash
Forestier-Walker, L. Morrison-Bell, Major A. C. TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—
Fraser, Major Sir Keith Murray, Major William (Dumfries) Lord E. Talbot and Captain Guest.
Gibbs, Colonel George Abraham Nicholson, Reginald (Doncaster)
NOES.
Asquith, Rt. Hon. Herbert Henry Kenworthy, Lieut.-Commander J. M. Williams, Aneurin (Durham, Consett)
Bramsdon, Sir Thomas Kenyon, Barnet
Galbraith, Samuel Maclean, Rt. Hn. Sir D.(Midlothian) TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—
Hayward, Major Evan Murray, Dr. D. (Inverness & Ross) Mr. Hogge and Mr. Raffan.
Johnstone, Joseph White, Charles F. (Derby, Western)
Mr. FISHER

I beg to move "That the Clause be read a Second time."

This Amendment is introduced as a corollary to the system of proportional representation which the Bill proposes to set up in Ireland. Under a system of proportional representation constituencies are enlarged and the number of electors is increased considerably. The expenses of election will, as a consequence, be greatly increased also, in fact, the cost of a candidature will be almost prohibitive under the tariff set up by the Representation of the People Act of 1918 and the Corrupt and Illegal Practices (Prevention) Act of 1883. For instance, in County Down it is calculated that the cost of a candidature for each Member will be £2,397, and in rural Fermanagh £2,730, whereas, if this Amendment is adopted, these sums will be reduced to something like £700 and £800 respectively.

Question, "That the Clause be read a Second time," put, and agreed to.

Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.

Motion made, and Question, "That the further consideration of the Bill, as amended, be now adjourned," put, and agreed to.—[Mr. Fisher.]

Bill, as amended (in Committee and on Re-committal), to be further considered upon Wednesday.

Bill, as amended, on Re-committal, to be printed.[Bill 229.]