§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERI beg to move, in page 12, line 36, after the word "Any," to insert the words " person guilty of an."
We feel strongly that the penalties set forth in this Clause are much too severe, and we desire, therefore, to insert these words in order later to move a subsequent Amendment, in the name of the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Colonel Day)—[in page 12, line 38, to leave out from the word "quota" to end of the Sub-section, and to insert instead thereof the words " shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds "]. If the President will reply on that now, I need not take any time in moving this.
§ Colonel DAYI beg to second the Amendment.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI understand that what I am invited to do is not to reply on a legal or drafting question, but on the merits. I have no hesitation in replying with equal brevity,
§ but, if I may say so, with equal firmness. This is an essential part of the Bill. If there is a deliberate failure or refusal to comply with the quota, either on the part of the renter or on the part of the exhibitor, undoubtedly .a fine not exceeding £100 for the renter or £50 for the exhibitor, on summary conviction, or a fine not exceeding £500—
§ Colonel DAYWhy not a sentence of death?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTER£500, in the discretion of the Court, is necessary, and I will tell hon. Members why. If you get a foreign owner of a cinema—
§ Colonel DAYA Russian!
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERPerhaps many hon. Members opposite would prefer a Russian, but I say a foreign owner, whose deliberate intention is not to comply with the quota, unless you have substantial penalties, that man can fly in the face of the law.
§ Question put, "That those words be there inserted in the Bill."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 118; Noes, 267.
983| Division No. 343.] | AYES. | [10.34 p.m. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (File, West) | Clowes, S. | Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Cluse, W. S. | Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) |
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Compton, Joseph | Groves, T. |
| Ammon, Charles George | Connolly, M. | Grundy, T. W. |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) | Hall, F. (York. W.R., Normanton) |
| Baker, J. (Wolverhamton, Bilston) | Day, Colonel Harry | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) |
| Baker, Walter | Dennison, R. | Hardle, George D. |
| Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) | Duncan, C. | Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon |
| Batey, Joseph | Dunnico, H. | Hayday, Arthur |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Evans, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Univer.) | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Burnley) |
| Broad, F. A. | Gardner, J, P. | Hudson, J. H. (Huddersfield) |
| Bromfield, William | Gibbins, Joseph | Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) |
| Bromley, J. | Gillett, George M. | John, William (Rhondda, West) |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Gosling, Harry | Johnston, Thomas (Dundee) |
| Buchanan, G. | Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) |
| Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel | Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) | Kelly, W. T. |
| Cape, Thomas | Greenall, T. | Kennedy, T. |
| Charlcton, H. C. | Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com. Hon. Joseph M. |
| Kirkwood, D. | Ritson, J. | Trevelyan, Rt. Hon. C. P. |
| Lansbury, George | Roberts, Rt. Hon. F. O.(W. Bromwich) | Varley, Frank B. |
| Lawrence, Susan | Robinson, W. C. (Yorks, W. R., Elland) | Viant, S. P. |
| Lee, F. | Rose, Frank H. | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Lindley, F. w. | Scrymgeour, E. | Watts-Morgan, Lt.-Col. D. (Rhondda) |
| Lowth, T. | Scurr, John | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Lunn, William | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) | Wellock, Wilfred |
| Mackinder, W. | Sitch, Charles H. | Welsh, J. C. |
| Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) | Smillie. Robert | Westwood, J. |
| March, S. | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) | Wheatley, Rt. Hon. J. |
| Maxton, James | Smith, H. B. Lees (Keighley) | Whiteley, W. |
| Mitchell, E. Rosslyn (Paisley) | Snell, Harry | Williams, C. P. (Denbigh, Wrexham) |
| Montague, Frederick | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip | Williams, David (Swansea, East) |
| Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Stamford, T. W. | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly) |
| Murnin, H. | Stephen, Campbell | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Naylor, T. E. | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe) |
| Oliver, George Harold | Sullivan, J. | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Palin, John Henry | Sutton, J. E. | Wright, W. |
| Paling, W. | Taylor, R. A. | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Thomson, Trevelyan (Middlesbro. W.) | |
| Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | Tinker, John Joseph | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Potts, John S. | Townend, A. E. | Mr. Charles Edwards and Mr. Hayes. |
| NOES. | ||
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Craig, Sir Ernest (Chester, Crewe) | Heneage, Lieut.-Col. Arthur P. |
| Agg-Gardner, Rt. Hon. Sir James T. | Crooke, J. Smedley (Deritend) | Henn, Sir Sydney H. |
| Ainsworth, Major Charles | Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) | Hennessy, Major Sir G. R. J. |
| Albery, Irving James | Crookshank, Cpt. H.(Lindsey, Galnsbro) | Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) |
| Alexander, E. E. (Leyton) | Cunliffe, Sir Herbert | Hilton, Cecil |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Curzon, Captain Viscount | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. | Dalkeith, Earl of | Hogg, Rt. Hon. Sir D. (St. Marylebone) |
| Astbury, Lieut.-Commander F. W. | Davidson, J.(Hertf'd, Hemel Hempst'd) | Hope, Capt. A. O. J. (Warw'k, Nun.) |
| Atholl, Duchess of | Davidson, Major-General Sir J. H. | Hope, Sir Harry (Forfar) |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Davies, Dr. Vernon | Hopkins, J. W. W. |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Horlick, Lieut.-Colonel J. N. |
| Banks, Reginald Mitchell | Dawson, Sir Phillip | Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. |
| Barclay-Harvey. C. M. | Dean, Arthur Wellesley | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) |
| Barnett, Major Sir Richard | Dixey, A. C. | Hudson, R. S. (Cumberl'nd, Whiteh'n) |
| Barnston, Major Sir Harry | Drewe, C. | Hume, Sir G. H. |
| Beamish, Rear-Admiral T. P. H. | Eden, Captain Anthony | Hunter-Weston, Lt.-Gen. Sir Aylmer |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Edge, Sir William | Huntingfield, Lord |
| Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish- | Edmondson, Major A. J. | Iliffe, Sir Edward M. |
| Bethel, A. | Elliot, Major Walter E. | Inskip, Sir Thamas Walker H. |
| Betterton, Henry B. | Ellis, R. G. | Jackson, Sir H. (Wandsworth, Cen'l) |
| Birchall, Major J. Dtarman | England, Colonel A. | Jephcott, A. R. |
| Bird, E. R. (Yorks, W. R., Skipton) | Erskine, Lord (Somerset, Weston-s.-M.) | Jones, G. W. H. (Stoke Newington) |
| Boothby, R. J. G. | Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith | Kennedy, A. R. (Preston) |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Everard, W. Lindsay | Kidd, J. (Linlithgow) |
| Bowater, Col. Sir T. Vansittart | Fairfax, Captain J. G. | King, Commodore Henry Douglas |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Falie, Sir Bertram G. | Lamb, J. Q. |
| Brassey, Sir Leonard | Fanshawe, Captain G. D. | Lane Fox, Col. Rt. Hon. George R. |
| Bridgeman, Rt. Hon. William Clive | Fenby, T. D. | Leigh, Sir John (Clapham) |
| Briggs, J. Harold | Fermoy, Lord | Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Fielden, E. B. | Loder, J. de V. |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Forestier-Walker, Sir L. | Long, Major Eric |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Forrest, W. | Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vers |
| Broun-Lindsay, Major H. | Foster, Sir Harry S. | Luce, Major-Gen. Sir Richard Harman |
| Brown. Col. D. C. (N'th'I'd., Hexham) | Foxcroft, Captain C. T. | Lumley, L. R. |
| Bull, Rt. Hon. Sir William james | Fraser, Captain Ian | Lynn, Sir R. J. |
| Burman, J. B. | Ganzoni, Sir John | Mac Andrew, Major Charles Glen |
| Burton, Colonel H. W. | Garro-Jones, Captain G. M. | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) |
| Cadogan, Major Hon. Edward | Gates, Percy | Macdonald, R. (Glasgow, Cathcart) |
| Calne, Gordon Hall | Gibbs, Col. Rt. Hon. George Abraham | Maclntyre, Ian |
| Campbell, E. T. | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | McLean, Major A. |
| Cassels, J. D. | Goff, Sir Park | Macmillan, Captain H. |
| Cayzer, Sir C. (Chester, City) | Gower, Sir Robert | MacRobert, Alexander M. |
| Cayzer, Maj. Sir Herbt. R. (Prtsmth, S.) | Grace, John | Maitland, Sir Arthur D. Steel |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Graham, Fergus (Cumberland, N.) | Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Lord H. (Ox. Univ.) | Grant, Sir J. A. | Margesson, Captain D. |
| Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. | Marriott, Sir J. A. R. |
| Chapman, Sir S. | Greene, W. P. Crawford | Mason, Lieut.-Col. Glyn K |
| Christie, J. A. | Grotrian, H. Brent | Meller, R. J. |
| Clarry, Reginald George | Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Merriman, F. B. |
| Clayton, G. C. | Gunston, Captain D. W. | Milne, J. S. Wardlaw- |
| Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Mitchell. S. (Lanark, Lanark) |
| Cockerill, Brig.-General Sir George | Hall, Capt. W. D'A. (Brecon & Rad.) | Mitchell, W. Foot (Saffron Walden) |
| Colman, N. C. D. | Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Monsell, Eyres, Com. Rt. Hon. B. M. |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Harland, A. | Moore, Lieut.-Colonel T. C. R. (Ayr) |
| Cope, Major William | Harmsworth, Hon. E. C. (Kent) | Moore, Sir Newton J. |
| Couper, J. B. | Haslam, Henry C. | Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury) |
| Courtauld, Major J. S. | Hawke, John Anthony | Murchison, Sir Kenneth |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Headlam, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. | Nail, Colonel Sir Joseph |
| Craig, Capt. Rt. Hon. C. C. (Antrim) | Henderson, Lt.-Col. Sir V. L. (Bootle) | Nelson, Sir Frank |
| Neville, Sir Reginald J. | Sanderson, Sir Frank | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton), E.) |
| Newton, Sir 0. G. C. (Cambridge) | Sandon, Lord | Tinne, J. A. |
| Nicholson, O. (Westminster) | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Nuttall, Ellis | Savery, S. S. | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| O'Connor, T. J. (Bedford, Luton) | Scott, Rt. Hon. Sir Leslie | Vaughan-Morgan, Col. K. P. |
| Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Shaw, R. G. (Yorks, W.R., Sowerby) | Waddington, R. |
| Ormsby-Gore, Rt. Hon. William | Shaw, Lt.-Col. A.D. Mcl. (Renfrew, W.) | Ward, Lt.-Col. A. L.(Kingston-on-Hull) |
| Owen, Major G. | Sheffield, Sir Berkeley | Warner, Brigadier-General W. W. |
| Perkins, Colonel E. K. | Shepperson, E. W. | Warrender, Sir Victor |
| Peto, G. (Somerset, Frome) | Simms, Dr. John M. (Co. Down) | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Philipson, Mabel | Skelton, A. N. | Watson, Sir F. (Pudsey and Otley) |
| Pilcher, G. | Smith, R. W.(Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) | Watson, Rt. Hon. W. (Carlisle) |
| Power, Sir John Cecil | Smith-Carington, Neville W. | Watts, Dr. T. |
| Price, Major C. W. M. | Smithers, Waldron | Wells, S. R |
| Radford, E. A. | Somervilie, A. A. (Windsor) | White, Lieut.-Col. Sir G. Dalrymple |
| Raine, Sir Walter | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. | Wiggins, William Martin |
| Ramsden, E. | Stanley, Lieut.-Colonel Rt. Hon. G. F. | Williams, A. M. (Cornwall, Northern) |
| Rawson, Sir Cooper | Stanley, Hon. O. F. G. (Westm'eland) | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Rees, Sir Beddoe | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. | Wilson, Sir C. H. (Leeds, Central) |
| Remer, J. R. | Strauss, E. A. | Wilson, R. R. (Stafford, Lichfield) |
| Rhys, Hon. C. A. U. | Streatfeild, Captain S. R. | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch'ts'y) | Stuart, Crichton-, Lord C. | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Ropner, Major L. | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Ruggies-Brise, Lieut.-Colonel E. A. | Styles, Captain H. Walter | Womersley, W. J. |
| Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser | Wood, Sir Kingsley (Woolwich, W.). |
| Rye, F. G. | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Salmon, Major I. | Templeton, W. P. | Yerburgh, Major Robert D. T. |
| Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) | Thorn, Lt.-Col. J. G. (Dumbarton) | |
| Samuel, Samuel (W'dsworth, Putney) | Thompson, Luke (Sunderland) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Sandeman, N. Stewart | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, S.) | Captain Bowyer and Mr. Penny. |
| Sanders, Sir Robert A. | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell |
§ Sir C. OMANI beg to move, in page 13, line 5, at the end, to insert the words:
(2) In the case of a conviction on indictment, the court, in addition to imposing any such fine as aforesaid,— (a) where the offender is a renter, may on a third offence order that his licence he revoked, and may order that no licence shall be issued to him, or to any person with whom he is financially associated, or to any person who acquires his business, or to any person who took part in the management of his business and was knowingly a party to the offence, for such period in each case as may be specified in the order; Provided that where any such order is made the order shall not operate so as to prevent the renter carrying out for a period not exceeding six months any obligations under an}' contract entered into by him before the institution of the proceedings; (b) where the offender is an exhibitor may on a third offence order his licence under this Act in respect of the theatre with respect to which the offence was committed to be revoked, and may order that for such period in each case as may be specified in the order no licence in respect of that theatre shall be issued to him or to any person with whom he is financially associated, or to any person who took part in the management of his business and was knowingly a party to the offence, or to any person whose licence in respect of any theatre has been revoked during the twelve months previous to the date of the conviction.This Amendment is in strict consonance with the words which the Minister uttered five minutes ago; that is to say, it to deal with wealthy and contuma- 984 cious persons or associations. There is not the slightest doubt that there is deliberate opposition to this Bill among a certain class of wealthy proprietors of picture palaces. There is also not the slightest doubt that there is a strong foreign opposition to this Bill, which cloaks itself in many ways. For example, it cloaks itself in the strange assertion we heard from the opposite benches 10 minutes ago of an acquaintance, as far as I could gather, of a certain hon. Member on the other side of the House who dislikes British films qua British films and never goes to see them. I think I need quote nothing more than that to show that there is a very strong organisation at large against this Bill. This Amendment is intended to deal not with careless or casual offenders, but with contumacious offenders. It will be noticed that any person, before he comes under this Clause, must have offended three times. The dog is to be allowed his bite, even his second bite; but at the third bite he is to be got rid of. It is useless to impose a fine of £50 or even £100 upon very wealthy associations. The way in which we shall get at these associations is by cancelling the licences of responsible persons, and this very simple little Amendment which my hon. Friends and I have brought forward is intended to go for the individual who will feel it and not for the long purse of an association or a very wealthy man, to whom a penalty of £50 or £100 means nothing.
§ Viscount SANDONI beg to second the Amendment.
I would like to remind the President of the Board of Trade that these words, in exactly the same form, were in the original Bill; therefore he must have thought the object of the Amendment desirable, otherwise they would not have been inserted. Since then we have altered it to the extent of not applying it until there has been a third offence, so as to ease the susceptibilities of bon. Gentlemen opposite, and so I hope the right hon. Gentleman will stick to his original conviction and see that no loophole is left in the Bill.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERWhen this Amendment was discussed in Committee, I said that I would leave it to a free vote of the Committee, and I think the only fair thing to do now is to leave it to a free vote of the House. It is a matter upon which the House can give as good an opinion as anyone else. To wealthy corporations these penalties may not be a very great deterrent, but the power to take away a licence means taking away from a man the whole of his business. That power ought not to be given to any tribunal which is not fully experienced. I understand that this penalty can only operate upon indictment and by the decision of a Judge of the High Court. I thought it was only fair to place those considerations before the House, and inform hon. Members what the history of this Clause was in Committee. With those few words, I will leave the Amendment to the decision of the House.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI hope hon. Members will not vote in favour of this proposal. This Clause in the original Bill raised the bitterest opposition from the cinema owners who are not big corporations. The overwhelming majority of the owners who will take out licences under this Bill are not wealthy corporations but people struggling for a livelihood. It is perfectly well known that many of the provincial cinemas are losing money, and are not making anything like the profits which were being made by the big cinemas in London some few years ago. For the third offence these people are to be deprived of their licence, and that means that they will be deprived of their livelihood, the goodwill they have built up in the cinema, and the capital which they have put into pic- 986 ture palaces. Everything will have to be sold at a loss, and these people will have to get out of the business. That is a very serious penalty to inflict upon people who have committed these offences. If they were serious offences it might be different, but one of the offences is not taking out the licence, and not showing the quota. Really it means not obeying the provisions of a new Bill which is not in the least understood by the cinema trade, and is not understood even by the Department in charge of the Bill. It is not an easy Bill to understand. It is a Measure which interferes with normal legal contracts. [An HON. MEMBER: "The Bill says 'May be liable.'"] For the third offence a man may be deprived of his licence.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI agree that this question is a very important one. The right hon. and gallant Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood) has just stated that this penalty can be imposed for failing to take out a licence or not complying with the quota. What is now proposed does not relate to the taking out of a licence, but only to the quota.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI really cannot go through all the offences. The House will recollect that under the first part of the Bill we have made a number of the transactions illegal which are perfectly legal in the normal way of business, and you are going to assume that all these people will suddenly acquire a knowledge of what is legal and what is illegal.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe right hon. and gallant Gentleman must not deceive the House. What is now proposed only applies to quota offences, and to nothing else.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIt applies to the general part of the Bill, and this is the only place where punishment for these offences is specially singled out.
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe Clause says
Any offence of failing to comply with the provisions of this Part of this Act as to the renters' quota or exhibitors' quota.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODI am glad to hear that. Surely the renters' and the exhibitors' quota is connected with matters of agreement. I understand now that it is only a question of not show- 987 ing the quota. If these unfortunate exhibitors are unable to show, not only the exact percentage attributable to the year, they are not able to get the exemption; they commit an offence and expose themselves to the risk of losing their licence. I know it is held that no Judge of the High Court would deprive a man of his business without justification, but, if you put into an Act that a man may have his licence taken away, then the question will be dealt with in the same way as you treat public house licences. This Amendment is to be left to the open vote of the House, and I am sorry to say that the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade is not going to vote. If this penalty Clause is to be put back into the Bill, I feel certain that, within the next few weeks, hon. Members on both sides of the House will regret the fact that there will be put back into this Bill a penalising Clause which will be an extraordinary hardship on a large and deserving class.
§ Sir C. OMANrose in his place, and claimed to move, "That the Question be now put," but Mr. SPEAKER withheld his assent, and declined then to put that Question.
§ Mr. DENNIS HERBERTI do not think that we should pay much attention to the plea which has been made about the poor man who is not making money out of his business. If he is not making money out of it, he will not remain in the business. The real point is this: If a man is fit to be in business and to make a living out of it, surely he is fit to take sufficient care and precaution to see that he does not commit this particular quota offence three times over. If that be the case, there is nothing unreasonable in this Amendment, but there is very strong reason for it. I object strongly—and I am quite sure that hon. Members opposite would object strongly in many cases and on general principles—to our passing laws in this country which can be laughed at. It is no use passing a law enacting a certain thing if the only way in which we prepose to enforce it is to inflict a fine which most of the offenders would laugh at. £500 is a fine which most of the real offenders will laugh at, while the small man, for whom 988 the right hon. Gentleman opposite pleads, will take care he does not run risks.
§ Mr. R. MORRISONI want to raise an entirely different point. It appears to me this Bill is reaching the end of its Report stage in the same slipshod way in which it has been carried throughout. The right hon. Gentleman has just got up and announced to the House that he proposes to leave this to a free vote of the House, although he knows perfectly well that at least 70 per cent, of the Members have had no opportunity of examining this question in detail and will be voting blindly upon it. Further, only one-half of the Members who will take part in the Division are in the House, and the others will have had no idea of what attitude they are going to take up.
There is another consideration. The right hon. Gentleman was candid enough to remind us that this question was discussed exhaustively in Committee upstairs, and that he allowed it to be put to a free vote of the Committee. On that Committee there was an overwhelming majority of his own supporters, and when it was left to that free vote it was decided by an overwhelming majority that the Amendment now proposed to be inserted should be deleted. Now he proposes, in the last minutes of the discussion, instead of abiding by the decision given by the Members of his own party in Committee, to say that that1 shall all go for nothing, and that he will leave it to a free vote of the House. That is a slipshod way of doing the business of the country.
§ Sir C. OMANrose in his place, and claimed to move, "That the Question be now put," but Mr. SPEAKER withheld his assent, and declined then to put that Question.
§ Mr. MORRISONThe right hon. Gentleman ought to have been candid enough to have told the House that a majority of Members of his own party upstairs, after that exhaustive discussion, came to that conclusion on the Amendment now before us, and he ought to have urged the Members of his own party to support the Bill as it stands now, and not to go out of the way and upset the decision come to after consider- 989 able discussion. It is very unsatisfactory. [HON. MEMBERS: "Divide!"] I have a right to speak on this question, having spent 4½ months in Committee upstairs, and most of the time in listening without speaking.
§ Captain WATERHOUSErose in his place, and claimed to move, "That the Question be now put," but Mr. SPEAKER withheld his assent, and declined then to put that Question.
§ Mr. MORRISONA decision is now to be given without an opportunity for the House to give detailed consideration to the matter. There were only six Members of the Committee who supported the Amendment now being moved. The Ayes were six, and the Noes 23.
§ It being Eleven of the Clock, the Debate stood adjourned.
§ Debate to be resumed To-morrow.
§ The remaining Government Orders were read, and postponed.