PLURALITIES. (Hansard, 16 March 1832)

Lord Suffield
stated, that he had several amendments to propose in the Pluralities Bill, which stood for this evening. It was usual, in the other House of Parliament, to allow proposed amendments of this kind to be printed, so that they might come fully and fairly before the House in Committee, at the same time with the Bill. He should propose, therefore, that the committal of the Bill, which stood for to-night, should be postponed; and that the Amendments should be printed in the meantime.

Lord Ellenborough
observed, that it was not according to the order of that House to have amendments printed before they were regularly proposed in the Committee.

§ Earl Grey
said, the practice in the Commons, when amendments of a very material description were to be proposed, was, to commit the Bill pro formâ, and then to deliver in the amendments, on an understanding that they were to be printed without any motion being made to that effect, so as to come before the House in Committee at the same time with the Bill. But he did not understand that such was the order and practice of that House.

§ The Earl of Eldon
said, that it was not the order of that House; and he should recommend that the usual course of business should be followed.

The Archbishop of Canterbury
did not mean to impute to the noble Lord (Suffield) any want of courtesy, but he took him completely by surprise. He did not know what his Amendments were, but he could not consent to postpone the Committee. The Bill had been lost last Session, after having gone to the Commons. The present Session was considerably advanced, and he was apprehensive of further delay.

The Bishop of London
did not think that the case called for the adoption of any unusual course. The noble Baron might 302 propose his Amendments in the Committee, and then, if they should be thought worthy of further consideration, they might be printed; but he did not think that the committal of the Bill ought to be postponed.

Lord Suffield
thought it his imperative duty to persist in endeavouring to have those Amendments printed; and, since his suggestion was not agreed to, he would, on Monday next, introduce a separate Bill, having for its object to effect that in reality, which the present Bill, as it stood, only professed to do.