§ The Duke of Richmondcalled the attention of the House to two petitions of James Pym; and which had been placed upon the Table, making a direct charge against certain directors of a railway company, or rather stating, that in their deed of contract, there were ten or fifteen cases of forgery. So serious an allegation should not be made without an inquiry being instituted; and he would suggest that a Select Committee be appointed to which these petitions should be referred. He was aware that some difficulty might be experienced in obtaining a full attendance of Peers, on account of so many being engaged upon Railway Committees; but it would not be satisfactory to the public to allow such allegations to pass unnoticed.
The Marquess of Clanricardewished to know if the noble Duke proposed to refer the Bill, to which petitions related, to the proposed Select Committee.
§ The Duke of RichmondOnly the petition; but I think the Bill ought not to pass until the Report of the Committee has been received.
§ The Duke of Richmondsaid, he knew nothing of the case but this—the petitioners stated that they had never signed or authorized any one to sign their names for them, whereas people had sworn that they had seen the parties sign.
The Marquess of Clanricardeapprehended that it was a case of perjury, punishable in the ordinary way before a court of law; but he did not see why the Bill should be delayed on account of this allegation, because, supposing all these names erased, there would still remain a sufficiency of surplus to carry on the work.
§ After a short conversation,
§ The Duke of Richmondsaid, he did not desire to delay the Bill long, but only until an inquiry had taken place. He must inform the noble Marquess that the amount of 100,000l. had been struck off the subscription for noncompliance with the Standing Orders, and then would remain the question, whether enough surplus still remained to carry on the works. It would be absurd to pass the Bill through all its stages until that fact was ascertained.
§ The Earl of Devonsaid, he was tempted to move the adoption of an intermediate course, as an Amendment on the Motion of his noble Friend. Why should not the petitions be referred specially to the Committee of the Bill, with power to inquire into the allegations contained in those petitions; and also whether, if the fact were proved, it ought to delay the further progress of the Bill.
§ The Duke of Richmondsaid, his noble Friend could not take that course; for by the Standing Orders of the House, the Committee could not entertain the inquiries proposed, and his noble Friend must, therefore, give a day's notice of moving the suspension of the Standing Order.
§ After a few words from the Marquess of Clanricarde and the Earl of Charleville,
306§ Lord Monteaglesaid, such a case as an allegation of the forgery of fifteen names should not be suffered to pass without strict inquiry. Only last night a statement had been made regarding a Member of the other House, who had been rendered liable to the amount of 30,000l. by the insertion of his name in an Act of Parliament without his authority. No inconvenience could result from postponing the measure; and although he should regret this particular Bill being lost, he would rather that should happen than these allegations pass without inquiry.
§ Committee nominated.