Lords Sitting of 2 July 1846

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS.—1a. Coroners (Ireland). Reported. Judgment Creditors.

THE SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR BILL—MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS.
The EARL of POWIShaving given notice of his intention to move the second reading of these Bills to-morrow,
The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEsaid: My Lords, before I came here this evening I was informed that a noble Lord opposite (the Earl of Powis) had given notice of his intention to bring forward a Motion for the second reading of a Bill having reference to the Welsh bishoprics. I rise for the purpose of suggesting to him the propriety of permitting some delay to take place before he carries that intention into effect. I am authorized by a noble Friend of mine—Lord John Russell—to state to your Lordships, that since your last meeting he has received Her Majesty's commands, and has accepted the commission, to construct a new Administration. I need not inform your Lordships that after that Administration shall have been constructed—if it should be constructed—some little time must necessarily elapse, connected with proceedings in the other House well known to your Lordships, before those whom Her Majesty may be pleased to select to be Her Ministers there shall be able to take their seats; and I think it will be admitted that there would be an obvious inconvenience in proceeding further with public business until the returns shall have taken place. Under these circumstances I venture to suggest to the noble Earl the expediency of deferring until this day fortnight the Motion he purposes to make for the second reading of the Bill in question. I can assure him that his doing so cannot possibly have the effect of defeating what I know to be his object, namely, that the measure should receive full consideration during the present Session. If he will kindly consent to accede to my request, I am sure that by this day fortnight the objection which now presents itself to the further discussion of the measure will no longer exist.
The EARL of POWISadmitted that it

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was desirable that the discussion on this measure should not take place until Her Majesty's Ministers were in their places; and he accordingly would not hesitate in complying with the noble Marquess's suggestion that he should consent to a postponement. However, as a meeting would take place in the north of England on that day fortnight, at which many of their Lordships might desire to attend, he believed he would be best consulting their convenience by fixing a more remote day. He would suggest that the second reading of the Bill be deferred until Monday fortnight.
The second reading accordingly postponed.
House adjourned.