HL Deb 16 June 1862 vol 167 c635

Order of the Day for the Third Reading read.

THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN

objected to a measure which proposed to sanction an agreement that was not set forth. In Bills of this kind, involving large sums of money, the agreement should be included in a schedule.

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL

said, that the agreement with the new Company had been laid before Parliament, and had been some months before the House. The Bill was not for the purpose of giving validity to the entire of that agreement, but simply to sanction the transfer of the cable and other property from the old to the new Company, and the conversion of the £36,000 into annuities. It was a Bill to make the best of a bad bargain.

LORD LYVEDEN

hoped the noble Duke would postpone the third reading, and consider in the mean time whether the agreement could not be introduced into the Bill.

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL

believed that the agreement with the new Company was a sensible one, and the question of scheduling it was a mere matter of convenience.

LORD REDESDALE

remarked, that the transfer of the property was made at a certain price, and that price was not mentioned in the Bill, as he thought it ought to be.

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL

said, it was really a question of form. The bargain had been made, and the only point was whether it would be advisable that the agreement with the new Company should be scheduled. He did not think it was, but he was willing to postpone the third reading for a week or ten days to obtain further information.

Third Reading put of to Thursday next.

House adjourned at Eight o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.