COMMITTEE ON (RE-COMMITMENT). (Hansard, 12 March 1878)

§ LORD EMLY
moved, that the Bill should be referred to a Select Committee. He said that he had received communications in regard to Canada, in which the writers protested strongly against Canada being treated as a foreign country, and not regarded as an integral part of the British Empire. He was quite sure the House would sympathize with that view, and not shock the loyal sentiments of the people of Canada by passing any slight upon them.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND and GORDON
said, that he had stated the other evening that he would have no objection to refer the Bill to a Select Committee. He understood, however, that on that occasion the noble Lord had based his proposal for a Select Committee mainly on the Irish case as regarded the restrictions placed upon the cattle trade from that country; but it would now appear that it was the Colonial question to which the noble Lord wished the attention of the Committee to be directed, and that he had dropped the Irish question.

§ LORD EMLY
I have added the Colonial question.

THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON
believed that the noble Lord had been looking further into the Irish question, and finding that he had not so good a case as he expected, he wished to strengthen it by an infusion of the Colonial element. However, without bandying words, he was quite willing to refer the Bill to a Select Committee, on the understanding that this step was not adopted with a view of obstructing the progress of the Bill. He was sure that the object of his noble Friend (the Marquess of Ripon) in wishing that Bill to be sent to a Select Committee was not obstruction, but that certain points should be more fully considered. This would not occupy much time, and, in fulfilment of his promise, he would make no objection to referring the Bill to a Select Committee. He hoped they would be able to discuss it again in Committee in their Lordship's House before many days.