§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (LORD PARMOOR)My Lords, at the opening of our sitting to-day have to make an announcement that I am sure you will hear with deep regret. Lord Donoughmore has written to me and also to the Leaders of the other two Parties in the House, intimating that, for reasons of health, he finds himself compelled to resign the office of Chairman of Committees. I only pause for one moment to say that no one has fulfilled a great public service more efficiently than Lord Donoughmore has performed the duties of his office as Chairman of Committees in this House. He was appointed in 1911 and has been nearly twenty years in this office, and not unnaturally he writes to say he had hoped to complete the full period of twenty years. I think that only two of his predecessors who have occupied this important position have equalled this period of service. We have to remember that it is not only this House which is indebted to him for these public services. Practically all the arrangements for private business which comes before this House are under his care and control. I am sure your Lordships must have heard—at least I have often heard—how admirably our private business has been managed, and what confidence it has created in the minds of all the parties who have taken part in it.
On receiving this letter from Lord Donoughmore I at once wrote to him and asked whether it might not be possible for him to reconsider his decision and carry on his duties for some time further. He wrote a most kind letter in reply, but indicated that the state of his health was such that he could not hold out any hope of carrying out again the duties which he has performed in the past. I asked him as a personal matter whether he might not be willing to consider holding up his resignation for a 620 time, but, if I understand his letter aright he could not consider even that. But I want to make one further proposition this afternoon in the House. No one has deserved more honour and recognition from this House than Lord Donoughmore in his position as Chairman of Committees, and I should like, both as a last effort and also in recognition of what we really feel in this House towards him, that the House should authorise me to write again, not only in my own name, but in the name of the House, asking him whether really he could not reconsider, at any rate for a time, the question of his resignation, and I hope that your Lordships will think that is a right step to take. I say nothing about the future at the present time. That will arise on another occasion.
I have been asked to add this, that, deeply as we feel his loss, the officers and officials who have worked with him in the departments with which he is concerned, feel not only the loss of a great leader in the business of his office but of a consistent and much-loved friend. It is with very deep regret that I make this announcement, and I hope that intimation will be made—we do not want a Resolution—that I may write once more to Lord Donoughmore in the name of the House and ask him whether he cannot reconsider his proposed resignation.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I am sure that the regret which the noble and learned Lord the Leader of the House expressed in making to your Lordships the intimation to which we have just listened will be shared by everyone who heard that announcement. This House is particularly rich in men qualified to discharge the responsible and difficult duties which fall upon a Lord Chairman, but I do not think that anyone could have filled the office with more discretion and more dignity than Lord Donoughmore has during the long period in which he has presided in that office. It is not only as Chairman in the discussions in Committee of your Lordships' House, but even more in the handling of the delicate and sometimes difficult questions which arise regarding Private Bill legislation, on which less publicity, perhaps, is shed but in which equally high qualities are demanded, that Lord Donoughmore has conducted our affairs with the greatest tact and discretion.
621 I hope that your Lordships will agree with the suggestion which has been put forward by the Leader of the House and, if only as a mark of the real sense which we all feel of the great value of Lord Donoughmore's services to the House, that we should convey to him through our Leader the strong desire which I think we must all share that he should defer his resignation so long as there is the least prospect of his being able later on to resume his duties. After what the noble and learned Loader of the House has said, I do not know whether Lord Donoughmore will feel disposed to fall in with that suggestion, but I certainly think it is one which the House ought to make. If it should transpire that he is able by taking a vacation to hold out some hope of a return to duty, I am sure that your Lordships' House would be willing to make any arrangements that might be necessary to facilitate that being done. Whichever decision he may reach, I am sure that everyone here would desire to say how very sorry we are to hear of the illness which has overtaken him and how earnestly we all hope that he may have a speedy and complete recovery.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, I venture to re-echo on behalf of my noble friends what has been said by the noble and learned Viscount who has just sat down and by the noble and learned Lord who leads the House. I am sure there is nobody in any quarter of your Lordships' House who would not be glad to see Lord Donoughmore restored to health and able once more to preside with his usual ability over the proceedings of your Lordships' House in Committee. I do not think that we always realised how successful he was in preventing unnecessary controversy. He carried out our business, it always seemed to me, in a businesslike way, in a fair way and in a way which commanded the confidence of every member of your Lordships' House. And just as he has the confidence of everybody in this House, so also he has the confidence of the many people who are associated with the work of your Lordships' House in Private Bill Committees. There will be everywhere, where Lord Donoughmore has been working during these many years, universal regret if he finally decides to resign.
622 I cannot but notice with very real regret that besides myself there is only one other member of your Lordships' House, the noble Earl, Lord Denbigh, who was a member of the House when Lord Donoughmore was appointed. Otherwise, with the exception, perhaps, of my noble friend Lord Onslow who came in just afterwards, we are the only survivors of that time. That appears to suggest that politicians have but a short life. However that may be, I venture to reiterate the hope that with a prolonged holiday we may see Lord Donoughmore return to us in this House. There are very few honours that we in this House can confer upon anybody, but I feel in those circumstances that is more reason why we should adopt the suggestion of the noble and learned Lord the Leader of the House and confer this honour by asking Lord Donoughmore to reconsider his resignation, in view of the unanimous wish of your Lordships that he may be restored to health and be able to resume his duties at no distant date.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD SANKEY)My Lords, as Lord Chancellor I should like to say how much all of us regret both on public and on personal grounds the resignation of Lord Donoughmore. He united great wisdom and great experience with a very great charm of manner, and I think he was not only helpful to the House but helpful to every individual member of it. We all very much hope that he may have many years of useful life in front of him. I cordially agree with the expression of opinion of my noble and learned friend the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition and Lord Beauchamp, that Lord Donoughmore should be asked to reconsider his resignation and to see if he cannot rejoin us after a really good holiday. I am sure we all hope that Lord Donoughmore may be restored to health.
§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, after the intimations that I have received from all sides I think I am justified in taking it that I have the unanimous support of all members of your Lordships' House.