The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-09 00:00:00

NEW MEMBER.

Mr. G. S. BOYLE took the oaths and his seat on his elec-
tion for Buteshire, in the room of Mr. Mure, raised to tho
Scottish Bench.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The standing orders were said to have been complied
with in the case of several railway and other bills, includ-
ing the Caledonian Railway Company, the Southampton
Gas Company, the London and South Western Railway
Extension, the Leeds Water Works Company, the South
Lancashire Docks Company, the North British Railways
Extensions, the Furness Dock and Railway Company, &c.
The reading of the titles of these bills, as well as several
others, in which the orders were not complied with, occu-
pied the greater_portion of the early part of the evening.
The SPEAKER said that the gentlemen elected as re-
ferees on private bills last year, viz., Mr. Adair, Mr. Has-
sard, and Mr. Rickards, were to continue their useful
duties during the present session.
THE STANDING ORDERS.
Mr. C. FORSTER made a motion to amend Standing
Order 7 by the substitution of 3 for 4, as the number
of members to compose the Select Committees on
Private Bills. He said that much difficulty had been
experienced in getting the requisite number of members
under the existing rules of the house to attend the com-
mittees. He thought the proposition of reducing the number
of members attending committees from five to four was
not practically efficient, and that his proposition, if adopted,
would be found to work effectively.
Mr. SMOLLET T said that he did not consider the pro-
position of the hon. member would meet the real grievance
of which they had to complain. He referred to his per-
sonal experience of committees to show that the duties of
attending these committees were not properly distributed,
for in one instance he knew that a member had
boasted that for seven years he had evaded serving on
committees. He strongly objpctedbeintgo
ebxaerrimspteterds
or other professional gentlemen
from attendance on these committees, and contended that
members whose private business interfered with their
public duties should resign their seats.
Sir F. GOLDSMID thought that the motion of the hon.
member would not be found efficient. For instance, a
member might be unable to attend a committee through
the death of a relative, or through his own
illness, and then it would not be equitable to proceed
with the consideration of a bill, for in order to come to
a decision they must give the Chairman a casting vote, a
proceeding which would be rendered unnecessary if they
adhered to the present regulation as to the number of
members composing a committee.
Sir G. BOWYER advocated a recurrence to the old prac-
tice of having five members on the committees.
Captain JERVIS opposed the alteration.
Mr. HODGSON and Mr. H. SEYMOUR followed on the same
side.

•
Lord STANLEY contended that the fewer the number
of members on committees the greater would be the
responsibility of the individual members. No doubt
that the chairman of a committee in general paid more
attention to the proceedings in regard to private bills, but
at the same time he did not agree to investing him with
a casting vote. He considered that the time to which these
committees sometimes extended might be profitably re-
duced, and ho expressed himself in favour of the motion in
certain points.
Colonel W. PATTEN said that in his opinion it would be
dangerous to reduce the number of members of committees,
and advocated the practice that prevailed in the House of
Lords, by which, if the committee were equally divided,
the bill was to be negatived. He denied that the great
railway companies would be satisfied with the decision of
two members of a committee.
Mr. M. GIBSON was in favour of a committee_of
five
members ; but if that number could not be obtained_ with-
out difficulty, he thought the quorum should not be re-
duced further than it was at present constituct7cde
in
regard
Mr. BENTINCK complained that thedorma
to private bills was not regulated by
(Hear, hear.) He hoped the house
d 1 the existing defects
or precedent.
effinciently constituted.
would take into their
consideration the means of rem:
by the appointment of a tribip
.................... 72
nuAmfbeterrssowmere
were—
discussion, the house divided, and the
For the motion .................................
154
Against ...................
Majority —B2
(LEFT SITTING. I

The Saffron-Hill Murder.
_

LERKENWELL POLICE-COURT—THIS DAY.
EXAMINATION OF GREGORIO.
The prisoner was placed at the bar this afternoon before
Mr. rayncourt ; he is a man of dark complexion, and
apparently about 40 years of age. He appeared greatly
agitated, and having supported himself for a few minutes
by the foot rail of the dock, he seated himself and began
looking round the court, which was crowded to excess, to
see if any of his companions were present. He occasionally
shed tears.

Mr. F. Lewis attended for the prosecution, and Mr. Galli.