Star.
London, England, 1824-05-07 00:00:00

STANDING ORDERS.

On a Petition being presented in favour of the Birmingham Gas
Company, praying that the Standing Orders of the House might be
net aside,
The iPEAKER begged to make a few observations respecting
the Standing Order's of the House, as connected with the present
Petition. The fact was, he said, that with the present Petition,
and Petitions of that description, th;! Standing Orders were not in-
volved at all. The Sessional Orders only were affected by them.
These Orders were altered from Session to Session as to time; and
they directed that no private Bills shOnld be brought in after a cer-
ta.n day ; whereas the Standing Orders required that a certain I
notice should be given to the parties who were likely to be affected
by the operation of a law, in order that the rights of individuals
should be protected.
Mr. 1;11IGHT complained of the numerous applica-
tions of a similar nature, respecting private Bills, which
had been made in the course of the Session; and in the
present instance he should move a Resolution, calling
on the House to enforce the Standing Orders.
Mr.E. SUMNER said, that in future Sessions, when-
ever an application was made for the Standing Orders
to be waived, he sliould move that the grounds upon
which such application was founded ought to be first
stated before the prayer could be complied with.
Sir J. GRAHAM was exceeding l) anxious to see the
Standing Orders attended to, and unless special grounds
were stated for the deviation from them, he hoped they
woJld be always enforced. lie recollected the time
when they were never -departed from, except on extra-
ordinary occasions. But now it had become too much,
the practice to have them disregarded. It was a species
of injustice towards the public thus to act.
General GASCOYNE thought that the Standing
Orders should be observed.
Mr.' Alderman lIEYGATE said, that unless '
the
Rouse enforced the Standing Orders I especting Bills,
where great variety of interests was concerned,' much
injury would follow. Ile thought it required no un-
co union degree of assurance to ask the House to sus-
pe d its-Standing Orders so late in the Session.
Mr:ELLIS concurred in the observations made by
the wet thy Alderman who had spoken last ; but in
the present application be hardly knew how the prayer
could be rejected, as every class of persons almost who
has! petitioned the House fin the suspension of the
StAn.iing Orders doting the present Session had ob-
titin-,!,1 their request.

Mr. lIUSKI:3SON thought the most advisable mode
to pursue in the present instance would be to withdraw
the Petition, of the contents mf which he was entirely
ignorant. lie concurred with those Honourable Mem-
bers who had spoken of the necessity of abiding by the
Standing Orders c,f the House ; but he could not ,to
along with the Honourable Member ft.). Surrey (Mr. 11.
Sumner) not to grant leave to set aside the Standing
Orders in any case. lie (Mr. Ilthkisson) believed there
were cases in which the Standing Crders might be sus-
pended, and full justice done to all parties concerned in
the measure. lie would recommend the House to'
check the new system which had been introduced.—
Many speculative companies had been formed, and Pe-
titions had been presented to have the Standing Orders
waived• lie thought it was owing to the parties con-
cerned to inform them,• that the public business of the
Session would be brought to a close before the private
business was finished, it these measures were encou-
raged. He was of opinion that the House should set
its face against these new projects of speculation, es-
pecially where they interfered with the Standing Orders
of the Ilou.e.
Mr. H. SUMNER begged to state, that he had not
said the Standing Orders ought never to be set aside,
but that there ought to be sufficient ground fur depart-
ing from them.
Mr. BRIGHT gave notice, that on a future day be
should submit a motion to the House on the subject.