Amend ments in resolutions. XIX. amendment to the question, by leaving out the word "now," Chapter It is also competent to a member who desires to place on the form of record any special reasons for not agreeing to the second reading of a bill, to move, as an amendment to the question, a resolution declaratory of some principle adverse to, or differing from, the principles, policy, or provisions of the bill; 2 or expressing opinions as to any circumstances connected with its introduction, or prosecution; or otherwise opposed to its progress; or seeking further information in 4 1 Poor Removal (Ireland), No. 2 and Beer Adulteration Bills, 1882, 137 ib. 206. 354. 2 Corn Importation Bill, 1842, 97 ib. 113; Property Tax Bill, 1842, 97 ib. 321; Factories Bill, 1844, 99 ib. 265; Bank Charter Bill, 1844, ib. 396; Sugar Duties Bill, 1844, ib. 421; Poor Law Amendment Bill, 1844, ib. 468; Lunatics Bill, 1845, 100 ib. 721; Representation of the People Bill, 1859, 114 ib. 125. In this case, the Speaker stated that in the time of his predecessor, between forty and fifty such resolutions had been moved as amendments to stages of bills, 153 H. D. 3 s. 1006; Army Discipline Bill, 1879, 134 C. J. 141; Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Bill, 1882, 8 137 ib. 220. 337; 142 ib. 162, &c. 3 Inhabited House Duty Bill, 1851, 106 ib. 321; Conspiracy to Murder Bill, 1858, 113 ib. 65; Paper Duty Repeal Bill, third reading, 8th May, 1860, 115 ib. 229; Intoxicating Liquor, &c. (Ireland) Bill, 145 ib. 214; Newfoundland Fisheries Bill, 28th May, 1891, 146 ib. 313. 4 Australian Colonies Government Bill, 1850, 105 ib. 334; Government of India Bill, 23rd June, 1853, 108 ib. 609; Representation of the People Bill, 1866, 121 ib. 213; Elementary Education Bill, 1876, 131 ib. 262; Valuation of Property Bill, 1877, 132 ib. 86; Customs and Inland Revenue Bill, 1878, 133 ib. 182, &c. XIX. 4 6 Chapter relation to the bill by committees,' commissioners,2 the production of papers or other evidence, or, in the Lords, the opinions of the judges. The principle of relevancy in an amendment (see p. 293) governs every such proposed resolution, which must, therefore, "strictly relate to the bill which the house, by its order, has resolved upon considering," and must not include in its scope other bills then standing for consideration by the house. Nor may such an amendment deal with the provisions of the bill upon which it is moved, nor anticipate amendments thereto which may be moved in committee, nor attach conditions to the second reading of the bill. When such a resolution amounts to no more than a direct negation of the principle of the bill, it is an objectionable form of amendment: but there are special cases for which it may be well adapted. On the 21st February, 1854, an amendment was made to the question for reading the Manchester Education Bill a second time, that "education to be supported by public rates, is a subject which ought not, at the present time, to be dealt with by any private bill," which gave legitimate expression to the opinion of the house.9 Amendments, however, to the question for the second reading of bills, see p. a private bill, which seek to substitute for that question Second reading of private 729. 8 182 L. J. 284; 83 ib. 201; 85 ib. 279; 88 ib. 337; 95 C. J. 476; 98 ib. 354. 398; 99 ib. 31; 104 ib. 384; 105 ib. 139; 110 ib. 238; 125 ib. 90. 2 95 ib. 469 (Amendment for an address); 100 ib. 719. 388 L. J. 543; 102 C. J. 865; 106 ib. 382; 107 ib. 186; 137 ib. 77. * Bank Charter Bill, 1833, 65 L. J. 613. Report on Public and Private Business, 1837 (No. 517), p. 5; 143 H. D. 3 s. 643; 269 ib. 261; 86 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 506. When an amendment to the second reading of a bill has been of a very specific kind, the Speaker has confined the debate to the issue raised by the amendment until the amendment has been disposed of, 40 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 473; 70 ib. 993. 192 H. D. 3 s. 1571; 145 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1149. A resolution proposed, 11th June, 1873, upon the second reading of the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Bill, that the house declines to entertain any legislation involving the compulsory imposition of local burthens, &c., was held to affect other Bills as well as that under consideration, and was therefore restricted to that bill only, 128 C. J. 270. 'Anglo-German Agreement Bill, 24th July, 1890, 347 H. D. 3 s. 743. 8 Jewish Disabilities Bill, 1848, 103 C. J. 414. 9 109 ib. 90. Effect of solution. a resolution declaring the opinion of the house on a matter Chapter of public or general policy, are out of order.1 It must be borne in mind, however, that the resolution, such a re- if agreed to, does not arrest the progress of the bill, the second reading of which may be moved on another occasion. The effect of such an amendment is merely to supersede the question for now reading the bill a second time; and the bill is left in the same position as if the question for now reading the bill a second time had been simply negatived 2 or superseded by the previous question. The house refuses, on that particular day, to read the bill a second time, and gives its reasons for such refusal: but the bill is not otherwise disposed of. Such being the technical effect of a resolution, so carried, it need scarcely be said that its moral and political results vary according to the character and importance of the resolution itself, the support it has received, and the means there may be of meeting it, in the further progress of the bill. Thus the amendment to the second reading of the Conspiracy to Murder Bill, in 1858, being also a vote of censure, was not only fatal to that measure, but caused the immediate fall of Lord Palmerston's ministry. Again, the amendment to the second reading of the Reform Bill of 1859, was decisive as to that measure, and led to a dissolution. So, on the 22nd July, 1872, a resolution being carried, on the Thames Embankment (Land) Bill, that, having regard to the advanced period of the session and the pressure of more important business, it was not expedient to proceed further with the consideration of the bill, the bill was necessarily abandoned.* But where the resolution relates to a matter which is incidental to the legislation intended by the bill, such a resolution does not arrest its progress, provided the principle 1 London and N. W. Railway Bill, 1891, 352 H. D. 3 s. 1-3. 2 244 ib. 1384. In 1861, the second reading of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill having been superseded by a resolution, the Speaker, on an appeal from its mover, suggested that the best course would be to withdraw the bill • See also the case of the resolu- XIX. XIX. twice Chapter affirmed can be considered at a further stage. Thus, on offered, see p. 305. Orders read, see p. 260. question. Sometimes the previous question is moved on the second Previous reading of a bill (see p. 283); though the use of that form is open to the same objection as a simple negative of the second reading, as the bill is not disposed of, but may be appointed to be read on another day. It may here be stated, that if, when the order of the day Bills is read at the table, no motion be made for the second dropped. reading or other stage of a bill, or for its postponement, Revival of it becomes a dropped order, and does not appear again dropped or superseded upon the notice paper, unless another day be appointed for orders of its consideration. If a bill has been read a second time by the day, see p. 263. mistake or inadvertence, the proceedings have been declared null and void, and another day has been appointed for the second reading.2 A motion that a bill be rejected, formerly not un- Bills common, is not consonant with established practice. In rejected. more ancient times, bills were treated with even greater ignominy. On the 23rd January, in the 5th Elizabeth, a bill was rejected and ordered to be torn; so, also, on the 17th March, 1620, Sir Edward Coke moved "to have the bill torn in the house;" and it is entered that the bill was 'Army Regulation Bill, 1871, 103 L. J. 609; Supreme Court of Judicature Bill (Lord Redesdale), 2nd May, 1873, 215 H. D. 3 s. 1396. 2 Masters and Operatives Bill 1859, 114 C. J. 139; 153 H. D. 3 s. 816; 151 C. J. 134. 337 ib. 444; 80 ib. 425. Counsel ordered. 1 XIX. accordingly "rejected and torn, without one negative.' Chapter The second reading is the stage at which counsel have 1 1 C. J. 63. 252. 262. 311. 560. Cotton Factories Bill, 1818, 51 Duties and Revenues Bill (Lords), |