BILLS, Praise AND PRIVATE.
Bills are alridsd into two chisses--such as are of a public nature affecting the general interests of the state, and such as relate only to local or private matters. The former are introduced directly by the motitins of members; the latter are brought in upon petitions from the parties interested, after the necessary notices have been given and all forms required by the standing orders have been complied with.
With few exceptions, public bills may originate in either house, unites they be for granting supplies of any kind, or involve directly or indirectly the levying or appropriation of any tax or fine upon the people. The exclusive right of the commons to deal with all legisla tion of thirnature affects very extensively the practice of introducing private bills into either house. Thus, all those which authorise the levying of local tolls or rates are brought In upon petition to the lower house. Three compose by far the greater part of all private bills. All measures of local improvement, whether for enclosing lands, lighting, watching, and improving towns, establishing police, or making roads, bridges, railways, canals, or other public works, originate in the corm:Ilona ; though in the session of 1860, in consequence of the pressure of business, many bills of this kind were first introduced in the House of Lords. On the other hand, many bills of a personal nature are always sent down from the lords, such as bills affecting divorce bills. and bills for the naturalisation of aliens. Bills affecting the peerage must originate in the lords, and acts of grace with the crown, where the prerogative of mercy is vested.
Presresa of Bills: Pnblic Bilk—Motions for leave to bring in bills of a public nature are not very frequently refused. The more usual time for opposing any measure in its progress is on the second reading, when all the provisions are known and the general principle and of them may be considered. leave is given to bring in a bill, certain members are ordered to prepare it, being the proposer and seconder of the motion, to whom others are sometimes added. It is then brought in and read a first time, and a day is fixed for the second reading, which generally leaves a sufficient interval for the printing and circulation of the bill.
It has been already said that the second reading is the occasion on which a bill is more particularly canvassed. Its principle is at that
time made the subject of discussion, and if it meet with approval, the bill is committed, either to a committee of the whole house or to a select committee, to consider its several provisions in detail. A com mittee of the whole house is in fact the house itself, in the absence of the Speaker from the chair ; but the rule which allows members to speak as often as they think fit, instead of restricting them to a single speech, as at other times, affords great facilities for the careful examina tion and full discussion of details. The practice of referring bills of an intricate and technical description to select committees has become very prevalent of late years, and might be extended with advantage. Many bills are understood by a few members only, whose observations are listened to with impatience, and thus valuable suggestions are often withheld in the house, which in a committee might be embodied in the bill By leaving such bills to a select committee, the house is enabled to attend to measures more generally interesting, while other business, of perhaps equal importance, is proceeding at the same time ; and it has always the opportunity of revising amendments introduced by the committee.
Before a bill goes into committee there are certain blanks for dates, amount of penalties, &c., which are filled up in this stage. Bills of importance are often recommitted, or in other words, pass twice, and even in some instances three or four times through the committee. When the proceedings in committee are terminated,the bill is reported with the amendments to the house, on which occasion they are agreed to, amended, or disagreed to, as the case may be. If many amend ments have been made, it is a common and very useful practice to reprint the bill before the report is taken into consideration. After the report has been agreed to, the bill with the amendments is ordered to be previous to the third reading. A proposition was made not long once, but without success, for discontinuing the custom of engrossment upon parchment, and for using an examined copy of the printed bill, signed by the clerk of the house, for all the purposes for which the engrossed copy is now required.