At its meeting on Tuesday, the House of Commons was
a little amused, and a little shocked, by a new question of privilege. Mr. Dodds, Member for Stockton, had issued a private Whip adjuring Members to support the Stockton Carrs Railway Bill, because "my son is solicitor for the Bill." Mr. J. Lowther drew attention to this circular as contrary to the Standing Orders, and Mr. Dodds expressed his great regret that the circular should have been issued, and intimated that the words about his son had been added without his consent. Lord R. Churchill, however, moved that the circular was a breach of privilege, to which Sir IV. Harcourt replied in a cynical speech, the point of which was that Mr. Dodds had no personal or pecuniary interest in the Bill. As Mr. Dodds's son had such an interest, this was quibbling ; and it might have gone hard with the Member for Stockton, but that Sir W. Lawson moved that "the Member for Stockton having apologised," the House will proceed to other business. This was accepted as a compromise, and carried by 139 to 99. For once Lord R. Churchill was right, and the
}louse would have done better to mark its displeasure at a practice which, if innocent in the particular case, might be grossly abused.
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