SIR STUART SAMUEL, M.P.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1665, 4 February 1913, Page 7

SIR STUART SAMUEL, M.P.

'". HIS CASE'TO GO TO PRIVt f , . COUNCIL. ' ' Br Teltaraib—Pr«a« -Aaf oeliUon-rCdDyrteht ■■■',-; London, February 2. . The.House of Commons has carried the motion of the ;Solioitor-General, Sir John Simon, to refer the question of Sir Stuart Samuel's retention of his, seat to the Judicial .Committee of the Privy Council.

The Select Committee of the. House , of Commons appointed to consider whether Sir Stuart 'Samuel has vacated, his seat' for Whitechapel in consequence of ■ his firm, Messrs.: Samuel Montagu and Co., having: made purchases of silver, on behalf of tho Indian Government,..wris~.,unable to agree, and in a special report;' issued last month, they recommended that the questions of'law involved sbouldibe referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. , ■ ■■■'■'•.. The point immediately before the Committee was whether the _ transactions of Messrs. Montagu came within the Act of 1782 (22 George 111, cap. 45), the preamhlo I of whioh is, as follows;— .

"An Act .for -restraining any Person concerned id any-contract, commission, or, agreement made for tho Public Servicefrom' being elected or sitting nrid votinsr as a membefiof the House bf Commons."

Tho Act goes ,on to provide that if any member accepts such a contrast his scat Mil 'ibe i'Void -ft; ; ='2)! .^tk',. penalties;. Art' severe.": Such' ft.toemberas 'fo-'fo'rfoit' .£SOO for everyday he continues to sit and vote to ; personsi-who'-shall, sue for the same. - and'the member against whom.tho penalty is'recovered' is thenceforth to be incapable of taking or holding a contract for the public service, -;