Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 25 Gorffennaf 1922.
There never was an appeal. You are setting up technical Commissioners who are chosen because they are experts in the particular matters which are referred to them. I think it would be quite without precedent to suggest that there should be an appeal to a Court of Law from a decision of technical experts who have been appointed for that particular purpose. Of course, if the Commissioners exceeded their jurisdiction or exercised their discretion capriciously or without consideration, then I am the last to say that the Courts of Law might not be invoked to deal with that. So long, however, as they act with discretion, then I think it is essential that their judgment should be final. We may have an opportunity, I understand, of discussing the matter on an Amendment which my hon. Friend opposite (Mr. Balfour) intends to move, but I cannot give any hope, when inviting the House to give a Second Reading to this present Clause, that I shall be able to meet my hon. Friend.