§ MR. MAGUIREsaid, that in the absence of his hon. Friend Mr. F. Russell, he had to move that leave of absence be given to Mr. Brady for a fortnight on urgent private business.
§ SIR FRANCIS BARINGsaid, that as Chairman of the Election Committee he was anxious to say a few words on the present Motion. Every hon. Gentleman must be aware that a good many Committees had to sit before the termination of the Session. The duty was not a pleasant one, and it would call for the attention and the patriotism of the House. It was therefore the duty of the Election Committee to spread the duty equally among all the Members, and thus make it as light as possible. If hon. Gentlemen, however, were to move for leave of absence upon urgent private business, as the Session went on the number of Members left to serve upon the Committees still to be struck might be very small. The House would, therefore, have to be a little more strict than it usually was in giving leave of absence. The leave of absence moved for by the hon. Member in this case would expire before the panel on which his name stood, came on, and he had no objection whatever to make to the present Motion. The House could not ask what the urgent private business for which leave of absence was asked might be, but it ought to be understood that the hon. Member who moved for leave guaranteed that he had himself looked into the matter, that he had satisfied himself the leave was asked upon business of urgency, and that he was responsible to the House for the Motion he was making.
§ Motion agreed to.