HC Deb 09 May 1881 vol 261 cc33-4
MR. NEWDEGATE

asked, Whether it was the intention of the Government to take the first three Orders of the Day on the Paper in the order in which they stood?

MR. GLADSTONE

Yes. He would add that they did not propose to curtail the debate on the Land Bill for the sake of bringing on the adjourned debate on the Parliamentary Oaths Bill.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

asked, Whether, in view of the narrow majority of Saturday morning, the Government intended to persist in their determination to ask the House to have a Morning Sitting to-morrow (Tuesday)?

MR. GLADSTONE

said, it would be more convenient to answer that Question when the Order was called on.

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL

said, the Order might not be reached until 1 o'clock in the morning, perhaps later, and the delay would occasion inconvenience. He was sure the right hon. Gentleman would not propose to increase the inconvenience of a Morning Sitting by keeping Members until a late hour before they received a definite announcement?

MR. GLADSTONE

said, he should be prepared to take the judgment of the House upon the Order. He felt it necessary to do that, for reasons connected with the general position of the case, and, having said that, hon. Members would have knowledge that the subject would come on.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said, that he had arranged the matter with his noble Friend (Lord Richard Grosvenor).

MR. GLADSTONE

said, that he had not meant to convey any reflection on his hon. Friend the Member for Hertford.