§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I beg to move that this House do meet to-morrow at Two of the clock.
§ MR. J. DALY (Monaghan, S.)My reason for rising to oppose the Resolution of the right hon. Gentleman is that a most important Bill with regard to Ireland, which stands in my name, is first in order of discussion to-morrow, and if the House does not meet until Two o'clock, it will considerably curtail the discussion of that most important Measure with regard to Ireland, dealing with the distress in the West. My Bill, if passed into law, will very considerably help to alleviate the distress in the West of Ireland. I do not intend to detain the House any length, but if the right hon. Gentleman insists on his Motion it will be my duty to ask my friends to support me in opposing it on the ground of the importance of the Bill of which I intend to move the second reading to-morrow.
§ MR. W. H. K. REDMOND (Clare, E.)I think the appeal that has just been made by the hon. Gentleman who sits near me is one which the First Lord of the Treasury might take into consideration. It is not often that the Irish Members at this early period in the Session have favourable opportunities of introducing a Measure. It does seem a very hard thing that the hon. Gentleman has not been sufficiently fortunate to secure a good place for the consideration of his Bill, that it should be practically knocked on the head because of the proposal not to have the House meet until two o'clock to-morrow, instead of twelve. I do not for a moment cast the slightest doubt upon the solemn sense of religious observance held by hon. Gentlemen, but I submit there is plenty of time to do 1379 it up till twelve o'clock. The time from twelve till two could much more advantageously be spent in the discussion of a Bill which has the charitable and religious object of relieving distress. I certainly think this is a matter on which the First Lord of the Treasury ought to give an explanation.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)This is a matter which belongs, in a particular degree, to the right hon. Gentleman. It is intensely an Irish matter, Mr. Speaker. Hon. Gentlemen who wish to attend Divine service are not prevented from doing so at all. But Irish Members will be prevented from having two hours' discussion on the Measure, simply because hon. Members choose to attend Divine service. Every one knows that it is usual on a Wednesday afternoon to sit for twenty minutes after prayers, while that formidable functionary, the Serjeant-at-Arms, goes and hunts up in the library and tea rooms in order to bring in hon. Members. Such will not be the case to-morrow. Those other benches may be empty, but we could form a quorum ouselves. This is for a Christian and philanthropic object, and I would not mind discussing the matter even on the Sabbath day itself. I appeal to the right hon. Gentleman. I cannot boast, like him, of being an accomplished theologian and an amateur apostle, and I have never addressed a Church congress. If ever there was a matter of his own policy, this belongs to it, and I appeal to the right hon. Gentleman to withdraw his Motion.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYIt would be quite impossible for an even more stony-hearted person than myself to refuse to make some reply to the impassioned appeal of the hon. Member. He says the Bill is of a Christian and philanthropic character, but everybody who is keenly interested in a Measure always thinks it a Christian and philanthropic Measure, and certainly we on this Bench cannot exalt ourselves into judges as to the comparative amount of Christianity and 1380 philanthropy to which a Bill brought in may justly lay claim. I do not think there is any grievance, for the authors of it have not been fortunate in the ballot, and the only reason that they were able to get this Wednesday, was that those who had been more fortunate in the ballot knew that the first two hours of debate would be cut off by the immemorial practice of Ash Wednesday. Had the whole day been given by Parlialiamentary usage to the discussion of the Bill on Ash Wednesday, this Bill would probably not have come on at all during the whole of the Session, or at such a period when there would have been a chance of its becoming law. It is not necessary that I should enter into a general discussion of this Motion. If you are to continue the traditions and practice of this House, from which I do not understand the hon. Gentleman dissents, you cannot make exceptions on Ash Wednesdays on account of the particular character of a Bill. Either abandon the rule altogether—which I am not prepared to recommend the House to do — or carry it out continually, legitimately, and logically, without fear and without favour.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)May I ask a question on a point of order? As I understand hon. Gentleman are determined to go to church to-morrow, I see no reason why they should not be later with their dinners. Would it be in order to suspend the Standing Order which obliges us to close our discussion at half-past five?
§ *MR. SPEAKERAny such Motion must be made by a Member of the Government.
§ The Speaker then put the Question.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That this House do meet To-morrow at Two of the clock."—(Mr. A. J. Balfour.)
§ The House divided:—Ayes 215, Noes 121.—(Division List appended.)
1383| AYES. | ||
| Allhusen, Augustus Henry Eden | Foster, Colonel (Lancaster) | Mildmay, Francis Bingham |
| Arnold-Forster, Hugh O. | Galloway, William Johnson | Milner, Sir Frederick George |
| Arrol, Sir William | Garfit, William | Milward, Colonel Victor |
| Ascroft, Robert | Gibbons, J. Lloyd | Monckton, Edward Philip |
| Ashmead-Bartlett, Sir Ellis | Giles, Charles Tyrrell | Monk, Charles James |
| Atkinson, Rt. Hon. John | Gilliat, John Saunders | More, Robert Jasper |
| Austin, Sir John (Yorkshire) | Goldsworthy, Major-General | Morrell, George Herbert |
| Baden-Powell, Sir Geo. Smyth | Gordon, Hon. John Edward | Mount, William George |
| Bagot, Capt. Josceline FitzRoy | Gorst, Rt. Hn. Sir John Eldon | Mowbray, Rt. Hon. Sir John |
| Bailey, James (Walworth) | Graham, Henry Robert | Murray, Rt. Hn. A. Gr'hm (Bute) |
| Baird, Jno. Geo. Alexander | Greene, Henry D. (Shrewsb'y) | Murray, Charles J. (Coventry) |
| Baldwin, Alfred | Greene, W. Raymond- (Cambs) | Murray, Col. Wyndham (Bath) |
| Balfour, Rt. Hn. A. J. (Manch'r) | Gretton, John | Myers, William Henry |
| Balfour, Rt. Hn. Gerald (Leeds) | Greville, Captain | Newdigate, Francis Alex. |
| Banbury, Frederick George | Gull, Sir Cameron | Nicol, Donald Ninian |
| Barnes, Frederick Gorell | Halsey, Thomas Frederick | Northcote, Hn. Sir H. Stafford |
| Bartley, George C. T. | Hamilton, Rt. Hon. Lord Geo. | Penn, John |
| Barton, Dunbar Plunket | Hanbury, Rt. Hon. Robt. W. | Plunkett, Rt. Hn. Horace Curz'n |
| Bathurst, Hon. Allen Ben. | Hanson, Sir Reginald | Powell, Sir Francis Sharp |
| Beach, Rt. Hn. Sir M. H. (Bris.) | Hare, Thomas Leigh | Pryce-Jones, Edward |
| Beckett, Ernest William | Haslett, Sir James Horner | Purvis, Robert |
| Bemrose, Sir Henry Howe | Heath, James | Rasch, Major Frederic Carne |
| Bethell, Commander | Helder, Augustus | Renshaw, Charles Bine |
| Bhownaggree, Sir M. M. | Hermon-Hodge, Robt. Trotter | Rentoul, James Alexander |
| Biddulph, Michael | Hill, Rt. Hn. Lord Arth'r (Down) | Ridley, Rt. Hon. Sir Matthew W. |
| Bigwood, James | Hill, Rt. Hn. A. Staveley (Staffs.) | Ritchie, Rt. Hn. Chas. Thomson |
| Blundell, Colonel Henry | Hoare, Ed. Brodie (Hampstd.) | Robinson, Brooke |
| Boscawen, Arthur Griffith- | Hoare, Samuel (Norwich) | Rollit, Sir Albert Kaye |
| Bowles, T. Gibson (King's Lynn) | Holland, Hon. Lionel Raleigh | Round, James |
| Brodrick, Rt. Hon. St. John | Houldsworth, Sir Wm. Henry | Royds, Clement Molyneux |
| Brookfield, A. Montagu | Howard, Joseph | Russell, Sir George (Berks.) |
| Carlile, William Walter | Howell, William Tudor | Russell, T. W. (Tyrone) |
| Carson, Rt. Hon. Edward | Howorth, Sir Henry Hoyle | Samuel, Harry S. |
| Cavendish, R. F. (N. Lancs.) | Hozier, Hon. Jas. Hy. Cecil | Saunderson, Col. Edw. Jas. |
| Cavendish, V. C. W. (Derbysh.) | Hutchinson, Capt. G. W. Grice- | Savory, Sir Joseph |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. (Birm.) | Hutton, John (Yorks. N. R.) | Scott, Sir S. (Marylebone, W.) |
| Chaplin, Rt. Hon. Henry | Jeffreys, Arthur Frederick | Seeley, Charles Hilton |
| Cochrane, Hon. Thamas H. A. E. | Jenkins, Sir John Jones | Seton-Karr, Henry |
| Coddington, Sir William | Johnston, William (Belfast) | Sharp, William Edward T. |
| Coghill, Douglas Harry | Johnstone, John H. (Sussex) | Shaw-Stewart, M. H. (Renfr'w.) |
| Collings, Rt. Hon. Jesse | Kemp, George | Simcon, Sir Barrington |
| Colomb, Sir Jno. Chas. Ready | Kenrick, William | Sinclair, Capt. J. (Forfarsh.) |
| Colston, Chas. Edw. H. Athole | Kenyon, James | Sinclair, Louis (Romford) |
| Cotton-Jodrell, Col. Edw. T. D. | Kimber, Henry | Smith, Abel H. (Christchurch) |
| Cox, Robert | King, Sir Henry Seymour | Smith, Hon. W. F. D. (Strand) |
| Cranborne, Viscount | Knowles, Lees | Stanley, Lord (Lancs.) |
| Cripps, Charles Alfred | Lafone, Alfred | Stanley, Henry M. (Lambeth) |
| Cross, Alexander (Glasgow) | Laurie, Lieut.-General | Stirling-Maxwell, Sir John M. |
| Currie, Sir Donald | Lawrence, Sir Ed. (Cornwall) | Stone, Sir Benjamin |
| Curzon, Rt. Hn. G. N. (Lanc S. W.) | Lawrence, Wm. F. (Liverpl.) | Sturt, Hon. Humphry Napier |
| Curzon, Viscount (Bucks.) | Lecky, Rt. Hon. William Ed. H. | Thorburn, Walter |
| Dalbiac, Colonel Philip Hugh | Lockwood, Lt.-Col. A. R. | Thornton, Percy M. |
| Dalkeith, Earl of | Loder, Gerald Walter Erskine | Tomlinson, Wm. Ed. Murray |
| Dalrymple, Sir Charles | Long, Col. C. W. (Evesham) | Tritton, Charles Ernest |
| Denny, Colonel | Long, Rt. Hn. Walter (Liverpl.) | Wallace, Robert (Edinburgh) |
| Dickson-Poynder, Sir Jno. P. | Lopes, Henry Yarde Buller | Waring, Col. Thomas |
| Dorington, Sir John Edward | Lowe, Francis William | Webster, R. G. (St. Pancras) |
| Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- | Lowther, Rt. Hon. James (Kent) | Webster, Sir R. E. (I. of W.) |
| Doxford, William Theodore | Lucas-Shadwell, William | Whiteley, George (Stockport) |
| Drage, Geoffrey | Macdona, John Cumming | Williams, Joseph Powell (Birm.) |
| Drucker, A. | Maclean, James Mackenzie | Willoughby de Eresby, Lord |
| Duncombe, Hon. Hubert V. | Maclure, Sir John William | Wilson, J. W. (Worc'sh., N.) |
| Edwards, Gen. Sir Jas. Bevan | M'Arthur, Charles (Liverpool) | Wodehouse, Edmond R. (Bath) |
| Fellowes, Hon. Ailwyn Edw. | M'Calmont, H. L. B. (Cambs) | Wortley, Rt. Hon. C. B. Stuart- |
| Fergusson, Rt. Hn. Sir J. (Mncr.) | M'Calmont, Col. J. (Antrim, E.) | Wyndham-Quin, Major W. H. |
| Finch, George H. | M'Ewan, William | Wyvill, Marmaduke D'Arcy |
| Finlay, Sir Rbt. Bannatyne | M'Iver, Sir Lewis | Yerburgh, Robert Armstrong |
| Firbank, Joseph Thomas | Malcolm, Ian | Younger, William |
| Fisher, William Hayes | Maple, Sir John Blundell | |
| Fison, Frederick William | Martin, Richard Biddulph | TELLERS FOR THE AYES— |
| FitzGerald, Sir R. U. Penrose | Massey-Mainwaring, Hn. W. F. | Sir William Walrond and Mr. Anstruther. |
| Fletcher, Sir Henry | Mellor, Rt. Hon. J. W. (Yorks.) | |
| Flower, Ernest | Milbank, Powlett Chas. John |
| NOES. | ||
| Abraham, Wm. (Cork, N. E.) | Gilhooly, James | Nussey, Thomas Willans |
| Allan, William (Gateshead) | Goddard, Daniel Ford | O'Brien, James F. X. (Cork) |
| Allen, Wm. (Newc.-under-L.) | Gourley, Sir Edw. Temperley | O'Brien, P. J. (Tipperary) |
| Allison, Robert Andrew | Grey, Sir Edward (Berwick) | O'Connor, T. P. (Liverpool) |
| Ambrose, Robert (Mayo, W.) | Hayden, John Patrick | O'Kelly, James |
| Asher, Alexander | Hayne, Rt. Hon. Chas. Seale- | Paulton, James Mellor |
| Atherley-Jones, L. | Hazell, Walter | Pinkerton, John |
| Baker, Sir John | Healy, Timothy M. (N. Louth) | Pirie, Captain Duncan |
| Bayley, Thomas (Derbyshire) | Hedderwick, Thos. Chas. H. | Price, Robert John |
| Beaumont, Wentworth C. B. | Hemphill, Rt. Hon. Chas. H. | Provand, Andrew Dryburgh |
| Birrell, Augustine | Holburn, J. G. | Redmond, Jno. E. (Waterford) |
| Blake, Edward | Holden, Angus | Redmond, William (Clare) |
| Bryce, Rt. Hon. James | Humphrey-Owen, Arthur C. | Reid, Sir Robert T. |
| Buchanan, Thomas Ryburn | Jacoby, James Alfred | Samuel, J. (Stockton-on-Tees) |
| Burt, Thomas | Johnson-Ferguson, Jabez Ed. | Shaw, Thomas (Hawick B.) |
| Buxton, Sydney Charles | Joicey, Sir James | Smith, Samuel (Flint) |
| Caldwell, James | Jones, David Brynmor (Sw'nsea) | Souttar, Robinson |
| Campbell-Bannerman, Sir H. | Jordan, Jeremiah | Stanhope, Hon. Philip J. |
| Carew, James Laurence | Kearley, Hudson E. | Stevenson, Francis S. |
| Carmichael, Sir T. D. Gibson- | Kilbride, Denis | Strachey, Edward |
| Causton, Richard Knight | Kitson, Sir James | Sullivan, Donal (Westmeath) |
| Cawley, Frederick | Lambert, George | Sullivan, T. D. (Donegal, W.) |
| Clancy, John Joseph | Leng, Sir John | Tennant, Harold John |
| Clark, Dr. G. B. (Caithness-sh.) | Lloyd-George, David | Thomas, Alfred (Glamorgan, E.) |
| Clough, Walter Owen | Logan, John William | Thomas, David Alf. (Merthyr) |
| Colville, John | Lough, Thomas | Tully, Jasper |
| Condon, Thomas Joseph | Luttrell, Hugh Fownes | Wallace, Robert (Perth) |
| Courtney, Rt. Hn. Leonard H. | Lyell, Sir Leonard | Wayman, Thomas |
| Crean, Eugene | MacAleese, Daniel | Wedderburn, Sir William |
| Curran, Thos. B. (Donegal) | MacNeill, John Gordon Swift | Weir, James Galloway |
| Dalziel, James Henry | M'Cartan, Michael | Whittaker, Thomas Palmer |
| Davitt, Michael | M'Donnell, Dr. M. A. (Queen's C.) | Williams, Jno. Carvell (Notts.) |
| Dillon, John | M'Ghee, Richard | Wilson, Jno. (Durham, Mid.) |
| Donelan, Captain A. | M'Hugh, E. (Armagh, S.) | Wilson, John (Govan) |
| Doogan, P. C. | M'Hugh, Patrick A. (Leitrim) | Woodall, William |
| Ellis, Thos. Ed. (Merionethsh.) | M'Kenna, Reginald | Woods, Samuel |
| Farquharson, Dr. Robert | Maddison, Fred. | Young, Samuel. |
| Ferguson, R. C. Munro (Leith) | Mappin, Sir Frederick Thorpe | |
| Finucane, John | Mendl, Sigismund Ferdinand | TELLERS FOR THE NOES— |
| Flavin, Michael Joseph | Morgan, J. Lloyd (Carmarthen) | Mr. Patrick O'Brien and Mr. Daly. |
| Foster, Sir Walter (Derby Co.) | Murnaghan, George | |
| Fowler, Rt. Hn. Sir Hy. (Wol'tn) | Norton, Capt. Cecil William |