Mr. Charles Wynneobserved, that an hour had elapsed after the usual time of meeting, and yet no progress had been made with the public business. Without meaning any thing harsh; therefore, he proposed to move the house to proceed, with the orders of the day, as considerable inconvenience was felt by gentlemen: from such delays.
§ Mr. Fullersaid, if the public business was thus unnecessarily delayed, it would be difficult for a member to get a dinner more than one day in the week.
§ Mr. Huskissonreplied, that there had been no delay of business on this day, and that, he had been at the bar to present certain papers that had been ordered by the house, when the motion was made by the hon. member. He appealed to the expedience of those gentlemen who were longest acquainted with the procedings of the house, whether five o'clock was not the usual time of proceeding with the public business.
Mr. C. Wynnestated, that four o'clock was the hour appointed for meeting, and that it had frequently been half past five, during the present session, before public business was proceed with. The house could not be formed without 40 members, and when 40 members came down at four o'clock, he submitted whether it was not extremely inconvenient to keep them waiting till half past five.
§ Mr. Martin (of Tewkesbury)declared, that there had been an extreme waste of time lately, and that the delay was highly disrespectful to the house, and to the chair.