§ MR. FREWENbegged to ask if there were any precedents for Government business having priority on Tuesdays? He had a Bill which stood second on the Orders for that day, and he had been surprised to observe that in the printed Votes of that morning it was put down at the bottom. He wished to know if the right hon. Gentleman (Sir G. Grey) had ordered the clerks at the table to put down to the bottom a Bill which had yesterday stood second? He had examined the Sessional Orders, and could find no rule to justify such proceedings.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, that when the House sat on the Motion of Government, the Government business was entitled to precedence. At these morning sittings, when met for the transaction of specific business, such specific business took precedence of any order placed on the paper. He believed Mr. Speaker would concur with him in that opinion.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, that on Tuesdays, 1150 strictly speaking, notices of Motions had precedence of orders; but when the House was invited to sit specially, as the House was that morning at 12 o'clock, the special business had the precedence.
§ MR. HUMEwas of opinion that it was not competent for Government to appoint 12 o'clock sittings, in order to obtain the advantage. It was never intended that Government should have the benefit of their own days and Tuesdays also.
§ MR. WILSON PATTENsaid, that generally towards the end of the Session, Government asked the House to meet at 12 o'clock to discuss particular measures, and, of course, at such sittings these measures were entitled to priority.
§ MR. W. WILLIAMSsaid, that it unfortunately happened that very often when they had a morning sitting, a House could not be got in the evening.
§ Subject dropped.