§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, it was always with great reluctance that he trenched upon the privileges of independent Members but he now put it to the House whether they would allow the Government to proceed to-morrow afternoon as well as in the morning with the Government measures. On looking at the subjects which were to be brought before the attention of the House to-morrow by hon. Members, he perceived that, though they were all of an interesting, they were not of a very urgent character. The hon. Member for Richmond (Mr. Rich) was to move for a Select Committee upon the Police Force of England and Scotland; then, the hon. Member for Westbury (Mr. J. Wilson) was to call the attention of the House to the position of the Sugar Trade; and another notice stood in the name of the same hon. Member with respect to the trade of Scinde. Now, these were not matters of a very urgent character. Although the Government were arranging the business with a view to the consummation of that which was of all things wished for, there were certain unavoidable accidents, like that of to-night, for instance, and that of last Monday, which raised debates tending to interrupt the course of business, but the importance of which no one could question. The Motions to which he alluded, however, were not, he must say, of that nature; and he put to the House, therefore, whether the Government might not take the whole of Tuesday for Government business?
§ MR. HUMEsaid, he had a Motion upon the paper for to-morrow, but, being very anxious for the consummation alluded to by the right hon. Gentleman, he should give it up.
§ MR. RICHsaid, his observations in moving for a Committee would only take five minutes, but if it was the wish of the House, he would not occupy their time.
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLsaid, the hon. Member for Westbury (Mr.J. Wilson) was not present, but the hon. Member would, he was quite sure, agree, under the circumstances, to withdraw his Motion.
§ MR. VINCENT SCULLY,in order to facilitate the progress of public business, wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question. He found on the Notice Paper that evening a Dill called the Irish Valuation Bill, and no less than sixty-nine amendments were to he proposed. Now, this 1087 was a Bill to set aside all previous valuations in Ireland, and to introduce a new system; and, seeing that very few Irish Members were in town, he thought the present was no time to bring it forward. He (Mr. V. Scully) had abstained from putting any of his amendments at all upon the paper; but if the Bill was proceeded with, he should feel it his duty to propose some amendments and to make some short observations. He wished to know whether it was the intention of the right hon. Gentleman to persevere with that Bill, the discussion of which, he was sure, would delay for two days the termination of the Session?
§ The CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that after the menacing observations of the hon. Gentleman he should certainly pause, and if he had reason to believe that the sixty-nine amendments would be pressed, and that two additional days would be thereby lost, he should not press the Bill. The hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. Hardcastle) had a Motion on the paper for to-morrow night on the subject of Church Rates, and he should like to have his opinion as to its postponement.
§ MR. BRIGHTsaid, the hon. Member was not present, but he (Mr. Bright) should certainly urge him not to proceed with his Motion.