§ MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, he had a Motion on the Paper relative to the relations between this country and Brazil. Owing to the regulations now enforced with reference to Notices on going into Committee of Supply, he had several times been on the top of the list and had gone down again to the bottom. The result of taking Supply that morning would be that the Government would get through the greater portion of Supply with the exception of the Packet Service. He wished to know from the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary, Whether he would take care that Supply should be fixed for an evening sitting next week, in order that he might have an opportunity of bringing on the important question of which he had given notice?
§ MR. BENTINCKsaid, he had a Notice on the Paper relative to accidents on railways. He wished to know whether, if he waived his right to bring on his Motion that morning, the right hon. Gentleman would give a pledge that the House should not be counted out at night?
§ MR. DODSONsaid, he had given Notice of his intention on going into Committee of Supply to call attention to the Petition from members of the University of Oxford for the abolition of subscription to formularies of faith as a qualification for academical degrees. His Notice had been on the Paper for a considerable time, and the question was one in which he and many others took a warm interest. Unless the right hon. Gentleman undertook on the part of the Government to say that facilities would be afforded to Members to proceed with their Notices of Motion, he should feel it his duty to oppose the Motion for going into Supply.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, it was not at all an unusual thing when the Session was approaching an end to take Supply at a morning sitting. It was generally understood, that if Members would waive their privilege of bringing on questions on going into Committee of Supply at the morning sitting, they should have an opportunity of doing so at the evening sitting, at which Supply would again be moved. He could not pledge himself that a House should be kept; but the Government would use their endeavours to prevent the House from being counted out, so as to 539 give every hon. Gentleman who had Notices on the Papers the same opportunity of bringing them on that he would have had if the House had not gone into Supply at a morning sitting. With respect to the question put by the hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. S. FitzGerald), there must he a Supply day next week, and he believed Supply would be taken at an evening sitting. In any case his noble Friend at the head of the Government would give the hon. Gentleman every facility for bringing on, within a reasonable time, his Motion with regard to Brazil.
§ MR. BENTINCKthought they should have a positive pledge that the Government would keep a House; otherwise they ought not to be called upon to waive their right to proceed with their Motions on going into Supply.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, the Government had a motive for keeping a House as well as hon. Members. There were Government orders on the paper which they would wish to proceed with after the Motions on going into Supply were disposed of.
§ SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBYadmitted that there were precedents for taking Supply at morning sittings, but considered that on this occasion the day was badly chosen.