§ MR. CRAWFORDsaid, he wished to know, Whether the Government intend to proceed to-morrow with the Government Annuities Bill?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, that the proceedings of the Government would depend upon the progress made that evening. Until his noble Friend the Under Secretary for War obtained his Vote for the number of men, the Government could not do anything but ask for Committee of Supply. Presuming that Vote was obtained this evening, if there was sufficient time to-morrow evening they should propose to take the Annuities Bill immediately after the Motion for Supply was disposed of. He did not, however, propose to invite the House to-morrow evening to discuss the question with regard to life assurances, but merely to dispose of the clauses relating to annuities to which there was no objection, and then to fix the next Government evening for the discussion of the clause on the subject of assurances. He might add that his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary would place the Penal Servitude Bill immediately after the Annuities Bill.
SIR MINTO FARQUHARsaid, he would beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether he was not aware that the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. H. Bt. Sheridan) has given notice of a Motion, that he would move the postponement of the further consideration of the Annuities Bill for a month?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, it would be quite competent for the hon. Member for Dudley to move to postpone the Bill if he chose, but the proper plan would be to take the clauses to which he had referred, and then, when they came to the clause on life assurances, to move to report Progress, and to postpone the discussion upon that clause for a month.