MR. BENTINCKsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the experience of last Friday night does not afford strong ground for making some alteration in the present unfortunate system of Morning Sittings, which enabled any private Member at a few minutes after Nine o'clock to get rid of the business of the evening? It was quite clear that at this season the loss of a night must have a tendency to prolong the Session. During the last 10 years there was only one instance when the Civil Service Estimates were so late in being proceeded with as this Session.
MR. M. T. BASSsaid, he hoped the House would come to no Resolution against Morning Sittings. After considerable experience, he must say nothing facilitated Public Business so much as meeting at 2 o'clock, and he should be glad if the House could always meet at that hour.
§ MR. COLLINSsaid, he thought that after the protracted Sitting on Thursday till half-past 5 on Friday morning the count-out on Friday night was a very natural and legitimate result. To have sat again at 9 o'clock would have been most unreasonable. He thought there was no call whatever to make any alteration in the Rule of the House which enabled any hon. Member to take notice that 40 Members were not present.
MR. GLADSTONEI must say I think, under the peculiar circumstances 416 of last Friday, no general inference could be safely drawn against the Rule in question.