§ MR. NEWDEGATEcalled attention to the 20th Order, which was thus entered on the Paper—"Monastic and Conventual Institutions Commission Bill—Adjourned Debate on Second Reading, 26th June." He begged to state that he had not last evening raised any debate on the second reading, and, indeed, could not have done so at 9 302 minutes to 6 o'clock, when, as the hon. Member for Dungarvan (Mr. Matthews) had given Notice to oppose, and controverted matter could not be taken. He had merely proposed that the second reading should be fixed for the 5th of July, at 2 o'clock, in order to try the question whether Members not connected with the Government were prevented by the Rules of the House from placing their Orders first when the House met at 2 o'clock. He wished to ask the Speaker whether the 20th Order was rightly entered on the Paper? He also wished to ask whether the Resolution of the House forbidding Opposed Business being taken after half-past 12 o'clock would preclude the House to-night from considering the proposal whether he could fix the Order for the Morning Sitting on July 2?
§ MR. SPEAKEROn the Order of the Day for the second reading of the Monastic and Conventual Institutions Commissions Bill being read yesterday the hon. Member proposed that the second reading should be postponed to Friday week, at 2 o'clock. That Motion was opposed, and as at the time at which it was made no Opposed Business could be taken, according to the Standing Orders of the House, the debate was adjourned to this day. In answer to the first Question of the hon. Member, I must, therefore, state that the entry, which was made by the Clerk at the Table in putting this down among the Orders of the Day as an adjourned debate upon the second reading, is perfectly accurate. The hon. Member further asks me whether the Resolution of the 15th of March, in reference to not taking Opposed Business after half-past 12 o'clock, applies to this particular Order of the Day. I am bound to consider that the Amendment standing in the Notice Paper, that this Bill should be read a second time this day three months, applies to the Order of the Day whenever it is called on. Therefore, I consider that the Resolution to which the hon. Member refers does apply.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEAllow me, Sir, to ask you to what day I can postpone the Order?
§ MR. SPEAKERWhen the Order of the Day is called on the hon. Member may make such Motion as he thinks proper, and the House will decide the matter according to its discretion.
§ Afterwards, on the Order of the Day for resuming the Adjourned Debate on Motion that the Monastic and Conventual Institutions Commission Bill be now read the second time—
§ MR. NEWDEGATE, having again called Mr. SPEAKER'S attention to the position of his Order in relation to this Bill, said, that he believed the best course for him to take—as he did not acknowledge the Notice which stood in his name—was to allow the Order to drop. He would then give a fresh Notice so as to revive the question.