§ MR. P. J. SMYTHasked the hon. Member for King's Lynn, Whether it is his intention to go to a Division on his Amendment to the second reading of this Bill?
§ MR. BOURKE,in reply, said, although the question was an unusual one, he should be happy to answer it if it were in his power to do so. He felt 1616 he should be wanting in respect to the House if he were now to assume any control over the Amendment which he had placed a week ago in the hands of the Speaker. It was now the property of the House, and it was for the House to deal with it as it seemed fit. At the same time, if the House should be generally of opinion that it would be desirable for him to indicate what he thought the best course, he should be happy to do so.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, it might be for the convenience of the House to know beforehand, as far as they could know, the probable course of the debate they were now about to resume. As far as he could obtain information about the number of Gentlemen who wished to address the House, it was improbable that the debate would conclude that evening. If then it should be adjourned again, it would be most convenient that the debate should be resumed to-morrow without any further interval of time. Such an arrangement, however, could only be effected by the consent of those private Members who had Notices on the Paper for to-morrow. The Government were willing to do what they could towards bringing the debate to a conclusion. He therefore proposed, in the event of those hon. Members consenting to postpone their Motions to-morrow, and with the hope that the debate would terminate on that night, that the Government would give up Thursday to them for the disposal of their business. He would therefore, in the first place, appeal to his hon. Friend the Member for London (Mr. Crawford), whose Notice stood first on the Paper, whether he was willing to concur in such an arrangement.
§ MR. CRAWFORDsaid, he wished to conform to the convenience of the House; but as the 40 days under the Endowed Schools Act would expire in the case of Emmanuel Hospital on Monday it must be understood that he should be in no worse position if he gave way.
§ MR. NEWDEGATE,who had another Notice on the Paper for Tuesday, was willing to concur with the hon. Gentleman in giving way, provided it were understood that the Notices of private Members standing for tomorrow should come on on the next Government day following that on which the Adjourned Debate was concluded.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he proposed, after the adjournment of the debate tonight, to move the transfer to Thursday of the Notices standing for to-morrow, giving them precedence of Government business. He quite concurred that his hon. Friend (Mr. Crawford) ought not, under the circumstances, to be damnified in the prosecution of his Motion by assenting to the arrangement.
§ MR. G. BENTINCKsaid, he had a Motion down for Tuesday, but would postpone it if the right hon. Gentleman gave the assurance asked for by the hon. Member for North Warwickshire.
§ MR. COGANsaid, although he thought it very probable and desirable that the debate should come to a conclusion to-morrow night, nevertheless he hoped, considering that the question was one of vital interest to the people of Ireland, that nothing would be done which would have the effect of bringing the debate to a premature conclusion.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he hoped and believed the debate would terminate on Tuesday. At all events, the first thing was to postpone the Notices of private Members to Thursday; and he fully accepted the proposal of the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. Newdegate.)
§ MR. COLLINSsaid, he hoped the hon. Member for London (Mr. Crawford) would take care that his Motion was placed first on the Paper for Thursday.
MR. GLADSTONEthen gave Notice that he would to-morrow, at half-past 4 o'clock, move that the Notices of Motion and Orders of the Day appointed for that day should be postponed to Thursday, and that they be taken into consideration before the Orders of the Day now standing on the Order Book for Thursday.