COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 17 June 1878)

§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKE
said, he did not think that a Morning Sitting should be taken on Friday without more Notice than this. Surely the House ought to have some due, timely, and formal intimation of the intention of the Government in regard to the matter. It was an unusual thing to have Morning Sittings on Fridays at the present period of the year; and, under these circumstances, he must oppose the Motion.

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
hoped that the Motion would be agreed to. A period of the Session had now been reached when it had been usual, 1674 for many years, that Morning Sittings should commence. [Sir CHARLES W. DILKE: But not on Fridays.] He believed that what he had just stated held good both in regard to Tuesdays and Fridays; and he had no doubt it would be for the general convenience of the great majority of the House that there should, for the remainder of the Session, be Morning Sittings on these days. Of course, he was aware that such Sittings entailed upon the Government a corresponding obligation to do the best they could in order to keep a House in the evenings; and that they were most anxious to do. He hoped hon. Members would feel that it was really for the general advantage that they should get on with Business as well and as rapidly as they could; and the Morning Sittings constituted a favourable opportunity for proceeding with Bills which were already in Committee.

§ MR. DILLWYN
said, that to the best of his recollection, it was early in the Session to take two days a-week for Morning Sittings. They were now only in the middle of June, and a considerable time must yet elapse before their labours were brought to a close. Never, within his recollection, had it been proposed to take Morning Sittings on Tuesdays and Fridays at so early a period. But there was another consideration which ought not to be left out of sight in connection with such Sittings; and that was, that they precluded from attendance in the House, to a greater or less extent, of hon. Members who were engaged on Select Committees. That was an element which did not appear to him to have been sufficiently considered in suggesting the proposed arrangement.

§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER
said, he would name Thursday for the Bill instead of Friday; and, meantime, he would look into the records of the House as to Morning Sittings.

§ MR. BIGGAR
observed, that the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Macdonald) had an important Motion on the Paper for Friday with reference to the miners of the country, and he hoped an opportunity would be afforded to the hon. Gentleman of bringing that Motion forward.