THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI wish to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer a Question with reference to the arrangements which he proposes for the Business of this week. The right hon. Gentleman, Iunderstand, suggested to my hon. Friend the Member for the Elgin Burghs (Mr. Grant Duff) that, instead of discussing the Afghan Treaty, which he intends to do, on the next stage of the Appropriation Bill, he should bring forward a Motion on the subject, and the right hon. Gentleman proposed to give him Thursday for the purpose. I now ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he will move that the Orders of the Day be postponed, in order that the Motion in question may be made? I also wish to ask, Whether the Govern- 823 ment will undertake to keep a House for my hon. Friend, which, of course, at the period of the Session, it is impossible for my hon. Friend to do himself?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI should be perfectly prepared to move that the Orders of the Day, on Thursday, should be postponed for the consideration of the Motion of the hon. Member for the Elgin Burghs, provided there are any Orders of the Day. If there should not be any Orders of the Day, I propose to place a Notice on the Paper for Thursday, for the purpose of making the Sessional Order, passed at the beginning of the Session, a Standing Order. That Sessional Order was passed for giving the Government power to go into Supply on Mondays, on certain conditions, without previous Notice. The Notice for making that into a Standing Order I shall place on the Paper, so that there may be some Business before the House of a somewhat important character. We should, of course, give precedence to the Motion of the hon. Member for the Elgin Burghs. Whether there are any Orders of the Day of Thursday will depend upon the progress we make with the Business to-day. The Government, of course, will be very glad if there should be none. If we are to rise on Friday, it will be necessary for us to pass the third reading of the Appropriation Bill to-morrow, and also the third reading of any other Bills which this House may have to send up to the House of Lords. To-morrow, we propose that the hon. Member for Hackney (Mr. Fawcett) should have precedence for his Motion on the subject of the Water Supply of London. I apprehend that the hon. Gentleman will make his Motion this evening, so as to be able to bring it on as an adjourned debate to-morrow. I give Notice, as a safeguard against accidents, that I shall move, at the beginning of Business to-morrow, to suspend the Standing Rule which provides that on Wednesdays Business shall close at 6 o'clock, so that the House may tomorrow sit later, if necessary.
§ MR. NEWDEGATEasked, Whether the Government contemplated that the House should sit on Friday and Monday next?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI venture to say that, in all probability, before Monday next Her 824 Majesty will have sent us about our business.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEgave Notice of his intention to oppose the Motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer as to the suspension of the Rule regulating Wednesday Sittings.
§ MR. FAWCETTthanked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the suggestion which the right hon. Gentleman had made in reference to his Motion in connection with the Metropolitan Water Supply.