HC Deb 16 May 1879 vol 246 cc649-50

Order for Committee read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House will, upon Tuesday next, at Two of the clock, resolve itself into the said Committee."—(Colonel Stanley.)

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

said, he had no intention of detaining the House, but it had always been the effort of the Opposition to keep the Government to an understanding as to when Morning Sittings should commence. The rule always had been that they should not commence regularly before the 10th or 12th of June, and for two years the first Morning Sitting was on the 19th of June. There had sometimes been exceptional Morning Sittings, one in March and one in April, but these were always regarded as purely exceptional. [Sir HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON dissented.] His hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury, he saw, shook his head; but on the last occasion when this matter was discussed, his hon. Friend the Member for Rochester (Sir Julian Goldsmid) went very carefully into the figures, and prepared a tabulated statement which was reported in Hansard. The Government, he thought, would hardly deny that they were taking more Morning Sittings, and taking them oftener, than ever was the case before. That day made the third, another was fixed for Tuesday, and he was certain that was the earliest period at which they had ever got into them regularly. Previously, any Morning Sittings before June were always defended on the ground that they were exceptional. When the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed a Morning Sitting some weeks ago, he told them it was exceptional; but he only missed one Tuesday, and they had had them ever since. If Government insisted, of course, it was useless to object; but he certainly should divide the House by way of protest.

SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON

said, he also wished formally to enter his protest against the idea that the 10th or the 11th of June was the time at which these Morning Sittings should begin. Within the last four or five years there were two years, in each of which there had certainly been either three or four Morning Sittings—-he could not pledge himself to the exact number—in either the months of April or May.

Question put.

The House divided:—Ayes 92; Noes 15: Majority 77.—(Div. List, No. 100.)