§ MR. GIBSONI rise to put a Question to the Prime Minister, because the final stages of this Bill have been taken with a rapidity which came upon everybody by surprise. There were some Amendments on the Paper with regard to emigration which excited a good deal of interest, and I understand the Government are desirous of giving an opportunity of having that matter reconsidered. I wish to ask the Government if that is so?
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he did not know whether the right hon. and learned Gentleman was in his place at the time of the occurrence to which he had referred. [Mr. GIBSON: No.] In that case the right hon. and learned Gentleman spoke from information imparted by others, and not from personal knowledge. He was himself in his place at the time, and he had 1018 seen the Chairman resume his seat at the Table; and he could assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman that the proceedings were marked by no unusual haste. [Mr. WARTON: Oh, oh!] He thought the hon. and learned Member for Bridport was pushing Parliamentary licence very far when he interrupted him, on a matter of fact, with exclamations of that sort. He thought it was hardly decent that such interruptions should take place. He had been conversant with the proceedings of that House for half-a-century, and he ventured to say that everything done by the Chairman that afternoon had been done with the strictest order, and without the slightest appearance of haste. [Mr. WARTON: Oh!] The hon. and learned Member for Bridport, with his experience of the House, might have a different opinion; and, of course, he was entitled to set it up if he so pleased. He (Mr. Gladstone) had no title to interfere with it, and certainly would not interrupt the hon. and learned Member if he stated it in a sense different from his own. But he thought it was his duty, in the position he held, to refer to anything that concerned the constituted authorities of the House. [Mr. GIBSON: I only asked the question.] He thought the right hon. and learned Gentleman had gone a little further than that; but perhaps he had not meant what he said. At the same time, he did not think that anybody was the worse for it. The right hon. and learned Gentleman was quite right in supposing that a full opportunity would be given to hon. Members to state their opinion on the subjects which, owing to the absence of some hon. Members, passed without notice a few minutes ago. His right hon. Friend (Mr. Trevelyan) would to-night, at a quarter to 6, propose the preliminary step for obtaining the necessary authority, and to-morrow would move to re-commit the Bill, either before or after Report—he was not sure which it would be—for the purpose of raising the matter, which would enable any hon. Gentleman desirous of making a Motion in Committee to state his opinions. He did not believe that, practically, anything had been lost owing to the circumstances—he admitted that they were peculiar—which had occurred in consequence of the fact that Gentlemen who were generally among the most energetic attendants in the House did not 1019 happen to be in their places at a critical moment.
§ MR. GREGORYexplained that there were several points to which he desired to draw attention, the chief one being the question of emigration.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, that it would probably be for the convenience of the House that he should state that his right hon. Friend (Mr. Trevelyan) would today take the preliminary step towards carrying out the Government proposal that the Land Commission should be strengthened by the appointment of a fourth Commissioner, so that the proceedings of the Commission should not be hampered in cases where the presence of three Commissioners would be required. This would meet the point raised some time ago by the right hon. Gentleman opposite with regard to the position of the Land Commission when appeals came before them.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERasked whether the re-committal of the Bill would be before or after Report?
§ MR. SEXTONwished to corroborate what had fallen from the Prime Minister. When the hon. Member for West-meath (Mr. Gill) had concluded his speech the Chairman of Committees waited, and no one rose. He then put the Question, which, having been decided, he then called on the hon. Gentleman who had the next Amendment on the Paper. He, however, was not in his place, and had not reached it when the Chairman put the Question that the Bill be reported to the House. There was no irregularity at all about the action of the Chairman. He would now like to ask the Prime Minister when he would take the third reading?