§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI wish to ask about the Business to-morrow. We understand there is to be a meeting of the House to-morrow, and that certain Bills had been put down by the Government. But I believe that last night, or rather this morning early, some other Bills were put down for consideration to-morrow. We ought to have a clear understanding on the subject. It is always an inconvenient thing to have a Saturday's Sitting; but when there has been one there has been generally a clear understanding that only Government Business will be taken, and that the Bills of private Members will not be proceeded with. When the Government Business is over I think they ought to move the adjournment of the House.
§ MR. CHILDERSThe understanding on the part of the Government was simply this—they have put down certain Bills which will have priority to-morrow, and when these Bills have been gone through, they will move the adjournment of the House.
§ MR. GIBSONsaid, he hoped that if the effect of this arrangement would be to postpone the Sunday Closing (Ireland) Bill, the Government would bear in mind the great importance of, and the deep interest which was felt in, the subject.
§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLWill the Educational Endowments (Scotland) Pill be the first Order of the Day tomorrow?
§ MR. CHILDERSYes; that will be the first Order.
§ MR. J. LOWTHERI suppose that the declaration of the Prime Minister will be kept in view that no other Bills of a contentious character will be taken?
§ MR. CHILDERSThere are one or two small Bills, such as the Militia Consolidation Bill and the Reserve Forces Acts Consolidation Bill, which will be put down, and not being of a contentious character will be taken.
§ MR. R. N. FOWLERIs it the intention of the Government to take the Government Annuities and Assurance Bill?
§ MR. FAWCETTAfter what occurred last Saturday I will not put down the Bill for to-morrow, but postpone it until Monday.
§ MR. BROADHURSTsaid, he hoped the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for War would let hon. Members below the Gangway know the nature of the reply which he made to the right hon. Baronet the Member for North Devon. He understood the right hon. Gentleman to say that the Government would move the adjournment of the House to-morrow after they had transacted their own Business. He objected to that sort of thing. He and other hon. Members sat in the House constantly until nearly breakfast-time in the morning, in order to do a little work for the public utility, and they decidedly objected to the two Front Benches, who went home early, coming down next morning and summarily disposing, after a free exchange of courtesies, of the Bills of private Members.
§ MR. CHILDERSI certainly do not belong to that section of the two Front Benches who go to bed early. My average time has been about 3 o'clock in the morning. It is not a matter of understanding between the two Front Benches, but an understanding with the House, and precisely the same understanding was arrived at before last Saturday's Sitting. [Sir STAFFORD NORTHCOTE: And in former years.] I referred to the last Sitting because it is within the recent memory of hon. Members. When the Government have got through their Business they will move the adjournment of the House. If the hon. Member opposes that Motion, we shall do our best to defeat him.
§ MR. BROADHURSTgave Notice that he would resist the proposal strongly.
§ MR. MONKinquired whether the Government Bills would have precedence of the Bills of private Members at tomorrow's Sitting?
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, the Government Bills would have precedence.
CAPTAIN AYLMERasked whether, if the Government Business should be protracted, they would close the debate at a reasonable hour—at 7 or half-past 7 o'clock, for instance?
§ MR. CHILDERSNo; we cannot undertake to fix a particular hour. We shall do our best to be reasonable.
§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDasked the honourable Baronet the Member for Durham, when he purposed to bring forward his Resolution upon the Opium traffic; and, whether he would bring it on after half-past 11 o'clock?
§ SIR JOSEPH PEASEsaid, it would be almost impossible, in the present state of Business, for him to bring on this evening his Motion in reference to the Opium Question. Certainly he should not proceed with so important a matter after half-past 11 o'clock. In default of any bettor mode, he would proceed by way of interrogatories addressed to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State for India; and he proposed also to bring forward on the Estimates his Motion in reference to the salary of the Minister in China.