HC Deb 19 May 1882 vol 269 cc1093-5
MR. ARTHUR ARNOLD

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, if the discussion on the Amendment of his hon. Friend the Member for East Cumberland (Mr. G. J. Howard) should close before 12.30, the Government would take Supply? He asked the Question because, if Supply were not taken, the Settled Land Bill, which he (Mr. Arnold) desired to oppose, would come on.

MR. GLADSTONE

said, that if the discussion on the proposal to open Museums on Sundays should terminate be- fore 12.30 at the Evening Sitting, the Government would take Supply.

MR. SEXTON

asked the Prime Minister if he could devise some means of hastening the consideration and passing in this House of the Arrears Bill, and so help the tenantry of Ireland from an increase of the number of evictions? He further asked if it was the fact that 1,800 persons had been evicted in Connaught during the past fortnight?

MR. GLADSTONE

I have not had before me the number of evictions in the last fortnight. In respect to the other Question, the matter has not been lost sight of, and I intend to refer to it in the approaching debate.

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

asked if the Prime Minister adhered to his intention of proceeding with the second reading of the Arrears Bill on Monday? The Bill had not yet been distributed, and, considering its great importance, he hoped the Government would not persevere in their intention.

MR. GLADSTONE

I propose with regard to the very weighty Bill for the Prevention of Crime in Ireland, to allow an interval of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday between the second reading and the Committee. With regard to the Arrears Bill, where the question is one of principle, and where, in point of fact, Gentlemen would know nothing, on getting the Bill, that they do not know now, I think that the argument in support of a long interval is not very strong. I regret extremely that the Bill has not been distributed this morning; but I am positively assured that it will be in the Vote Office at 5 o'clock, and will be available for distribution by post this evening. As I have been led to say so much in answer to the appeal which the right hon. Gentleman was quite entitled to make, I wish to say that, assuming that the debate on the Prevention of Crimes Bill to terminate to-day, as I hope and do not feel any doubt will be the case, I certainly intend to ask the House to read the Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Bill a second time on Monday.

MR. ONSLOW

asked what would be the course of Business after Whitsuntide? There were important matters—the Procedure and Corrupt Practices Bill—now before the House. Would the Corrupt Practices Bill take precedence of Procedure?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

inquired what was to be done before the Whitsuntide Holidays, and what would be done if the Bill to be discussed that afternoon was not read a second time that night?

MR. GLADSTONE

said, that should the Prevention of Crime Bill by any accident not be read a second time this afternoon, he would have to consider whether it would not be his duty to ask the House to proceed with the debate at 9 o'clock this evening, or to take it on Monday. As to what would be the course of Business after Whitsuntide, by which, he supposed, was meant the Whitsuntide Holidays, he could not say what might happen; and it was premature yet to determine whether there would be any Whitsuntide Holidays or not.