MR. GLADSTONEWith respect to the course of Business to-morrow, we hope to get, if possible, to the Report on the Scotch Agricultural Bill to-day; but, if not, it will be taken after the Parliamentary Registration (Ireland) Bill to-morrow, that Bill having been substituted for the Report on the Bankruptcy Bill at the wish of hon. Gentlemen opposite. ["Oh!"] There are several other measures as to which we hope to take a stage to-morrow, getting the Speaker out of the Chair on the Prevention of Cholera Bill if we should attain to the second reading of that Bill to-night; and we might also get the Speaker out of the Chair on the Local Government Board (Scotland) Bill, but not to go on with Committee on that tomorrow unless it is generally agreeable to Members of the House. As to the course proposed for Monday and Tuesday, hon. Members are aware of that; but on Wednesday, such very strong appeals having been made from the other side of the House, which we are very desirous to meet, we propose to take the Report on the Corrupt Practices Bill, altering the Order in compliance with the representations made to us. The Corrupt Practices Bill will, therefore, be brought forward on Wednesday, and I shall hope on Friday to get to the Report on the Bankruptcy Bill; but of that we will speak again in the course of the early part of next week.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEthe right hon. Gentleman used an expression just a moment ago about the Parliamentary Registration (Ireland) Bill to the effect that it was to be taken tomorrow in deference to the wish of Gentlemen on this side of the House.
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEThe wish expressed was that the Report on the Bankruptcy Bill should not be taken to-morrow, and no wish was expressed that the Parliamentary Registration (Ireland) Bill should be taken. What I was anxious to ask is, will the Government undertake that, after the Bills which they themselves bring forward on Saturday, they will move the ad- 1485 journment of the House, so as not to permit other Bills to be taken which are not Government measures? That, I think, has been the usual undertaking when we have Saturday Sittings, and I think it is one which the House generally expects.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORwished, before the right hon. Gentleman gave that pledge, to point out that the Labourers' (Ireland) Bill stood immediately after the Government Orders of the Day for to-morrow. It was a Bill of a non-contentious character, which passed the second reading without any Division. On the second reading he intimated that any Amendments proposed from either side of the House would be favourably considered by the promoters of the Bill. The Government proposed a large number of clauses which the Irish Members had embodied in the Bill. Since then the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for the University of Dublin (Mr. Gibson) had placed two Amendments on the Paper which the promoters of the Bill would accept, and Amendments by the hon. and gallant Member for Dublin County (Colonel King-Harman) would also in principle b e accepted. Therefore, he might describe the Bill as non-contentious. The only stage which he proposed to ask the House to pass was that the Speaker be allowed to leave the Chair; Progress would then be reported. He hoped the Prime Minister, inasmuch as this Bill was not opposed by the Leaders of the Conservative Party, would allow that stage to be taken to-morrow.
§ MR. ANDERSONwished, before the Question of the Leader of the Opposition was answered, to ask the Prime Minister if it was not the fact that the Government could only pledge itself in regard to Government Business whether it was not the right of the House at the time the Clerk at the Table called an Order, to decide when that Order should be taken; and whether, if the House decided that the Order was to be taken on Saturday, it rested only with those present on Saturday to decide that the House should or should not go on with it? He wished, further, to ask whether it was not the fact that last year, when the Government attempted to pledge itself against Private Members' Bills, they were defeated in the attempt?
MR. GLADSTONEIt rests with the House, and not the Government, to decide what Orders it shall take, or whether it shall take any Order whatever; but the Question addressed to me by the right hon. Gentleman is strictly confined to the part which the Government will take in respect to these Bills. Addressing me as a Member of the House, I feel greater force in the appeal made by the hon. Gentleman the Member for Galway (Mr. T. P. O'Connor) than when it is addressed to me as a Member of the Government, and responsible for arranging its Business. I consider I have no power to act in the matter. I am bound by good faith. When we obtained the extra time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays it was on a strict pledge, that so far as we were concerned, that extra time should only be applied to putting forward Government measures, and I must say the same pledge applies in its spirit, and, perhaps, oven in its letter, to any Sitting on Saturday. I have, therefore, no option whatever but to say that we shall act in the manner stated by the right hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORsaid, the right hon. Baronet the Leader of the Opposition might be aware that several Members on his side of the House had expressed themselves anxious that the Irish Labourer's Bill should be promptly passed. Under the circumstances, he would ask whether he had any objection to the Government making an exception in favour of this Irish Labourers' Bill; and whether he would take upon himself the responsibility of imperilling, if not destroying, the chances of the Bill being passed this Session?
§ SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTEI do not know whether I am quite in Order in answering this Question; but I wish to call attention to one point—namely, that my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for the University of Dublin is not here to-day and will not be here to-morrow, and I do not think the Bill ought to go on in his absence?
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORpointed out that he had already stated that he only wished to gain one stage, and that if they got into Committee on the Bill he would immediately report Progress.
§ MR. J. W. BARCLAYasked whether, in the event of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill not being read a 1487 third time at to-day's Morning Sitting, it would be allowed to take precedence at the Evening Sitting?
MR. GLADSTONEexplained that the Government had no power to bring the Bill on before Supply; but he would do the best he could in the matter.
§ In reply to Sir HENRY HOLLAND,
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINsaid, he had looked at the Amendments to the Patents Bill, and should be able to accept them with some verbal alteration. Under these circumstances, and believing there was no objection to the measure, lie proposed that it should be taken that day.