§ MR ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI beg to give Notice that I will, on Monday, ask the Prime Minister whether he will in future give the Government Whips instructions not to mislead hon. Members by distinctly informing them that it is the intention of the Government to make a House, and by failing to do so; and I will further ask him whether he is aware that a number of Members of the Conservative Party were distinctly told by the Government Whips that it was not necessary for them to come early to the House, because it was quite certain a House would be made and kept? I may state that I, myself, in consequence of that, took no pains to ask hon. Members to come down to the House. I also wish to ask the Chief 1537 Secretary for Ireland whether he can inform the House if there is any truth in the statement that three of the late witnesses in the Crown prosecutions in Ireland had been refused permission to land at Melbourne by the Australian Government?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI think I had better answer the Question of the hon. Member at once. Neither the Prime Minister nor anyone else instructed the Government Whips to mislead anybody.
§ MR ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI rise to Order. I gave Notice of a Question to the Prime Minister for Monday. [Cries of "Order, order!"]
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTAn imputation has been made in the Question, and I will take the opportunity of answering it at once. Imputations of the kind cannot be allowed.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI rise to Order. [Cries of "Order!"]
§ MR SPEAKERThe right hon. and learned Gentleman is in possession of the House.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT; But I rise to Order. [Renewed cries of "Order!"]
§ MR SPEAKERUntil the right hon. and learned Gentleman says or does something out of Order I cannot interrupt him.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTYou have not heard my point of Order. I wish to ask you, Sir—[Interruption, and cries of "Name!"]
§ MR. SPEAKERThe right hon. and learned Gentleman is in Order.
§ MR. ASHMEAD - BARTLETTI have not had an opportunity to state my case. [Renewed cries of "Name!"]
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTIt is impossible to allow imputations made in such language to remain unanswered, and more especially as the hon. Member the other day made an imputation of that character in giving Notice of a Question which he said he would pursue—
§ MR ASHMEAD - BARTLETTIn regard to what?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTAn imputation of corruption upon the Suez Canal officers, to which a flat contradiction on the part of the Company, who were alleged—
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTI rise to Order again. May I ask whether 1538 the right hon. and learned Gentleman is in Order in introducing this matter?
§ MR SPEAKERThe right hon. and learned Gentleman must confine himself to the Question of which the hon. Member gave Notice.
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, with reference to the Question of which the hon. Member gave Notice, I desire to answer it at once. I say that neither the Prime Minister nor anyone else instructed the Government Whips to mislead anybody on the subject, nor have they misled anybody. The hon. Member has said he took no pains to induce his Friends to be present last night.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTEarly. SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT: Yes, early. All I can say is that it appears to me that in the month of August that is an indiscreet course on the part of anybody wbe desires to form a House.
§ MR ASHMEAD-BARTLETTWith reference to the statement made by the Home Secretary, I beg to give Notice, for his advantage, that I shall, on Monday, ask the Prime Minister whether he is aware that a number of Gentlemen on the Conservative side were distinctly told by the Government Whips on Friday, as well as on Thursday, that the Government intended to make a House last night. I can prove it.