MR. GLADSTONEI engaged on Tuesday to give such indication as I could to-night with regard to the Business of the House. I believe, Sir, the important Business of the House which we have to transact is, in the first place, to deal with the Parliamentary Elections, Redistribution, Bill on its second reading; and, in the second place, to meet for the purpose of attending the other House upon any occasion when Her Majesty may be pleased to give Her Royal Assent to Bills that may have passed through both Houses. At present there are two questions urgently demanding the attention of the House, and with which it is disposed to deal before the adjournment. Of course, it is a question of interest and importance to consider for how long the adjournment shall take place. We ought to recommend to the House, as we believe the House will desire, that the adjournment should be for what I may call a liberal length. But I ought to remind the House that the adjournment does not, in all circumstances, imply absolutely the cessation of Public Business. That is to say, that if an emergency arose, or, short of an emergency, if any serious occasion arose, upon which it was desirable to have an immediate reference to Parliament, Her Majesty is invested by Statute with power, where either House has adjourned for more than 14 days, of summoning them together, with the advice of the Privy Council, with an interval of not less than six days. That being so, and considering the serious demand that has been made on the time and patience of Members at these Autumn Sittings, we think the House, when it rises—if it rises—on Saturday next, may adjourn, with a tolerably good conscience, until 658 the 10th of February. [Loud cries of "Oh, oh!" and "Longer!"] I see that that requires explanation. I do not know whether it is that the rigour of the conscience of the House is alarmed and offended, or whether it is, on the contrary, that an equitable view of the circumstances leads the House to think that it might adjourn to a still later date. I need hardly state to the House that the view of the Government is to meet the general desire of the House, and that the announcement is not absolutely written in letters of iron until the Motion comes to be made. With regard to the mode of proceeding, we depend partly, and in a considerable degree, upon the proceedings of tonight. I do not know whether it will be the pleasure of the House to terminate the discussion on the second reading of the Parliamentary Elections, Redistribution, Bill to-night. If I may presume to form an opinion, I believe that lengthened discussion might probably be advantageously reserved till the Motion is made that the Speaker do leave the Chair. Assuming that the debate closes to-night, I would move that the House, at its rising on Saturday, should adjourn to the day I have named, unless I should have a clear indication that the House wishes for a longer period. In that case I should propose that the House, at its rising tonight, should adjourn until Saturday; and I am not aware that in that case there would be any necessity to tax a large number of Members for the purpose of appearing on Saturday. If the debate goes beyond to-night, I should to-morrow night make a similar Motion with regard to the adjournment on Saturday.