§ MR. GIBSONsaid, he wished to put a Question to the noble Marquess with regard to the Order of Business for that evening. At the Sitting of the House last evening, it was arranged that the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill should stand the first Order of the Day, 464 and that the Elections (Hours of Poll) Bill should be the second Order of the Day, the third Order being the Revision of -Jurors' and Voters' Lists (Dublin County) Bill. That was the understood position of things when he left the House at half-past 2 o'clock. To his great surprise that morning, he found that the position of the second and third Orders of the Day had been transposed, and that now the Irish Bill had precedence of the Elections (Hours of Poll) Bill. A great number of those who were interested in the Irish measure, having relied on the arrangement entered into last night, were not present that evening, as they had been led to believe that there was no chance of its coming on for discussion. He wished to know how this alteration had come to be made?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, that the alteration was the result of a fresh arrangement that had been entered into at a late hour of the night, or rather of that morning, when great difficulty was experienced with regard to obtaining the necessary Votes in Supply. He did not recollect the exact circumstances under which the alteration was made in the subsequent Orders of the Day; but he believed that the reason for the alteration was, that it was expected that the discussion on the Report of Supply would occupy so much time that it was regarded as useless to put down the Elections (Hours of Poll) Bill in a prominent place for that afternoon. He understood that the arrangement had been made with the assent of those occupying the Front Bench opposite.
§ MR. GIBSONasked at what hour the arrangement was made? He had been in the House until half-past 2 that morning, when he understood that the Irish Bill would be the third Order of the Day. If the Bill came on for discussion that afternoon, would the noble Marquess support the Motion for the adjournment of the discussion on the Motion for going into Committee on the Bill?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)said, that the arrangement had been come to shortly before 3 o'clock in the morning, and no objection was made to it on the part of anyone.
§ MR. GIBSONThe right hon. Gentleman waited until I had left the House 465 before proposing the now arrangement.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)With the very greatest respect for the right lion, and learned Member, he was not in our minds at all when we proposed the new arrangement.
§ MR. ONSLOWasked, whether the; Government would not proceed that afternoon with the Elections (Hours of Poll) Bill under any circumstances?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, that, inasmuch as hon. Members had had notice by their Papers which they had received that morning that the Elections (Hours of Poll) Bill stood next after the Irish Bill for that afternoon, he could not undertake not to proceed with the former Bill if it were reached.