§ SIR WILLIAM HART DYKEasked, with reference to the second Order of the Day, the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill, When it was likely that the Committee stage would be taken?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI should like to say, before the Orders of the Day are called on, that we propose, seeing that the second Order of the Day has been blocked by 10 hon. Members, to ask the House, knowing the great majority are anxious to make progress with the Bill, to take the Committee stage to-morrow at 2 o'clock, so far as to endeavour to get the Speaker out of the Chair. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Dodson) has stated that important Amendments are to be moved in Committee; and a pledge has been given that there shall be full opportunity for their consideration, both by Members of this House and by persons outside who are interested. They will not be on the Paper until to-morrow; and, therefore, we shall not ask the House to make any progress with the Bill in Committee, but only to dispose of the Amendments standing in the names of the hon. Member for Salford (Mr. Arthur Arnold) and the hon. Member for Ennis (Mr. Kenny). Still, we desire to make use of that opportunity, if it be possible, in order to take the stage of the Speaker leaving the Chair. Ample Notice will then be given of when it is intended to take the Bill in Committee. If the House should agree to a Morning Sitting for this purpose, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer would find it convenient, both for this House and the House of Lords, to take the third reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill, which, probably, would not take a long time, as I do not apprehend there will be any discussion upon it. Immediately afterwards, we can proceed with the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill; and, should any further time be at the disposal of the House, it would, be prepared to take the second reading of the Municipal Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Practices) Bill.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, he was sorry that he should be almost compelled to oppose the taking of the Motion to go into Committee on the Contagious Dis- 616 eases (Animals) Bill to-morrow. It would seem to him to be a debate on principle, and it seemed doubtful whether any time would be saved until they saw the Amendments of the Government.
§ MR. ASHMEAD-BARTLETTsaid, he had the first place for Tuesday, for a Motion of great importance, and he would not give way unless the Government would give him a day; therefore, he should oppose the Motion of the Government.
§ SIR JAMES M'GAREL-HOGGasked, whether private Members were to understand that there would be a Morning; Sitting every Tuesday? As holding a sort of semi-official position, he had already had an important Bill three times postponed, and he wished to know whether they were always to be put off? There was plenty of time after Easter to commence these Morning Sittings.
§ MR. THOMAS COLLINShoped the House would not consent to a Morning Sitting to-morrow. It was quite unusual to resort to them before Easter.
MR. MAC IVERasked the President of the Board of Trade, what he meant to do with his Merchant Shipping Bill—whether he intended, or did not intend, to take the second reading of that Bill before Easter?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINI can only say that I intend to ask the House to take the second reading of that Bill as soon as the state of Public Business permits. I cannot say whether it will be before Easter, or at a Morning Sitting.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLasked Mr. Speaker, whether it would be in Order, on the third reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill, to raise the questions of the position of General Gordon at Khartoum, the policy of the Government in Egypt, and generally to discuss the state of affairs in the Soudan?
§ MR. SPEAKERI have to say, in reply to the noble Lord, that it is my duty to settle points of Order as they arise. If the question arises, I shall be prepared to settle it.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLThen I beg to give Notice that, on the third reading of that Bill, I will draw attention to the state of affairs in Egypt, and to the position of General Gordon at Khartoum.
§ MR. ARTHUR ARNOLDasked, whether he had correctly understood the noble Marquess to say it was not 617 intended to consider the Amendments to the Cattle Diseases Bill to-morrow?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONI said there was no intention on the part of the Government to ask the House to make progress with the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill in Committee except at a reasonable hour. As to the remark of my right hon. Friend the Member for Bradford (Mr. Forster) that no time will be saved, I think he is somewhat in error, because, considering that Notice of opposition has been given by the hon. Member for Salford (Mr. Arthur Arnold) and the hon. Member for Ennis (Mr. Kenny), it is likely that whenever this Motion is taken there will be some debate on the Question that the Speaker do leave the Chair; and, at all events, we must make progress to that extent at a Morning Sitting. If the noble Lord opposite the Member for Woodstock (Lord Randolph Churchill) intends, practically, to impede the progress of the Bill by raising a debate on, the third reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill, of course the Government cannot be responsible for that. That is a matter for the noble Lord to arrange with the Conservative Party, who profess to be anxious to see this Bill pushed forward. In reply to the hon. and gallant Gentleman opposite (Sir James M'Garel-Hogg), I may say that the Government have formed no intention of asking the House to allow them to appropriate Tuesdays for Morning Sittings. We regret the necessity of doing it at all; but the House is perfectly aware of the peculiar position in which we stand, and how little time we have had since the most pressing necessities of Supply have been disposed of. We understand that the Bill is desired by a very large majority on the Opposition side of the House, and by a considerable number on the other side. Under those circumstances, the Government thought the House would prefer that some progress should be made with the Bill, even at the cost of some inconvenience, and of depriving some hon. Members of the opportunity of bringing their Motions forward.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, he understood that, by the Rules of the House, when the Motion was carried that the Speaker do leave the Chair, the Bill could be brought on at any time of the night, independent of any block. He had no 618 wish to delay the Bill beyond the necessity of discussion; but the real discussion would take place on the Amendment of his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Dodson); and, therefore, he thought that, in assenting to the Bill being taken to-morrow, the House must ask for an assurance that the Committee stage would not be taken except at an early hour of the evening.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONsaid, he had already stated that the Government would not ask the House to make progress with the Bill except at a reasonable hour of the evening.