§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL (Mr. OSBORNE MORGAN)said, he saw that this Bill was blocked, and lie should like to have the Speaker's ruling as to whether it was competent to him to bring on this Motion now? He submitted that it did not come under the half-past 12 Rule, upon the ground that 980 having been brought in under the provisions of, and to continue the Army Act, 1881, it was a "proceeding made in accordance with the provisions of an Act of Parliament," and, as such, within the exceptions contained in the 45th Standing Order.
§ MR. SPEAKERI am of opinion that this is a Bill which does not come within the half-past 12 Rule; but is a Bill specially exempted from that Rule.
§ The JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL (Mr. OSBORNE MORGAN)said, the Bill was blocked by the hon. Members for Monaghan (Mr. Healy) and Sligo (Mr. Sexton), and he therefore wished to obtain the Speaker's opinion. As, however, those hon. Gentlemen were not present, he thought that to move the second reading now would be to take the House by surprise; and he should, I therefore, not move the second reading till to-morrow.
§ Second Reading deferred till To-morrow.