§ MR. DILLWYNgave Notice that he would to-morrow ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he would take such steps as appeared to be desirable by which some Member of the House might be chosen by the House to occupy the Chair in the event of the absence from illness or other cause of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker?
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he was sure there would be general regret that the Deputy Speaker should have been called upon to fulfil actively the duties of the Chair at serious inconvenience to himself, and that the House were much obliged to him for the ready manner in which, notwithstanding that inconvenience, he 1175 had yielded to the demands of Public business. The Government would think it their duty to ask the House not to prolong the Sitting to a very late hour. With regard to the debate on the Representation of the People Bill tomorrow, two hon. Gentlemen on the Opposition side of the House, who had priority for their Motions, had kindly agreed to waive their privilege, and there wore other Members who had also agreed not to press their Motions. The hon. Member for Mallow (Mr. O'Brien) had a Motion on the Paper, and he wished to make a public appeal to him, to allow the debate to be resumed on Tuesday, as that was manifestly the general wish of the House.
§ MR. PARNELLMy hon. Friend the Member for Mallow (Mr. O'Brien) is not in his place, and all I can say is that I shall see him and do my best to persuade him to comply with the wishes of the right hon. Gentleman in this respect. With regard to the Business to-night, I should be glad to know whether the right hon. Gentleman proposes to agree to an adjournment of the debate on the Representation of the People Bill sufficiently early to enable the Revision of Jurors and Voters Lists (Dublin) Bill to be reached before the adjournment of the House? The Bill is unblocked, and consequently escapes the half-past 12 o'clock Rule.
§ MR. GIBSONIt will take two hours' discussion at least.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, he hoped that if the Bill to which the hon. Member (Mr. Parnell) referred was unblocked now, it would remain in that happy condition, and that there would be an opportunity of taking the debate on some future night. But as he believed some time would be required for the discussion of the Bill, it would not be possible to break off the debate on the Representation of the People Bill at such an hour as would enable the former Bill to be taken without making it an imperfect night.