§ MR. RAIKESsaid, he understood that the Parliamentary Elections (Redistribution) Bill was to be taken on Friday after the re-assembling of the House. He desired to ask, Whether the President of the Local Government Board would secure that Schedule 7, which dealt with the boundaries and names of counties, should not be taken until the following Monday, having regard to the fact that the Quarter Sessions in various parts of the country were to be held in Easter week, and it would therefore be extremely difficult for many county Members to be present on Friday week?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEsaid, it would not be desirable to give a pledge; but he did not think it likely that Schedule 7 would come on earlier than Monday fortnight. The Bill would be put down for Tuesday next; but in all probability it would not be reached at all till the following Friday week.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORasked the Prime Minister, what would be the course of Business on Tuesday?
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, the Motion for the Adjournment of the House would be made on Tuesday; and, from communications he had received, he believed that that was likely to give rise to some discussion in the quarter of the House where the hon. Member sat. The Parliamentary Elections (Redistribution) Bill would be the first Order.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORAm I to understand it is proposed to make the first Order a Bill which the Minister in charge stated that he had no intention to take?
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEI must correct that impression. I said I feared 847 that there would be no chance of taking it.
MR. JOSEPH COWENasked, whether the Parliamentary Elections (Redistribution) Bill being down on the Orders, it would not block Supply, and thus prevent debate on the Motion to go into Supply?
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, debate could take place on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House.
SIR WALTER B.BARTTELOTasked for a more definite assurance that the Parliamentary Elections (Redistribution) Bill would not be taken on Tuesday.
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHthought it would be most inconvenient to have the Seats Bill put down for Tuesday. He would ask the right hon. Baronet to reconsider his determination to put on the Paper a Bill which, he said, was very unlikely to be taken.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEsaid, he did not think it would be convenient to make any pledge on the matter.
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSsaid, he would remind the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Local Government Board that he yesterday stated that the Bill would not be taken again before Easter.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEsaid, that what he stated was that he had abandoned the hope of proceeding with Schedule 7 before Easter.
§ MR. WARTONsaid, it was understood that the Bill would not be taken again at all before Easter, and the answer of the right hon. Baronet was so reported in all the papers.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEdenied that that was what he promised.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORasked the Prime Minister, Whether, having now heard the statement of the right hon. Baronet the President of the Loral Government Board, he would put down upon the Paper on Tuesday a Bill which would merely have the effect of obstructing the discussion of other Business; and, whether the right hon. Gentleman did not think it would be well not to obstruct the discussion of the Motion standing on the Paper for Tuesday?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe Question of the hon. Member is argumentative in discussing the course of procedure of Business, which is entirely in the discretion of the Government.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, in answer to the argumentative Question of the hon. Member, he would say that, unfortunately, the time of the House was at present so occupied that the Government could not afford to sacrifice even the chance of pressing forward a measure so desirable to all Members of the House.
§ MR. R. N. FOWLERasked, at what hour the House would meet on Tuesday?