§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed,
§ "That the Second Reading be deferred till Thursday next."
§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked, on behalf of many Members who took an interest in the Bill, that the Government would announce when they proposed to absolutely take the second reading.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER) (Isle of Wight)said, in the present state of Business it 524 was absolutely impossible to say. The Bill was now postponed pro formâ.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR (Donegal, E.)said, in reference to this nightly postponement of Orders, was there not a ridiculous amount of waste involved in this setting down of Orders for days when they could not by any possibility be taken? Day after day many Bills were postponed, and day after day were circulated with the Parliamentary Papers all the Amendments of which Notice had been given to Bills, although it was perfectly well known that there was no intention of giving consideration to them. By this circulation day after day and week after week among 670 Members, tons of printed matter were absolutely wasted. Was there the slightest use in going to all this expenditure? Was it necessary to reprint all the Amendments again and again when a Bill was formally postponed? Might not much of it be avoided by setting down Bills for such times as there appeared some reasonable prospect of their being taken?
§ SIR ROBERT FOWLER (London)said, it was not often he found himself able to agree with the hon. Member; but he certainly did join with him in a protest against the useless waste involved in the repeated distribution of Amendments never likely to be reached.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Second Reading deferred till Thursday next.