§ Order for Committee read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Committee be deferred till To-morrow."—(Mr. A. J. Balfour.)
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)begged to point out the futility of such an arrangement. Tuesday was a private Members' day, and, as the Motions of private Members would have precedence of Government Business, there would not be the slightest chance of the Bill being taken. Then the same remark applied to Wednesday, and Thursday was appropriated to the Local Government Bill, which was to be continued at a Morning Sitting on Friday. Honestly, he would ask the Government to give up the ghost of this Bill. [Cries of "No!"] Of course, the worthy Alderman opposite objected to giving up the ghost of anything, even of the City of London administration. But, considering the position in which the Bill stood, would it not be better at once to put it off for six months. He strongly objected to this useless setting down of an Order from day to day.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, he would admit that it was extremely improbable that the Bill would be taken to-morrow; but everybody must know the uncertainty of the course of Parliamentary Business, and he had known the most important matters run through in a most unexpected manner. He was unwilling to lose a possible chance by not putting the Bill down. He was ready to admit also that the Bill could not come on on Wednesday or Thursday, but still that should not affect the setting down the Bill as proposed.
§ Question put.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI must object to that, and we can take a Division.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe majority of the House may decide if the Bill should be set down for this or a future day.
§ Question again put.
§ MR. SPEAKERThere is not a preponderance of voices for the later day, 1146 and there can be no Division on the subject.
§ Committee deferred till To-morrow.