§ MR. LEA (Londonderry, S.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when the Land Purchase Bill will be taken?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI hope we shall be able to reach it by an early hour on Thursday.
§ In reply to Mr. J. MORLEY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne),
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHsaid: We shall, according to arrangement, take the appointment of the Scotch Committee on Thursday, and it was the universal understanding arrived at just before the Recess that that business would not occupy more than an hour and a half. [Sir G. CAMPBELL (Kirkcaldy, &c.): No, no.] Therefore, I hope we shall reach the Committee on the Land Purchase Bill by 6 o'clock. In any case we shall proceed with the Bill.
§ MR. LEAWill the Land Purchase Bill be the second Order of the Day for Thursday?
§ *MR. W. H SMITHI am obliged, owing to the operation of the 12 o'clock Rule, to ask the House occasionally to consider Bills of comparatively little importance first. In this instance 1815 I cannot undertake that the Land Purchase Bill will be the second Order, but it will be substantially.