§ Order for Committee read.
§ (1.42.) MR. H. H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)I beg to move that this House do now adjourn.
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is impossible to move the adjournment of the House before the Orders are disposed of, unless the Government make the Motion.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLER(who spoke amid cries of "Order!"): I desire to raise a question of principle. There is a distinct understanding that our proceedings shall terminate at 1 o'clock. The Standing Orders have been suspended in order to allow the Debate on the Vote of Censure to conclude, but it is now nearly 2 o'clock. I know it is for the convenience of the Officials of the House that the Orders of the day should be disposed of, but it is now 20 minutes to 2 o'clock, and the House, in passing the Standing Order with regard to the 12 o'clock Rule, has not intended that the sitting shall be prolonged beyond 1 o'clock. To sit later is breaking faith with the House as to this Order. I differ, and always have done, from the construction placed on the Standing Order. I have maintained—though I know I am wrong—that the House should adjourn at 1 o'clock, and 806 that it ought to be impossible for us to be sitting here at nearly 2 o'clock giving hon. Members an opportunity for advancing Bills which are opposed by hon. Members who are absent. Unless you take the strong course, Sir, of ruling me out of order——
§ (1.45.) MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The right hon. Gentleman is not entitled to talk about my taking a "strong course" in my interpretation of the Standing Orders. The Standing Order that guides me is that which provides that after any business exempted from the Standing Order "Sittings of the House" is disposed of, the business remaining on the Paper shall be dealt with under rules applicable to the ordinary proceedings of the House after 12 o'clock. That is to say, business will proceed unless objection is taken, such objection being sufficient to arrest further progress. When an Order of the Day stands for Committee I am bound to leave the Chair without putting any question, therefore, in a certain sense, a Bill which goes into Committee for the first time is advanced a stage.
§ MR. H. H. FOWLERI did not mean, Sir, to place the same construction on the words "strong course" which you have very justly put upon them, and I at once withdraw them. But what I want to ask is whether it is not competent for any Member after 12 o'clock to move that the House do now adjourn.
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is competent, no doubt, to make that Motion between two orders of the day.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)We are all indebted to you, Sir, for the wisdom of your rulings. I would point out that when the House goes into Committee and Mr. Courtney is in the Chair the Motion to bring business to a termination is that the Chairman report Progress, and I would ask whether, if a Member were to move that the Chairman leave the Chair, that would not have the effect of setting up the Order in its old place? But then comes the point; how can a Member move that if it is objected to? Should not objection be taken before the Committee stage is reached?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe first question would be to report Progress, and on that the Bill would be deferred, if objection were taken.
§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)The next Order on the Paper is the Archdeaconry of Cornwall Bill. Should I not be in order in moving that the House do now adjourn?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member can take the opinion of the House on that question.
§ MR. CONYBEAREThen I make the Motion, that the House do now adjourn. [Cries of "No."]
§ MR. SPEAKERThe Motion is objected to. I cannot put it.
§ Committee deferred till Thursday.