MR. J. LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury in what order he proposes to take the business on the Paper to-day in relation to the Motion for Adjournment for the holidays?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Government have no choice but to take business in the order in which it stands on the Paper. The Motion for the Adjournment will be made after the Government Orders have been disposed of. The Orders as they appear on the Paper cannot be departed from.
MR. J. LOWTHERI am afraid the right hon. Gentleman did not understand my question. I wished to know at what hour he intends to make the Motion for the Adjournment over the holidays?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI beg the right hon. Gentleman's pardon. I think we ought to be able to make the Motion for Adjournment about half-past five o'clock.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)I wish to ask the Government if they are serious in putting down for the Committee stage to-day a Bill containing over 500 clauses—the Burgh Police and Health (Scotland) Bill? Do they intend us to deal with a Bill of this enormous magnitude before the Motion for the Adjournment is made? The usual practice is for the Government to make the Motion for the Adjournment at the commencement of 1253 Public Business, and I may say that I have given notice that it is my intention, on the Motion being made, to call attention to the conduct of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland in connection with the canditature of an Irish Conservative.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have directly followed precedent in this matter. The hon. and learned Gentleman should know that the invariable practice has been not to put down the Motion for Adjournment over the holidays first, but to take some business before it. The particular Scotch Bill which has been referred to only passed the Second Reading yesterday, and if any desire is expressed by the Scotch Members for longer time to consider it that desire will certainly be acceded to by the Government, and we should not think of pressing the Bill. The Bill is a very long one, but hon. Members on both sides are agreed upon many of its conditions and we hoped it might pass to-day. There will, however, be no attempt to force the House to discuss a measure of this character. With regard to the other measures they, ought not to take up much time; and as to the speech of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, I think an hour and a half ought to be enough for its discussion. Beside this, the House will only take non-contentious business.
§ MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)Will the right hon. Gentleman re-consider his decision about the Indian Councils Bill? There are Amendments to it of very considerable importance, and if he presses it on Monday he will not facilitate business.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREWhat business is to be taken on the first Monday after the Recess?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMy intention is to take a number of non-contentious Bills on Monday. The Burgh Police (Scotland) Bill is to be put down first, and probably the Indian Councils Bill. I entirely sympathise with the point of view of some hon. Members with respect to this measure; but something must be put down for the first day that we meet, whether it be Supply or a Bill, and as it requires some discussion it may perhaps be inconvenient to have it put down for that day. Neither theory nor practice seems in favour of putting 1254 down Supply, and I have endeavoured to put down non-contentious business.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREI understand, then that effective Supply will not be put down for Monday?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNot as the first or second Order.
§ MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, E.)Has it not been the practice of the House not to take Scotch business the first day after the Recess, especially if that day is a Monday? If a Scotch Bill is put down for Monday, the Scotch Members will have to travel on Sunday, because many of us have to come over 500 miles.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI agree that it would be more convenient if possible to take wholly non-contentious business than such Scotch Business as the hon. Gentleman refers to; but, as the hon. Gentleman is aware, this is an important Bill, which Scotch Members are very anxious to pass, and which is not a Bill that requires great discussion, and which might be squeezed out altogether if I did not take every opportunity of pushing it forward. In the interests of the Scotch Members themselves, and of the constituencies which they represent, I would therefore ask them, if possible, to deal with this Bill on the first Monday on which we sit after the Recess. The hon. Gentleman will see that this course is proposed to be taken not so much in the interest of the Government as in the interest of the Scotch Members themselves.