§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)asked Mr. Speaker whether it was in Order on a Saturday Sitting that Members should come down and find that Ministers to whom questions were addressed were not present?
§ MR. SPEAKERMinisters may be detained on Departmental business. I am not aware that there is any obligation on them to be present.
§ MR. BARTLEYBut on a Saturday Sitting is there not a special obligation?
§ MR. HANBURYasked whether the Rule of the House as to counting which applied to Wednesday Sittings did not also apply to Saturday Sittings?
§ MR. SPEAKERIt does. I satisfied myself that 40 Members were present when the House met.
§ MR. HANBURYasked whether the Four o'Clock Rule also applied?
§ MR. SPEAKERYes, the House cannot be counted out before 4 o'clock.
§ SIR J. GOLDSMID (St. Pancras, S.)asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer about what time it was intended that the House should adjourn?
§ MR. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman, before replying to the question, would consider the general opinion of the supporters of the Bill that the House ought not to adjourn to-day until substantial progress had been made?
§ SIR W. HARCOURTOf course, as the House has consented to the inconvenience of sitting on a Saturday—[Cries of 934 "We were never asked."] There is an old saying that silence gives consent. At all events, I am sure that as we are here we shall wish to do as much business as we can. The time of the adjournment of the House must depend on the amount of business done.
§ MR. HENEAGE (Great Grimsby)asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury whether he had made any arrangements for the usual dinner? He had been told that unless the dinner had been ordered by the Kitchen Committee no provision would be made.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. MARJORIBANKS,) Berwickshiresaid, that that question should be rather addressed to the Chairman of the Kitchen Committee.
§ MR. HENEAGEsaid, he would put the question to the Chairman of the Kitchen Committee.
§ MR. S. HERBERT (Croydon)said, that he had consulted the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury with respect to the matter, and there seemed to be a general feeling that no part of the House had any very great anxiety to sit until the dinner hour. It was hoped that when that time arrived the House would be satisfied with its day's work. At the same time, there would always be a certain amount of provisions of a lighter character. He hoped there would be enough to meet the requirements of the case.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOUR (Manchester, E.)said, he hoped the Chairman of the Kitchen Committee would make some further provision than that which he had stated. If he rightly gauged the temperature of the House, it was probable that they would all require dinner there.
§ SIR W. HARCOURTsaid, he was sorry to hear that announcement from the right hon. Gentleman. He was himself rather of an opposite opinion. As he had said, the time of the adjournment of the House depended upon their making reasonable progress. He could only interpret that remark of the right hon. Gentleman as meaning that he dissented from that view.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURsaid, that there seemed to be some difference of opinion between the right hon. Gentleman and himself as to what was reasonable progress.
§ SIR R. TEMPLErose—
§ MR. SPEAKER"Order, order!" The Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the Day.