§ Order for Committee read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."—(Mr. H. H. Fowler.)
§ SIR HICKS-BEACH (Bristol, W.)said, he had given notice of an Instruction to the Committee, and he wished to know whether, under the Standing Order, he could move that Instruction now before Mr. Speaker left the Chair? They had not had long notice given of the Committee stage.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, the notice was undoubtedly very short—just one day from the Second Reading; but he did not think he could entertain any Motion at that stage.
MR. T. M. HEALYwished to ask whether the word "notice" was to be taken as meaning a notice on the Paper of the House? If so, was it not the case, according to a ruling of Mr. Speaker since the opening of the Session, that two days' notice where required.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, the notice was an ordinary one of Instruction to a Committee to deal with a certain subject. He could not remain in the Chair as long as they had the Order for Committee on the Paper.
§ MR. SPEAKERruled that there was no point involved.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ [The POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. Arnold Morley) took the Chair.]
§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ Clause 1.
§ *SIR M. HICKS-BEACHmoved to report Progress. He wished to assure the House that the Instruction he had in view was a perfectly bonâ fide one on his part. He would never dream of moving one that was not that. It dealt with the question of personal payment of rates, which was of the utmost importance; and his opinion was that as the Government had undertaken to bring in a measure of their own, it would he better to let this Bill stand over until that Bill had been produced. That would be better than having only one part of the question considered in a Bill like this.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. H. H. FOWLER,) Wolverhampton, E.said, the Government would have a larger Bill to bring in dealing with this whole subject, and he hoped it would be submitted for Second Reading before this measure could reach Second Reading. The hon. Baronet could make his Motion for an Instruction in that case. He would be happy to afford every facility to him for discussion.
MR. T. M. HEALYsaid, this was fairly a question for a Grand Committee, and they should send it up to them.
§ Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Wednesday, 7th June.