§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI wish to ask either the Prime Minister or the Chief Secretary for Ireland a question as to Monday's Business in consequence of what fell from the Chief Secretary in answer to the hon. Member for South Tyrone. The hon. Member asked a question as to the time at which the Report of the Evicted Tenants Commission will be in the hands of hon. Members, and the Chief Secretary replied that he regretted that the Report was not in the hands of hon. Members now; that he hoped it would be in their hands on Monday, and that if it is not issued on Monday morning he will not ask the House to discuss the question until Monday evening. I hope, myself, that it will be in the hands of Members on Monday. There are certain questions connected with the Commission which have no relation to the Report, and I hope it will be understood that we are not to be precluded, after the pledges given by the Government, from discussing these ques- 1724 tions, whether the Report is in the hands of Members on Monday morning or not.
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEAs it is not absolutely certain that the Report will be in the hands of Members on Monday morning, and as it is undesirable that Members should remain in uncertainty as to the Business for Monday, I think it would be convenient to the House at large to change the Business for Monday and to fix this discussion for Tuesday.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman heard the answer given by the Secretary of the Treasury just now, to the effect that some of the cost of the Evicted Tenants Commission did come out of Supplementary Estimates? I think there has been some mistake about that. It appears that some of the money does come under the Supplementary Estimates, therefore we shall be entitled to discuss the Report of the Commission whenever the Supplementary Estimates come on.
MR. J. MORLEYIt would save the time of the House, and contribute to the continuity of discussion, if the criticisms of hon. Members opposite were confined to the Report and other incidents of the Commission.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI agree with that, but I am afraid that so large a question cannot be adequately discussed on a Tuesday afternoon.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLA great deal of the conversation that has been taking place across the Table of the House has been quite inaudible to me and hon. Gentlemen sitting near me. I desire to know whether the Debate on the Evicted Tenants Commission is to come on on Monday or not, or in what manner it is to be discussed? I have undertaken to challenge the policy of the Evicted Tenants Commission Vote whenever and however it comes on. I have not hoard a word of the conversation, and I entirely decline to be bound by any understanding that may have been come to across the Table. I have undertaken to move the rejection of the Vote, and will challenge the whole policy of the Commission. [Cries of "Order!"] I beg to move the adjournment of the House. [Interruption.]
§ MR. SPEAKERI hope the House will keep silence and allow the hon. Member to ask a question.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLI am sorry to have been obliged to appear to threaten by moving the adjournment of the House, but I say I have a right to put a question on a subject of great importance without interruption from hon. Members opposite. I desire, in the first place, to know whether this Vote is to be taken on Monday or not? In the second place, I wish to know, if it is not to be taken on Monday, when do the Government expect it to be taken? and, in the third place, we have heard something dropped by the Leader of the Opposition about certain expenses connected with the Commission, and I desire to know whether we are to have a fair fight on the policy of the Commission on the Vote for the Commission, or whether the subject is to be raised on the Stationery Vote, or something of that kind?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEAs I understand it, there is no doubt at all that this discussion is to take place on the Temporary Commissions Vote. We are satisfied with that. As to the time of the discussion, my suggestion of transferring it to Tuesday does not seem to be acceptable in all quarters; therefore it will stand for Monday.
MR. JAMES LOWTHERAs to fixing the day, I would ask the right hon. Gentleman if his attention has been called to the fact that on the same Vote a question of great importance as to which I have a notice on the Paper has precedence—I mean the Labour Commission? My Motion is to reduce the item for excess expenditure on the Labour Commission. That question comes before the Vote for the Evicted Tenants Commission. Has the right hon. Gentleman this fact in his mind?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEWe have no control over the proceedings of private Members, who think it their duty to give notice of Motions that, under the Rules of the House, would stand for discussion before the Evicted Tenants Commission. The right hon. Gentleman is in possession of his privilege, therefore the right hon. Gentleman will undergo no damage in the matter.