§ MR. A. J. BALFOUR (Manchester, E.)I should like to ask a question of the right hon. Gentleman with regard to the Motion that stands in his name for the suspension of the Twelve o'Clock Rule tonight. I do not propose to object to that Motion, but it must not be understood that in agreeing to it I think it possible for the Debate on the Evicted Tenants Bill to close tonight. I do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman has come to the same conclusion as I have, that it is impossible to finish the Debate on the Bill to-night, or whether he proposes to sit long after 12 o'clock, or merely proposes to use the extension of the time to allow the hon. Member who may be in possession of the House at midnight to finish his speech.
§ SIR W. HARCOURTI put this Motion down in the hope and with the expectation that the Debate on the Evicted Tenants Bill might be concluded to-night, and not with the intention of keeping the House up late. I wished rather to give the House an opportunity of concluding the Debate to-night if it were disposed to do so, but my intention is not to ask the House to sit late.