§ MR. J. DILLONI want to ask the First Lord of the Treasury a Question in connection with the Votes on the Paper to-night—namely, whether he will consent to adjourn the Debate on the Vote for the Chief Secretary after an hour or so of Debate, to another day later in the Session; or if the right hon. Gentleman cannot consent to that, whether he will put off the Vote for the Irish Chief Secretary and proceed with the other Votes?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.If the hon. Gentleman can give us something in the nature of an undertaking that if we agree to what he asks, reasonable progress will be made with the other Votes, I should be disposed to meet him.
§ MR. DILLONI do not think that that is a reasonable request to make. The First Lord of the Treasury in opening the Debate on his new procedure proposals stated that he would always be anxious to consult the convenience of every section of the House. It can make no difference to the right hon. Gentleman what Irish Votes are taken to-night, and if it is convenient to us that the Vote for the Irish Chief Secretary should be put off to a later day, it can make no difference to the Government.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYThe hon. Gentleman is perfectly right in saying that I announced my intention to adopt and carry out the policy of meeting the convenience of all sections of the House as far as I could; and if the hon. Gentleman had on behalf of the Irish Members given me earlier notice that it was not convenient to take the Vote, I should not have put it down. However, perhaps the better plan would be to postpone it altogether.