§ MR. B. PICKARD (York, W. R., Normanton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he will move the Second Reading of the Coal Mines Regulation Amendment Bill at Eleven o'clock tonight instead of at Midnight?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI cannot under present circumstances, with any prospect of success, ask my right hon. Friend to grant facilities of the kind indicated.
§ SIR W. HARCOURTWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to bring on this Bill with a view to passing it this Session?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.Perhaps that Question should be addressed to me. I understand that my right hon. Friend has dropped the only portions of the Bill which are regarded in any part of the House as contentious, and under those circumstances there is no reason why it should not be passed after 12 o'clock. I am afraid there is no immediate prospect of time before 12 o'clock being found.
§ MR. PICKARDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the coalowners in this House intend to block the Bill?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI have received no information to that effect.
§ MR. TOMLINSONMay I ask the Home Secretary whether he has ascertained that all parties have acquiesced in the dropping of particular clauses?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI understood that there was a general desire that the safety clauses of the Bill should be discussed by the Grand Committee on Trade. One particular clause contained rather debateable matter, and I intended in Committee to propose to omit that clause.