§ MR. FAITHFULL BEGG (Glasgow, St. Rollox)moved, That the House do now go into Committee on this Bill.
§ Objection being taken,
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid that as some Members appeared to object to his leaving the Chair, it was desirable that he should explain why it was not compepetent for them to do so. Standing Order No. 51 compelled him to leave the Chair, on the Order for the Committee being read, unless there was a Notice of Instruction on the Paper. There were two Notices of Instruction on the Paper, but those being Instructions that were not valid, he might—in accordance with previous and, if he might respectfully say so, correct ruling from the Chair—treat them as nullities and step out of the Chair at once. Rut the more usual and convenient course was that he should first make a statement, as to the reasons why they were not valid Instructions. Therefore, he would say that the Instruction of the hon. Member for Caithness was out of order, in the first place because it was a mandatory injunction to a Committee of the whole House, and, in the second place, because the subject-matter of it might be dealt with by way of Amendment. The Instruction of the hon. and gallant Member for Torquay, was bad, so far as it related to women's votes, because it might be made the subject of an Amendment, and in so far as it related to taking away men's votes it was bad as being outside the scope of the Rill. Both Instructions were bad, and 1639 that being so, under the provisions of Standing Order No. 51 he was obliged to leave the Chair forthwith.
House in Committee.
§ [Mr. GRANT LAWSON (York, N. R., Thirsk) in the Chair.]
§ Clause 1,—
§ Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Wednesday 23rd June.