§ MR. BUCHANANWith regard to the Orders of the Day I desire to ask the Deputy-Speaker's ruling on a point of procedure—whether there is any precedent for the Course which the Government propose to pursue, and, if there is no precedent, whether it is in order to move the Deputy-Speaker out of the Chair in order to go into Committee on the Navy Estimates when the Navy Estimates have not yet been placed in the hands of Members?
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKERI believe there are two precedents, in 1896 and 1897, when the same course was pursued as is proposed to be followed to-day.
§ MR. BUCHANANDo I understand that in 1896 and 1897 a Motion was made to move the Speaker out of the Chair on the Navy Estimates, or any other Estimates, without those Estimates having been circulated?
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKERThe honourable Member only gave me a very few moments' notice, but during the interval I have ascertained so far as I have been able that precisely the same course is being followed to-day as on those two occasions.