§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E., who had the following notice of motion on the Paper—
Business of the House (Housing of the Working Classes Act (1890) Amendment Bill) —That the Order for resuming the Adjourned Debate on the Second Reading of the Housing of the Working Classes Act (1890) Amendment Bill have precedence this day of the Notices of Motion and the other Orders of the Day—said: The House is aware of the circumstances under which I originally placed this motion on the Paper. I then entertained the hope that the motion might be disposed of before five o'clock, and that we might have sufficient time to conclude the debate on the Housing of the Working Classes Bill, and also to give an opportunity to private Members to proceed with their resolutions. It is, however, otherwise ordained, and the time has approached half-past eight before I have had an opportunity of moving. As the motion itself might perhaps be discussed at considerable length, the amount of time the Government measure would gain would be extremely limited, and therefore I think it is hardly worth while raising any controversy as to how the dregs of this evening should be spent. Under these circumstances I do not pro- 257 pose to make the motion which stands in my name on the Paper.
§ MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)Do I understand the First Lord of the Treasury to say that private Members' motions will now be able to come on?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat follows as a matter of course.