§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)In connection, Sir, with the revision of the Order Paper, the hon. Gentleman the Member for South-East Cork had first place at the ballot for a notice of motion on your leaving the chair and going into Committee of Supply on the Army Estimates. That notice of motion is 1049 removed from the Paper. I want to know whether there is anything in the Standing Order directing that the notice standing in the name of the hon. Member for South-East Cork, who has been suspended for a week, should be removed from the Paper.
§ *MR. SPEAKERWhat has been done in this case was done in pursuance of the order that the hon. Member would be suspended from the service of the House for one week.
§ MR. DILLONDoes that order mean that all notices of motion in his name must, as a consequence of his suspension, be removed from the Paper?
*MR, SPEAKERNo. As each day conies on and the Notice Paper is made out, if that is one of the days during which he is suspended any notice in his name is erased.
§ MR. DILLONThis is a matter of the greatest importance. Do I understand you to say, Sir, that, in the event of the business to which his notice applied being postponed to a date subsequent to the expiration of his suspension, his right of priority will revive?
§ *MR. SPEAKERNo; I did not give you to understand that that would be the rule if his name was erased, but I will see if any case has arisen before similar to this. My impression at the moment is that he loses his right of priority if another Member gets in front of him on the Order Paper.
§ MR. DILLONHon. Members must see that this is a matter of great importance. To suit your convenience, Sir, I was thinking of putting a question on Monday next in reference to this point, asking you in the meantime to consider how the hon. Member's position stands as regards this notice. It affects not only questions of priority for a notice of motion, but also Bills.
§ *MR. SPEAKERI must deprecate the practice of putting questions of this kind to the Speaker. It is the Speaker's duty merely to answer questions of order and procedure as they arise.
§ MR. JOHN REDMONDMay I ask one additional question? I quite under- 1050 stand your ruling, Sir, that the hon. Member will lose his right of procedure if another Member below him on the Paper has brought on his motion. But in this case the question of your leaving the chair may be adjourned to-night before any Amendment is moved by any other Member, and I want to know, if at a date subsequent to the hon. Member's suspension for a week the question is again put on the Paper, whether his right would not then revive?
§ *MR. SPEAKERI would not like to give an unconsidered answer to the question. It may depend on precedents. If the hon. Member comes to the chair during the evening, I will endeavour to give him what information I can. My present opinion is, as I stated before, that his right does not revive.