§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—(Mr. Austen Chamberlain.)
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)protested against the motion, as there were a number of important Bills on the Paper, particularly the Roman Catholic Disabilities Removal Bill, the passage of which the Government had expressed themselves as specially anxious to facilitate. When the House united to give the Government a certain amount of Supply by an early hour, after discussions which were short and concentrated, the least that private Members could expect was that they should have the benefit of the remainder of the sitting. The present motion was a monstrous innovation; there was absolutely no precedent for it earlier than the present or the previous session. It was putting a premium on obstruction, as the result would be that, if Members were to gain no benefit by granting Supply at an early hour, they would talk up to midnight.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINsaid that the motion was made in accordance with a pledge that, when an arrangement was entered into to give the Government a certain Supply, legislation would not afterwards be proceeded with. The next Order on the Paper was the Demise of the Crown Bill, and if the House continuedits sitting that was the Bill it would have to consider. To do that, however, would be a breach of the arrangement which had been entered into for the general convenience of the House.
§ Adjourned at a quarter after Eleven of the clock till Monday next.