§ MR. DISRAELI (Cheshire, Altrincham)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, in view of recent events, whether he is prepared to view favourably the House reverting to its former convenient hour of meeting, and the abolition of the dinner interval.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere are, of course, objections to any conceivable plan of allotting Parliamentary time; but if my hon. friend will cast his mind back to the objection felt to the old system he will agree, I think, that the new system, whatever may be the objections to it, is far preferable. I do not mean to go further than to say that we ought to have an important block of time for the discussion of public affairs in the afternoon, an interval for dinner, and afterwards the opportunity for further debate on new Motions. I do not believe the House will ever abandon that system, whether we meet a little earlier or later.