HC Deb 29 March 1905 vol 143 cc1647-8
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY (Sir A. ACLAND-HOOD,) Somersetshire, Wellington

in moving the adjournment of the House said that, in accordance with the wishes of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Forest of Dean, it was proposed to take the Report on Vote 7 as the first order at nine o'clock to-morrow evening and the Report on Vote A as the second order.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."— (Sir A. Acland-Hood.)

MR. RUNCIMAN (Dewsbury)

said he wished to ask the Patronage Secretary of the Treasury whether he was aware that a Resolution had been passed by the House that night, nemine contradicente, pointing out that the scheme put forward by the right hon. Member for West Birmingham was detrimental to the interests of one of our greatest industries, the British shipping trade, and of industries closely allied thereto. He understood that the Prime Minister was not aware, of what had passed in that House last night. Fut it was important that the Prime Minister should know this, because he was the Leader of the House, or had been in the afternoon, and ought to be aware of what was the opinion of the House, containing as it did the representatives of the nation. He would ask the right hon. Gentleman also to convey the information to the President of the Board of Trade and to the Secretary to the Board of Trade. He presumed the right hon. Gentleman was not in a position to state where the Secretary to the Board of Trade was that night—perhaps they had no right to inquire—but if there was one place in the world where ho ought to have been that night it was in his place on the Treasury Bench.

MAJOR SKELY (Isle of Wight)

said he desired to ask Mr. Speaker whether it was not a gross breach of constitutional usage for a salaried Minister of the Crown and servant of the Slate, whose Department was concerned not to be in his place on the Treasury bench on an occasion like the present?

*MR. SPEAKER

It is extremely undesirable that the Chair should be called upon to express an opinion upon matters of which the House is the proper judge.

Adjourned at Seven minutes after Twelve o clock.