MR. A. J.BALFOUR (City of London)asked for information as to the business arrangments for the week.
THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST' LORD OF THE TREASURY (Sir II. CAMPBELL-BANNEUMAN,) Stirling Burghssaid that to-morrow the Colonial Vote would be taken, and on Wednesday, when 475 Report of Supply would be brought to a close, the Home Office and Foreign Office would be put down. On Thursday the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill would be taken; and on Friday the Trade Disputes Bill. That Bill would be taken again on Saturday in the event—which he did not wish to anticipate—of its not being finished on Friday. On Saturday there would also be taken the Third Reading of the Appropriation Bill, the Motion for the adjournment, and one or two minor Bills.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThat is rather a largo Saturday programme.
SIR H. CAMPBELL-BUNNERMANsaid that there might be no business at all on Saturday except the Third Heading of the Appropriation Bill and the adjournment Motion. He regarded the possible prolongation of the Committee stage of the Trade Disputes Bill over Friday as an unpleasant hypothesis.
§ MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford)asked whether the adjournment Motion would cover the order and conduct of business for the autumn session, or would it merely fix the date for the re-assembling.
§ SIR. H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANsaid that it would include both; and that he would make a statement to-morrow.
§ MR. KEIR HARDIEasked whether the statement of the Under-Secretary for the Colonies as to the now Transvaal Constitution would begin the discussion of the Colonial Vote, and whether, if the Committee stage of the Trade Disputes Bill wore not concluded by eleven o'clock on Friday, the House would be kept sitting until that stage was concluded. He suggested that the undertaking given by the Prime Minister as to not carrying the Friday sitting beyond eleven o'clock did not apply to next Friday.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANsaid that the Under-Secretary's statement would open the discussion of the Colonial Vote. he was not aware of having given any pledge as to the duration of next Friday's sitting.
§ PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE.
§ Seventh Report brought up, and read; to lie upon the Table, and to be printed.