HC Deb 05 November 1906 vol 164 cc140-2
SIR JOSEPH LEESE (Lancashire, Accrington)

May I ask what business will be taken to-morrow?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

said that it had been the intention of the Government to proceed with the Plural Voting Bill to-morrow, but he was sorry to say that his right hon. friend who was in charge of the Bill, whether exhausted by his labours or not he could not say, was unwell and would not be able to be in the House. In the circumstances that Bill would have to be postponed, and the Land Tenure Bill would be proceeded with.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

said he regretted the cause of the alteration in the arrangements, but he would remind the right hon. Gentleman that he was giving precedence to a measure which was not a Government measure until a few days ago. The notice was inconveniently short, and the fact that his right hon. friend the Member for South Dublin, who would naturally be in charge of the opposition to the Land Tenure Bill, was unhappily prevented through illness from being present greatly increased the general inconvenience which he feared would result from the Government proposal.

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

expressed his regret at the illness of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Dublin, but he thought the most convenient course would be that which he had stated.

SIR A. ACLAND-HOOD (Somersetshire, Wellington)

Did not the right hon. Gentleman tell me last Friday that the Merchant Shipping Bill would follow the Trade Disputes Bill?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

That was providing the Trade Disputes Bill was finished on Friday.

SIR A. ACLAND-HOOD

Then why did the right hon. Gentleman put down the suspension of the eleven o'clock rule for to-night?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I should not have put it down had we got through the Trade Disputes Bill on Friday, but we did not, and hence the necessity to take precautions so as to finish it to-night.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

reminded the right hon. Gentleman that he had promised three days to discuss subjects of great importance—a day for the Army, a day for the discussion of alterations in the House [MINISTERIAL cries of "Oh"] —well, he would say an opportunity— and a third day for the discussion of the Convention which the Government had entered into with regard to wireless telegraphy. In addition the right hon. Gentleman had expressed his anxiety to proceed with the Merchant Shipping Bill. Here was material for at least a week's work. It would be for the convenience of the House that some other business should be taken before the Land Tenure Bill.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

asked whether it was the intention of the right; hon. Gentleman to proceed with another very useful measure—the Public Trustee Bill?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

said he was as anxious as the hon. and gallant Gentleman opposite to proceed with the Bill he had mentioned. He did not think that the course he had suggested would cause any great inconvenience. The right hon. Gentleman opposite must allow the Government to have some voice in the arrangemement of business.

MR. EVELYN CECIL (Aston Manor)

When will the right hon. Gentleman be able to take the Merchant Shipping Bill?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I do not know when.

MR. ABEL SMITH (Hertfordshire, Hertford)

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware he is causing serious inconvenience to a large number of private Members by bringing on the Land Tenure Bill?

SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

was understood to reply that private Members were in the House to look after business.