§ MR. MOORE,Member for North Armagh, rose in his place, and asked leave 1275 to move the adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance—namely, "the action of His Majesty's present advisers in making an appointment of a Judgeship in the High Court of Justice in Ireland, which has been vacant for the last three years.
§ * MR. SPEAKERIf the matter which the hon. Member has raised had come before the House for the first time, I should have felt it my duty to have refused to accept his proposal, because I doubt whether, the appointment of the Judge having been made, it can properly be said that there is any urgency in the matter, however desirable it may be to call for an explanation with regard to it. But I find I am precluded by the action of my predecessor on an almost similar occasion, on 18th May, 1900,†when a Motion was made for the adjournment of the House in order to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance—namely, "the refusal of Her Majesty's present advisers to recognise the just claims of Ireland to representation in the High Court of Appeal for the three kingdoms." It seems to me that, if it was right in that case that a motion should be made for the adjournment of the House, the case which the hon. Member proposes to raise comes well within that precedent. Therefore, I do not raise any objection. Has the hon. Gentleman the leave of the House?
The pleasure of the House having been signified, the Motion stood over, under Standing Order No. 10, until a quarter past Eight this evening.
†See (4) Debates, lxxxiii., 593 et seq.