§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLasked the Speaker whether some arrangement could be made with the officials of the other House whereby business would not be suspended by the arrival of Black Rod. On Thursday there was an exceptional instance of the inconvenience caused, when, the House being in Committee, the proceedings were interrupted, the Chairman left the chair, the Speaker was recalled, and a very interesting speech had to be suspended [a laugh] —yes, a very interesting speech—until, after the return of the Speaker, the Chairman could return to the chair. This difficulty had occurred before, and in 1891 Mr. Speaker Peel, in reply to Mr. Labouchere, said some arrangement should be made to prevent unnecessary interruption of business. Opposed as he was to the use of strong language, he did not like to repeat what Mr. Labouchere said of the "invasion" of the House by Black Rod.
§ *MR. SPEAKERI quite agree with the hon. Member that it is inconvenient to have business interrupted by the delivery of a message by Black Rod, and I have always endeavoured, so far as I have any share in fixing the time, to have the message delivered at a time most convenient for business, I will make further inquiry, and see if it is possible to avoid interruption of business. It sometimes happens that it is necessary or desirable to get the Royal Assent to a Bill rapidly, and, if so, it is rather difficult to find a time at which the business of the House would not be interrupted for a short time. But I will put myself into communication with the authorities of the other House, and try to arrange the time for the delivery of the message.