§ "To extend the Parliamentary Franchise to Women occupiers," presented accordingly, and read the first time; to be read a second time upon Tuesday next.
§ 4.0 p.m.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEOn a point of Order. May I inquire whether the hon. Member for the Walton Division at Liverpool (Mr. F. E. Smith) was in order in opposing this Bill unless he intended to carry his opposition to a Division; and whether Mr. Speaker himself has not indicated that it is not in accordance with the spirit of the Standing Order that an hon. Member should speak in opposition to a Bill under the Ten Minutes' Rule unless he intended to carry his opposition to a Division?
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERNo. I have often heard it done before. Sometimes an hon. Member, in rising to oppose a Bill, says that he does not intend to divide the House upon it, although he intends to oppose it at a later stage. It is not out of order to oppose a Bill by speech, although that speech is not backed up by dividing the House.
§ Mr. F. E. SMITHMay I say, in order to put myself right with the House, that when I rose to speak it was my intention to challenge a Division? I did in the first instance challenge a Division, but, realising that the sense of the House—which I believe, rightly or wrongly, was not entirely on the merits of the proposal, but merely on the question that the Bill should be read a first time—was against me, and believing that that was the view of the House as a whole, I desisted from the intention which I originally had.
§ Mr. W. THORNEMay I ask whether the hon. and learned Gentleman was in any way intimidated?