§ Considered in Committee.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed,
§ 1. "That, towards making good the Supply granted to His Majesty for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1916, the sum of £198,039 be granted out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom."—[Mr. Long.]
§ Mr. KINGI think we ought to have some explanation. May I ask, Mr. Maclean, whether it is possible under the Orders to take this at this stage? Ways and Means are not Supply.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANI may, perhaps, satisfy the hon. Member at once by saying that Ways and Means is part of Supply.
§ Mr. KINGI must object to this. It is certainly very unusual after having the whole question discussed as to whether we are to continue the Army Vote for another day or not, and the whole attention of the House having been taken up with the question whether we should suspend the Eleven o'Clock Rule to pass the Army Estimates, that we should take something else which is quite different.
§ The DEPUTY-CHAIRMANIt is in order on the question before the Committee.
§ Mr. KINGI suppose I am in order in asking that there should be some explanation of this matter from the Government?
§ Mr. LONGI will try and give some explanation. I am surprised that the hon. Member should have raised any objection to this procedure, because he is so familiar with the practice and procedure of the House of Commons and is such an authority in all that concerns it, that I am quite sure that it is only the late hour which has caused him to forget our practice. This is only a formal Motion, and a necessary precedent to the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill. There is nothing in what we are doing now which will deprive the hon. Member of the opportunity of making his speeches, which are so interesting to us and so important to the House. So far from being a departure from the practice of the House, what we are now doing is simply following the invariable and immemorial practice of the House.
§ Mr. KINGI am quite sure I do not desire the compliments which the right hon. Gentleman has showered upon me. I need only say that I am perfectly satisfied.
§ 2. Resolved, "That, towards making good the Supply granted to His Majesty for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1917, the sum of £36,636,000 be granted out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom."—[Mr. Montagu.]
§ Resolutions to be reported upon Tuesday next; Committee to sit again upon Tuesday next.
§ The remaining Orders were read, and postponed.
2447§ It being after half-past Eleven of the clock upon Thursday evening, Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
§ Adjourned accordingly at Five minutes after One a.m., Friday, 17th March, until Tuesday next, 21st March, pursuant to the Resolution of the House this day.