§ Mr. McKENNAWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the House is to sit on Friday, and, if so, what will be the business?
Mr. SONAR LAWWe think it necessary that the House should sit on Friday, when we will take the National Registration Bill, in its final stages, Report, and Third Reading. I may say that to-morrow, if there is time, it is proposed to take also the Second Reading of the new Bill in regard to the redistribution of seats in Ireland.
§ Sir C. HENRYIs it intended to take the Third Reading of the National Registration Bill on Friday?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes; I hope that this may be done.
§ Mr. KINGWill the right hon. Gentle-man put down shortly the promised new Standing Order with regard to Secret Sessions? Last Monday we should have had plenty of time to take it. If it were put down now it might be taken on some day when the House was about to rise early.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThat seems quite a reasonable suggestion and I will consider it.
§ Mr. G. LAMBERTIs it part of the agreement with reference to the Representation of Ireland Bill that there should be two additional members?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI cannot discuss that in answer to questions. That is a question which can be debated.
§ Mr. J. O'CONNORIs it not rather short notice to give us, to take the Second Reading to-morrow?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not think so. We only propose to take it to-morrow because the House regards it as an agreed measure.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes; it has already been introduced and will he available to-day.
§ Mr. O'CONNORAs the Bill is likely to contain a new provision increasing the number of members by adding two for the new universities, this would necessarily raise an important question.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI have taken that into account. I do not see that that should in any way affect the Second Reading. That is a point which will come on later.
§ Commander BELLAIRSWill a day be granted for the Motion standing in the names of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Barnard Castle and other leaders of the Labour party concerning the Russian Constituent Assembly?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI had not noticed it, but I certainly think that it would be un-desirable that the House should discuss that subject.
§ Mr. J. O'CONNORI must enter my protest against the course which has been suggested with regard to the Irish Bill.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLIs it proposed to take the Trade Marks Bill this Session?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThat is quite impossible.
§ Mr. O'CONNORAm I not entitled, Sir, to ask whether it is in order to bring forward an important measure of this kind without any notice whatever to the officials of the party most concerned in the matter, and who have pledged their word with regard to it?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI think this must be due to a misunderstanding. I recognise that both the hon. Member's Friends and my hon. Friends above the Gangway are specially interested in the principle of the measure, but I certainly understood that the principle of the measure. was agreed to. As it is only the Second Reading which is to be taken, details could be discussed in the Committee stage. I should be greatly surprised if the hon. Member for Waterford objected.
§ Mr. O'CONNORWhat objection is there to letting it stand over till Monday'
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe only objection is the very obvious one that we have very little time to get through a great deal of business that must be done.
§ Mr. MOONEYIs it fair to put down on the Order Paper to-day notice of the introduction of this Bill, which solely relates 1013 to Ireland, and to give no notice to the officials of the Irish party of the Second Reading to be taken to-morrow, as he must know that Members now in Ireland cannot possibly be here to-morrow. Is that in accordance with the usual custom?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI have tried to make it quite clear that the object of the Government, if there is no objection by the Chairman of the Ulster party or the hon. and learned Member for Waterford, is to get through a Bill which they thought was without opposition.
§ Mr. MOONEYThe right hon. Gentleman is hardly fair to himself and the House, for he must know very well that the members of the Irish party are engaged in Dublin, and it has not been communicated to the officials of that party that the Second Reading is to be taken to-morrow.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI am not going to have a dispute about the matter. My Noble Friend (Lord E. Talbot) thought it was an agreed Bill, and lie would not have put it down but for the fact that it is an agreed Bill. If there is any real feeling about this matter, we are not so pressed for time that we will insist on the Second Reading being taken to-morrow, and we will take that stage on the first available opportunity.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWWe have other Bills.
Ordered, "That the Proceedings on the Non-Ferrous Metal Industry Bill, if under discussion at Eleven of the clock this night, be not interrupted under the Standing Order (Sittings of the House)."—[Mr. Bonar Law.]