§ Captain REDMONDMay I ask, on a point of Order, Mr. Speaker, whether it is the customary practice for a Member of the House to call your attention to the number of those present and immediately to withdraw himself? That occurred here last night, when the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Central Bradford called your attention to the numbers present in the House, and then immediately withdrew himself.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI presume the reason the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers to this matter is in order to refer to the hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Central Bradford. That in itself is unusual, and is not the custom. The custom is never to refer to an hon. Member who rises to call attention to the fact that 40 Members are not present. In reply to the hon. and gallant Member, I am sorry to say that I have known the practice pursued of hon. Members coming in, calling my attention to the shortage of Members, and then, so far from assisting in making up the House, they have withdrawn.