THE LORD PRIVY SEAL AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (THE MARQUESS OF CREWE)My Lords, it has not been the usual custom of your Lordships' House to sit on Ascension Day, a festival which falls to-morrow; but with the leave of your Lordships we propose that there should be a meeting of the House to-morrow in order to take a Bill which has been read a first time to-day —a further instalment of the Defence of the Realm Acts. We shall be able, I think, to decide to-morrow whether or not it will be necessary to have a Monday sitting. But, subject to that, we should sit in the ordinary course through next week and be able, I think, to rise on 986 Thursday for a short holiday. I am not able, at this moment, however, to mention the period of the adjournment which I shall suggest to the House.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEI think your Lordships will consider that it will be for the general convenience, in the circumstances, that we should sit to-morrow and also on Monday of next week. I may say that we should prefer sitting on both of those days rather than have a number of Bills laid on the Table and hurried through all their stages without proper discussion.
§ House adjourned at five minutes past Five o'clock, till Tomorrow, half-past Ten o'clock.