§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (EARL CURZON OF KEDLESTON)My Lords, before the debate on the Second Reading of the Corn Production Bill is resumed, perhaps I may make one or two observations about the course of public business. Representations have been made to me that it would be more in accord with the convenience of your Lordships and would facilitate the progress of the Bill on which we are engaged if the Committee stage, which we had provisionally fixed for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, were postponed until Wednesday and Thursday. I therefore propose, with your Lordships' approval, to make that arrangement; and I hope that the plans which have been made with regard to the further stages of the Bill may stand. As regards Tuesday, on which day we had arranged to meet at half-past three, I would now propose that we revert for the business of that afternoon to the ordinary hour of 4.30; and on Wednesday and Thursday, as I understand there are a good many Amendments on the Paper and the discussion on the Committee stage of the Corn Production 310 Bill will be, no doubt, prolonged on those two afternoons, I would propose that we should on each occasion meet at 3.30.
§ VISCOUNT CHAPLINMy Lords, I think your Lordships generally will be very much indebted to the Leader of the House for the concession he has made with regard to taking the Committee stage of the Corn Production Bill on Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Speaking not only for myself but for a great number of others, it would have been a matter of the gravest inconvenience if the Committee stage had been taken on Tuesday. This Bill, I need not say, is of the greatest importance, and naturally the Amendments to be put down, seeing how short a time we have had the Bill in our hands, will take some days to consider. As to the later stages of the Bill, upon those I imagine we can express a final opinion only when we know how matters have proceeded in Committee.