§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (EARL CURZON OF KEDLESTON)My Lords, I propose to ask your Lordships, as we have a rather heavy bill of fare, to meet at 3.30 p.m. to-morrow, when the 252 Bills which have been dealt with in another place to-day and the First Reading of some of which has just been conceded by your Lordships, will be taken. I also would like your Lordships to agree to the proposal that Government business have precedence to-morrow. I shall hope, in these circumstances, to get the Second Reading to-morrow of the various Bills, four or five in number, not all of them of first-class importance, to which I refer. I would them ask your Lordships, if you are good enough to give a Second Reading to these Bills to-morrow, to take the Committee stage of all of them on Thursday, meeting for that purpose, as I think it will be to the general convenience, at 12 o'clock noon. Already, under the suspension of the Standing Order, we have the power to take these Bills through their various stages in a single day, and I shall ask your Lordships, if you give a Second Reading to these measures to-morrow, to pass them through their remaining stages on Thursday, with a view to getting the Prorogation of Parliament that afternoon. The House of Commons will remain in session, I understand, until Thursday for that purpose; and if things go well, I hope that we shall be able to obtain the Prorogation on that evening. I understand that I ought to give notice that I shall move, at the commencement of business to-morrow, that Government business have precedence of all other business. That, my Lords, I will do. I beg to move that the House do adjourn until 3.30 to-morrow.
§ Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
§ [From Minutes of November 18.]