§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, before the House adjourns I desire to call attention to an Order which is on the Paper for tomorrow. It is in the name of my noble friend Lord Biddulph. It addresses to His Majesty's Government 515 a Question with regard to associations which undertake to apprentice boys in various trades and asks whether the Government could see their way to help such operations. I understand that my noble friend is about to ask your Lordships' leave to postpone the matter until after the Whitsuntide Recess, but the responsibility for that decision really rests upon us, and not upon him. The, fact is that my noble friend Lord Cecil of Chelwood, whose business it is to reply upon that particular subject, is obliged to attend a very important Committee to-morrow. I have done my best, I can assure your Lordships, to postpone the Committee, hut it finally came to this, that either the Question must be postponed or another noble Lord from this Bench would have to undertake the duty of replying. My noble friend Lord Biddulph intimated that he would prefer that Lord Cecil of Chelwood should reply, and so he has elected to postpone the Question. I am very grateful to him, but I was anxious your Lordships should know the facts so that the House should not assemble under a misapprehension to-morrow.
§ LORD BIDDULPHMy Lords, I am quite willing to postpone my Question until another day.
§ [From Minutes of May 21.]