Sitting of 4 December 1900

Preamble
The House met at Twelve of the clock, Mr. Speaker Elect taking the Chair.

ELECTION OF SPEAKER.
Message to attend the Lords Commissioners by Black Rod.
The House went—and, being returned—
Mr. Speaker reported, That the House had been in the House of Peers, where Her Majesty was pleased, by Her Majesty's Commissioners, to approve of

15
the choice the House had made of him to be their Speaker; and that he had in their name and on their behalf, by humble petition to Her Majesty made claim to their ancient and undoubted Eights and Privileges, particularly to freedom from arrest and all molestation of their persons; to freedom of speech in debate; to free access to Her Majesty when occasion shall require; and that the most favourable construction shall be put upon all their proceedings, which, he said, Her Majesty, by her said Commissioners, had confirmed to them in as full and ample a manner as they have been heretofore granted or allowed by Her Majesty, or any of her Royal predecessors.
Mr. SPEAKER repeated his most respectful acknowledgments to the House for the high honour they had done him.
Mr. SPEAKER then put the House in mind that their first duty was to take and subscribe the Oath required by Law.
Thereupon Mr. SPEAKER first alone, standing upon the upper step of the Chair, took and subscribed the Oath.
Several Members took and subscribed the Oath, and a Member made and subscribed the Affirmation required by Law.

RE-ELECTION OF MINISTERS.
Message to attend the Lords Commissioners by Black Rod.
The House went—and, being returned—
Mr. SPEAKER reported, That the Lords Commissioners under the Great Seal for opening and holding this Parliament had made a communication to both Houses, which Mr. SPEAKER read to the House, as followeth:—
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"We have it further in command from Her Majesty to acquaint you that, since the time when Her Majesty deemed it right to call you together for the consideration of business, certain vacancies have occurred in the House of Commons owing to the acceptance of office from the Crown by Members of that House; it is
16
therefore Her Majesty's pleasure that an opportunity may now be given to issue Writs for supplying the vacancies so occasioned, and that subsequently you may proceed to the consideration of such matters as arc to be laid before you."
Several other Members took' and subscribed the Oath, and several Members made and subscribed the Affirmation required by Law.

NEW WRITS.
County of Surrey (South Western or Guildford Division)—in the room of Right Hon. William St. John Freemantle Brodrick, Secretary of State.
Borough of Preston—in the room of Right Hon. Robert William Hanbury, President of the Board of Agriculture.
Borough of Dover—in the room of George Wyndham, esquire, Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
County of Suffolk (South Eastern or Woodbridge Division)—in the room of Ernest George Pretyman, esquire, one of the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
County of Derby (Western Division)—in the room of Victor Christian Cavendish, esquire, Treasurer of Her Majesty's Household.
County of Somerset (Western or Wellington Division)—in the room of Captain Sir Alexander Fuller Acland-Hood, baronet, Vice—Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household.—(Sir William Walrond.)
Several other Members took and subscribed the oath, and several other Members made and subscribed the affirmation required by law.

ADJOURNMENT.
Motion made, and Question, "That this House do now adjourn"—(Sir William Walrond), Put, and agreed to.
Adjourned accordingly at live minutes after Four of the clock.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The Lords Commissioners being seated in front of the Throne, and the Commons being sent for—
MR. SPEAKER ELECT: My Lords, I have to acquaint your Lordships that, in obedience to Her Majesty's commands, Her Majesty's faithful Commons have, in the exercise of their undoubted rights and privileges, proceeded to the election of a Speaker, and that their choice has fallen upon myself. I therefore present myself at your Lordships' bar, and humbly submit myself for Her Majesty's gracious approbation.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: Mr. Gully, we are commanded to assure you that Her Majesty is so fully sensible of your zeal in the public service and of your ample sufficiency to execute the arduous duties which her faithful Commons have selected you to discharge, that she does most readily approve and confirm you as their Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: I submit myself with all humility to Her Majesty's gracious commands; and now, my Lords, it is my duty, in the name and on behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, to lay claim, by humble petition to Her Majesty, to all their ancient and undoubted rights and privileges, especially to freedom of speech in debate, freedom from arrest, and free access to Her Majesty whenever occasion may require, and that the most favourable construction may be put upon all their proceedings. As to myself, I humbly pray that if, in the discharge of my duty, I should inadvertently fall into any error, the blame may be imputed to myself alone, and not to Her Majesty's most faithful Commons.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR: Mr. Speaker, we have it further in command to inform you that Her Majesty does most readily confirm all the rights and privileges which have ever been granted to or conferred upon the Commons by any of Her Royal predecessors. With
14
respect to yourself, Sir, though Her Majesty is sensible that you stand in no need of such assurance, Her Majesty will ever place the most favourable construction upon your words and actions.

REPRESENTATIVE PEER FOR IRELAND.
Writs and Returns electing the Lord Inchiquin a Representative Peer for Ireland in the room of the Earl of Portarlington deceased, with the Certificate of the Clerk of the Crown in Ireland annexed thereto: Delivered (on oath), and Certificate read.

RE-ELECTION OF MINISTERS.
The Commons, who were sent for, being at the Bar with their Speaker, the Lord Chancellor delivered the Speech of the Lords Commissioners to both Houses of Parliament, signifying Her Majesty's pleasure that an opportunity be now given to issue writs for supplying the vacancies occasioned in the House of Commons owing to the acceptance of office from the Crown by Members of that House: Then the Commons withdrew.
Several Lords took the oath.
House adjourned at Four of the clock to Thursday next, Two of the clock.