manent measure on the subject. Now, | Session, there is very little doubt they with regard to the measure of the hon. will-Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the Member for Derby, I can answer for the remainder of the Session? Government-that is to say, if I have then the general conduct of affairs in this House-he shall have every fair opportunity of bringing his views before the House and the country. I will take care that the two measures-that of the Government and that of the hon. Member for Derby-shall be introduced simultaneously; that their true principles shall at the same time be brought under the consideration of the House; and I doubt not that with the adequate time and thought which the House will then enjoy and be able to afford we shall come to conclusions advantageous to the public welfare.

formed of the alteration of the inten- | quite prepared to give up his position to tions of the Government on the preceding the right hon. Gentleman for the purevening. Several hon. Members had pose of facilitating the introduction of left town under the impression that the the Government Merchant Shipping Bill, debate on India, which had been fixed in the hope that he would be able to for that day, could not possibly come on. bring forward his Bill early next SesHe asked the Government not to take sion. that day week from his hon. and learned Friend the Member for Limerick, who had a very strong question to raise on that day as to the conduct by the Government of Irish Business throughout the Session. He made no further complaint about his own question.

MR. PARNELL said, the hon. Member for Louth was much indebted to the Prime Minister for the courteous manner in which he had spoken of him; but the complaint of his hon. Friend was not the way in which he himself had been treated, but that the Irish Members MR. DISRAELI: I must ask the should be deprived of Tuesday next for permission of the House, as I have the discussion of an important question already spoken, to make an explanation affecting the interests of Ireland. There in answer to the hon. Member for Louth. were many Irish Members who believed If the hon. Member thinks himself per- that the House of Commons could never sonally aggrieved, I will give his feelings effectually legislate for Ireland, and the every consideration; but I was under hon. and learned Member for Limerick the impression that, considering the had put a Motion on the Paper directly state of the Public Business, he did not raising that question. It was now prointend to bring forward his Motion. If posed, at a time when there were very there has been any misapprehension on few Irish Members present, that another that subject I shall do everything pos- course be taken, which would prevent sible to recognize his claim. But with that Motion from being brought forward. regard to his other remarks, in which The Notice of the Government was for he referred to the Motion of the hon. the Evening Sitting, and several Irish and learned Member for Limerick, and Members were prepared to speak upon in which he attempted to extract a proit. They were not, however, present mise from the Government, I think I now, and were unprepared for this can assure him that, with the well-known change in the Government arrangements. opportunities of the hon. and learned He would appeal to the Government to Member for Limerick, and the openings allow the matter to stand over until which the various stages of the Appro- those Irish Members could be present priation Grant will afford him, that hon. who were able and willing to speak on and learned Member will have no diffi- the subject. If not, then let the Irish culty about his Motion. I acknowledge Members have Tuesday next. the general courtesy of the hon. Member for Louth, and if there has been any misapprehension about his Motion I shall certainly make an arrangement.

MR. BOORD said, he hoped the Motion would not be pressed in the absence of the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. Newdegate), whose Bill with reference to Monastic and Conventual Institutions stood first for Wednesday week on the Orders of the Day. fact, he did not think it would be quite fair to do so in his absence.

In

MR. DILLWYN thought, as the conversation had disclosed differences of opinion among the Members present, the question had better be deferred until it was reached in ordinary course, in justice to many Members who were now absent.

MR. NEWDEGATE said, so many questions had been put to him with reference to the Motion standing in his name in relation to Monastic and Conventual Institutions, that he felt the question of the Order of Business ought not to be decided, except at the time appointed in the Notice Paper. He, therefore, moved the adjournment of the debate.

MR. WILSON said, that his Bill for the closing of public houses on Sundays in England was the First Order for tomorrow. It dealt with a subject of great interest to the country; but at this advanced period of the Session, and Motion made, and Question proposed, having regard to the quantity of Busi-"That the Debate be now adjourned," ness still before the House, he would be (Mr. Newdegate.)

Mr. Sullivan

MR. DISRAELI: It is always my disinclination to bring forward a Motion of this kind except in concurrence with the general feeling of the House. It was my impression that the Motion would come on to-day; but I should have been glad to have the opinion of the House when it would be most convenient to take the discussion on the second reading. If the boon I ask be granted, we will go into Supply to-morrow, and at a certain reasonable time report Progress, in order that my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade may introduce his measure at a proper time. I think myself it would be more convenient if the discussion were to be taken on the second reading; but, of course, I only mention that for the convenience of the House. In that event we should continue Supply for a longer time than usual. But I think it would be more useful and convenient to allow hon. Gentlemen full opportunity of considering the Bill, and the second reading must come on early in consequence of the advanced period of the Session. In making these observations, I always assume that we conclude the Agricultural Holdings (England) Bill to-night. If not, we will continue the discussion to-morrow. I am in the hands of the House; but I was under the impression that it was the feeling of a large majority of the House that the Motion with respect to Tuesdays and Wednesdays should be taken to-night.

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON: | the Bill to-morrow and to postpone the I believe I am principally responsible discussion until the second reading, or, for the proposition which has been made if not, that the question should come on by the Secretary to the Treasury. It had at once, when a discussion on the quesoccurred to me, after the answer which tion can be raised. had been given, that it would be inconvenient that the proposition should be made perhaps at half-past 2 o'clock in the morning. I therefore suggested, as a preferable course, that the Motion should be made now. It is one to which I cannot conceive there can be any serious opposition. It is a usual and almost invariable course that at this period the whole time of the House should be placed at the disposal of the Government; and certainly the state of Public Business at present is not such as to induce the House to depart from the usual practice. I think, however, the House has some reason to complain of the mode in which the question has been brought forward by the Government. If the Motion had been put down for this morning, hon. Members would have known what to expect, and it would undoubtedly have been the most convenient course. We appear to have a choice of evils-either to take it now without Notice, or another evening when few Members will be present. If objection is entertained to the Motion being made now, and if it is felt to be preferable that it should be adjourned, I shall offer no opposition to that course: I had hoped, however, that on making it the Government would be able to have stated what their intentions were with regard to the use of the time they ask for. I still think it would be extremely convenient that we should know what the Business to-morrow will be in the event of the Committee on the Agricultural Holdings (England) Bill being concluded this evening. If it is intended that the Bill to be introduced by the President of the Board of Trade is to be brought in early to-morrow and the discussion to be taken on the introduction of the Bill, it is important, and indeed essential, that it should be known, and that the statement of the fact should not be postponed until late to-night. Many hon. Members are absent, and MR. GOLDSMID said, he thought it some who would wish to take part in the would be most convenient to settle the discussion are not in London and would question now, and to decide what was not be able to return if the announce- going to be done on Wednesday. The ment were not made until to-night. It Votes to be taken in Supply were of great therefore seems to me it is of the greatest interest, and were in four different importance that we should know whe- classes, which would attract, as it were, ther it is intended formally to introduce four different sets of Members,

VOL. CCXXVI. [THIRD SERIES.]

MR. OSBORNE MORGAN said, that if the Sunday Closing Bill came to be discussed to-morrow it would occupy the entire day. The hon. Member for Hull (Mr. Wilson) had only consented to withdraw for the present the second reading in order to facilitate progress with the measures of the Government; but he by no means understood him to express any willingness to retire the Bill in favour of any private Member.

E

MR. E. JENKINS said, that the pro

O'BRIEN.-QUESTION.

ceedings of that day would induce people CRIMINAL LAW-SENTENCE ON JOHN outside to think that Government was still pursuing that fatal policy which had brought it into disgrace with the country.

What hon. Members on that side of the

House particularly desired to ascertain was, whether the Bill relating to the Merchant Shipping, to be introduced on Wednesday, was to be brought on at such a time as to enable hon. Members to discuss it? He asked the right hon. Gentleman not to give the Agricultural Holdings (England) Bill precedence over a Bill which involved the lives of many

persons.

MR. MUNTZ thought the proposal of the Government a reasonable one. The question was, whether the public welfare was to be sacrificed to the interests of private Members?

MR. W. H. SMITH said, that in the event of the House going into Supply on Wednesday they would proceed with the postponed Civil Service Estimates, Class III., and the remaining Estimates in Class IV., and then report Progress, in order to enable the President of the Board of Trade to introduce his Bill relating to unseaworthy ships.

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE asked when the Navy Estimates would be taken?

MR. MACDONALD asked the Prime Minister to fix an hour for the introduction of the Merchant Shipping Bill. It should be brought forward when there would be ample opportunity to discuss both its principle and its provisions. Four o'clock ought to be the latest hour for its introduction.

MR. SULLIVAN (for Mr. O'CONNOR POWER) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is a fact that the military prisoner, John O'Brien, now confined at Chatham Prison, was first sentenced to penal servitude for ten years, but recalled by the judge immediately after he left the dock and, on account of the alleged offence of asking for "three cheers for the Irish Republic," then sentenced to penal servitude for life?

MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, he had made inquiry about this matter, and nothing was known about any civil trial. It appeared, from the record of the military proceedings on January 10, 1867, that the prisoner tenced to penal servitude for life, and there was no record of his having been first sentenced for only 10 years. Had such been the case, he was informed that a record would have appeared on the original proceedings.

who then bore another name was sen

CRIMINAL LAW-JANE HANLON.

QUESTION.

MR. FRENCH asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether he has any objection to state to the House the reasons for the dismissal of Jane Hanlon, late nurse in the Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Dundrum; and, whether he has any objection to lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the Report of the Inspector of Lunatic Asylums to the Lord Lieutenant relative to the escape of Margaret Aberton from that Asylum?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER deprecated any further waste of the public time in pursuing this discussion. He hoped they would now come to a decision on the Motion with respect SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH, in to allowing Government Orders of the reply, said, that owing to the escape of Day for the remainder of the Session Margaret Aberton from the asylum to have precedence on Tuesdays and the matter was inquired into by the Wednesdays. He hoped the Agricul- Inspector of Lunatic Asylums, who retural Holdings (England) Bill would be ported that the nurse, Jane Hanlon, had got through that day. If that were done, been guilty of great negligence and imthen they could go on to-morrow with proper conduct in the discharge of the Supply, and continue until about half-duties of the office. Accordingly, he repast 4 o'clock, when his right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade could introduce his Bill.

Question put, and negatived.
Original Question put.

The House divided:-Ayes 173; Noes 19: Majority 154.

commended her dismissal, which was carried into effect. The Inspector's Report could not be laid on the Table, because such documents were always considered confidential,