Ordinary days of meeting. S. O. 24, VIII. Until the year 1888, by a custom then in force for about a Chapter The statutes which prescribed those hours have been The house when in session must, unless the house orders otherwise, meet every day of the week except Sunday. Sittings on Saturday, however, are rare. By standing order No. 24, so long as the committees of supply and ways. and means are open, the house, unless it otherwise resolves, stands adjourned at its rising on Friday until the following Monday; and until these committees have been set up, and again when they have been closed, the house, unless it desire specially to sit on Saturday, passes a resolution on the Friday to adjourn till the following Monday.2 Somers Tracts, 175; 1 C. J. 156. 705; On the opening of the Great to enable ministers and members to 2 This Saturday holiday is said Chapter VIII. pp. 149, 171. Extraordinary sittings, sec Before the year 1888, the freedom of the house as Hours of meeting. regards the hour and time for sitting, working, and rising, Meeting on except on Wednesdays and the sittings held at two o'clock, first day of session, see was almost wholly uncontrolled. Standing orders which were passed in that year and which were amended in 1902 and 1906, now prescribe the hours for the meeting of the house, for the interruption of business, and for the adjournment of the house, during every day of the week except Saturday and Sunday.1 On Monday, Tuesday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday the house meets at a quarter Wednesbefore three o'clock, while on Friday it meets at noon.2 day, Thursday. When the house sits on Saturday, if the house has not s. 0. 1. 2, ordered otherwise, the Speaker, according to usage, fixes Appendix I. Friday and sittings, see twelve o'clock for the meeting of the house, that being the Saturday. customary hour. p. 183. Appointment of Saturday p. 265. 8 The official announcement of the hour appointed for the next meeting of the house is made by an entry placed, under the Speaker's authority, at the close of the daily Circulation record of the sittings of the house, styled "The Votes and Votes, &c.," Proceedings;" as the announcement of the appointed hour of meeting in the motion which adjourns the house is an exceptional occurrence.1 of "The see p. 232. (1st ed.), 331; 27th Feb. 1880, 250 1 From the 27th Feb. 1888, till the 2nd May, 1902, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday the hour of meeting was three o'clock in the afternoon and noon on Wednesday, 143 C. J. 65; 157 ib. 204. Sittings of the house known as "morning sittings were sometimes held, usually on Tuesdays and Fridays, from two o'clock until seven o'clock, when the house suspended its sitting until nine o'clock. The standing orders of the 7th March, 1888, and 3rd March, 1892, which regulated these sittings were repealed, 1st Dec. 1902, 157 ib. 501. From the 2nd May, 1902, until Easter, 1906, the house met on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at two o'clock for an after- 2 The sitting of the house on 3 128 C. J. 122; 145 ib. 222; 148 ib. 234; 150 ib. 331; 156 ib. 419. 108 ib. 816; 127 ib. 411; 128 ib. 122; 146 ib. 178. Tuesday, S. O. 1, Appendix I. Trans action of business after moment of tion. VIII. motions p. 216. Interruption of business under the standing orders.-On Chapter every day of the week, except Saturday and Sunday, the working hours of the house are subject to the following Dilatory regulations. Business is interrupted on Monday, Tuesday, lapse, see Wednesday, and Thursday at eleven o'clock, when if the house be not engaged on exempted business (see p. 216), the Speaker rises from the chair, and interrupts Questions the business then under consideration; or if the house be pending at in committee, the chairman leaves the chair to make his tion, see p. report to the house. On Friday the moment of interruption is five o'clock.2 interrup 221. the house The business under consideration at the moment of Power of interruption stands over until the next sitting or such over orders other sitting as the member in charge thereof of the day, see p. 261. appoint. may After the business under consideration at eleven o'clock, or at five o'clock on Friday, has been disposed of, no opposed business can be taken, but the transaction of interrup business can be carried on during the time set apart for unopposed business, although debate may arise thereon, until a division be challenged upon a question proposed from the chair, or objection taken to further proceeding. The business then becomes opposed business; and further consideration thereof must be adjourned in accordance with the provisions of the standing order.3 When Mr. Speaker leaves the chair. If, during the time when no opposed business can be 1 The standing order which prohibited the transaction of opposed business after half-past twelve o'clock at night was repealed, 7th March, 1888, 143 C. J. 86. 2 On Wednesday, 28th March, 1860, at the appointed moment of interruption, the chairman reported progress on the Income Tax Bill, when, as there was no opposition to it, the house again resolved itself into committee on the bill, and the committee proceeded through the bill, and reported it, 115 C. J. 166. The same course has also been adopted when the consideration of a bill in committee has been interrupted at 3 As during the time for unop- VIII. Chapter taken, an order of the day for a committee on a bill, not yet in progress, is read, the Speaker, although objection be signified to his leaving the chair, nevertheless quits the chair forthwith in pursuance of standing order No. 51. If, s. o. 51, Appendix I. however, the bill is already in progress, when the order of the day is read, and objection be taken to proceeding with the bill, the Speaker does not quit the chair, but calls on the member in charge of the bill to name a day for its future consideration. When objection is taken in committee, the chairman forthwith leaves the chair to report progress.2 Other formal motions, see p. 245. See also supply, n. 4, p. 611. Formal motions after the moment of interruption and during time of unopposed business.-In the case of opposed business essential to the completion of the transaction on which the house is engaged at the moment of interruption of business, the Speaker has overruled an objection to the taking of opposed business after that hour. Thus he has not permitted opposition to formal questions, such as the committal of a bill to a committee of the whole house, when a bill has been read a second time, or the addition of the words, "upon this day six months," when the house has disagreed to the second reading of a bill; or the entry of the Speaker's reprimand or admonition upon the journal of the house; or motions for the appointment and nomination of a select committee consequent upon the business then before the house.5 Nor can an objec- Formal tion that the proceeding takes place during the time set during apart for unopposed business, be made to a formal motion time for unopposed for the purpose of carrying on the business of the house, business. such as a motion for the first reading of a bill from the Lords; motions consequent upon a message from their house; appointing a day for the consideration of 1 When notice has been given of instructions which were out of order to the committee on the bill the Speaker has ruled upon them, and then left the chair under the standing order, 45 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1638; 93 ib. 320. 231st May, 1888, 143 C. J. 243. 47th April, 1892, 3 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 5 17th Feb. 1887, 310 H. D. 3 s. 1854; 333 ib. 1101; 30th July, 1889, 338 ib. 1789. motions Dilatory motions lapse. Business S. O. 1, 1 their amendments to bills; ordering the presentation Chapter 3 of papers moved by a minister of the Crown; 2 a motion VIII. 282. Dilatory motions pending at the moment of interruption, See also p. i.e. motion for the adjournment of the house or of the debate, or that the chairman do report progress, or do leave the chair, lapзe without question put. At that moment also closure may be moved; and if closure be moved, or if proceedings under the closure rule be then in progress, the Speaker, or chairman, does not leave the chair until the questions consequent thereon, and on any further question, as provided in standing order No. 26, have been decided (see p. 219). ment after Exempted business. It is provided, by standing order exempted No. 1, that at the commencement of business on any day, by motion except Friday or Saturday, a motion may be made by a minister of the Crown, and decided without debate, that the proceedings on any specified business, if under discussion at eleven o'clock, be not interrupted, or that such Adjourn proceedings, if under discussion when the business is post- exempted business, poned at a quarter-past eight o'clock under standing order see p. 225. No. 4, be resumed and proceeded with, though opposed, after the interruption of business at eleven o'clock, and if such a motion is carried, such business is exempt from the provisions of the standing order which regulates the interruption of business, and the adjournment of the house. 1 3rd Aug. 1888, 329 H. D. 3 s. 1552. 2 27th Feb. 1882, copy record, Mr. Davitt, 266 ib. 1811; 30th July, 1888, Mr. Speaker's ruling (private). 3 338 H. D. 3 s. 1232; 33 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 895; 142 ib. 1039. 3rd June, 1904, Mr. Speaker's ruling not recorded in Parliamen tary Debates. 19th July, 1888, 328 H. D. 3 s. 1883; 16th May, 1895, 33 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1428. • On adjournment at six o'clock on Wednesday, 144 C. J. 55; interruption at midnight, 144 ib. 134; 145 ib. 252; 149 ib. 7; 159 ib. 270; progress, at midnight, 145 ib. 370. |
