Illustra tions of of inter ruption. on com VIII. business then under transaction into opposed business; Chapter The practice of completing business begun before the 1 To create an interruption of business, a motion to adjourn the debate is out of order, Tuesday, 14th May, 1889. Mr. Speaker's ruling not reported. 2 Criminal Law Amendment (Ire land) Bill, 18th May, 1887, 315 H. D. 3 144 ib. 180. 132 ib. 111; 233 H. D. 3 s. 306. VIII. Chapter interruption of business, and notice of another instruction stood upon the paper, which was out of order, the Speaker, having pointed out the informality of that notice, left the chair forthwith, under standing order No. 51, stating that he did so in order to complete the business begun before the time fixed for the interruption of business.1 (4) The division upon the question for the Speaker's leaving the chair on first going into committee on the army estimates was not concluded until after the time fixed for the interruption of business. As the question was decided in the affirmative, the Speaker left the chair for the committee, and the chairman reported progress immediately.2 Formal motions, see p. 215. on ques Opposed business after the moment of interruption.— Examples shall now be given of the adjournment of further proceedings, upon objection taken, the time prescribed for the transaction of opposed business having elapsed, and when the right to move closure at the moment of the interruption of business, was not exercised. not exercised. (1) For Procedure instance, if the question decided after the prescribed time tions not be that a bill be now read the second time, the bill is completed. committed to a committee of the whole house, or, on the motion of the member in charge of the bill, to a standing or select committee; but, in the latter case, as reference to a standing or select committee is not the ordinary form of motion, on such an occasion, if objection were taken, or debate arose thereon, the Speaker would interrupt the business and declare that the debate stood adjourned.3 (2) When to the question that a bill be read a second time, an amendment was moved to leave out those words, and to substitute, instead, a statement urging reasons why the bill should not be read a second time, and the house had decided that the words proposed to be left out should not 1 3 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 669, 147 C. J. 154; see also 152 C. J. 83. 2159 ib. 71. 3 22nd May, 1889, 336 H. D. 3 s. 767; 28th March, 1892, 147 C. J. 138; 157 ib. 140; 159 ib. 79. Closure might be moved on this interrup- When the interrup VIII. stand part of the question, the question for the addition of Chapter 66 Closure at moment of interruption.-It now remains to tion arises. explain the manner in which, under paragraph 4 of standing order No. 1, closure may be moved at the moment for the interruption of business. Under ordinary circumstances, on the fixed hour being reached, the Speaker or chairman says, 66 Order, order," and proceeds to interrupt the business. The Speaker announces that the debate stands adjourned, and the chairman proceeds to leave the chair to make his report to the house. These proceedings on the part of the Speaker and the chairman create the moment of the interruption of business, when closure may be moved. Interrup. tion at division. The moment for the interruption of business is, howclose of a ever, as has been mentioned on p. 221, projected forward beyond the hour fixed by the standing orders, if the house at that hour is engaged in a division. Therefore the Speaker, or the chairman if the house is in committee, after the question thereby decided has been put, continues the proposal of such further questions as are necessary to complete the proceeding, until a member rises to speak, or says, “I object to further proceedings." It is then that the moment for the interruption of business arrives, and that the closure motion may be moved. For instance, in the committee VIII. Chapter of supply the proceedings on a division to decide the question for the reduction of a grant were not completed until after the time fixed for the interruption of business; the chairman thereupon proposed the original question, namely, the grant itself: but as a member offered to speak thereto, the chairman was proceeding to interrupt the business, when closure was moved, and carried: the original question was put accordingly; and the chairman left the chair to report the resolution to the house.1 Again, on consideration of a bill on report the division on an amendment proposed to clause 1 was not concluded until after the time fixed for the interruption of business. At the conclusion of the division the Speaker proceeded to interrupt the business when a member moved, "That the question, That clause 1 stand part of the bill,' be now put." The closure motion and the question consequent thereon were carried, after which further proceeding on consideration of the bill as amended stood adjourned.2 Questions claimed under a previous closure motion.-As has Closure been explained on p. 219, after a closure motion has been further moved and acted upon, any member may claim that such questions. further questions be put forthwith as are requisite to bring to a decision the question already proposed from the chair, 3 unless the assent of the chair be withheld, the Speaker, or claimed on tions of closure. Of this procedure the following examples may be given. Illustra (1) When a resolution reported from a committee was under claim of the consideration of the house, and an amendment thereto had been negatived upon a closure motion, the question, "That this house doth agree with the committee in the said 1 31st May, 1888, 326 H. D. 3 s. 872; see also ib. 999; 14th Nov. 1888, 330 ib. 1217; 6th and 8th Aug. 1889, 339 ib. 711. 800; 3rd May, 1901, 93 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 713. 2 24th June, 1896, 42 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 47. For similar procedure in P. committee on a bill, see 8th July, 3 10th Dec. 1888, 331 H. D. 3 s. Q Pending questions adjourn ment. VIII. resolution," was claimed and put accordingly.1 (2) When Chapter The practice regarding pending questions and closure at time for procedure, which may be enforced at the moment of the interruption of business, is, if need be, equally applicable when the moment is reached for the adjournment of the Procedure house, as fixed by the standing orders. Procedure in a committee of the whole house regarding questions pending at the moment of interruption, follows the procedure of the house, including the power of moving closure on the interruption of business.4 in com mittee. Adjourn. ment on Monday, Wednes day, and Thursday. The adjournment of the house. -Pursuant to standing order No. 1, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Tuesday, Thursdays, the house, if not previously adjourned, sits till half-past eleven o'clock, unless a bill or proceeding exempted from the operation of the standing order (see p. 216) be at that moment under consideration.5 In such a case the Speaker does not quit the chair until Adjourn the exempted business is concluded, after which the unexempted opposed business that stands upon the notice paper is disposed of, under the conditions imposed by standing order No. 1 on business taken after eleven o'clock (see p. 214); ment after business. 1 25th July, 1890, 145 C. J. 512; 2nd Aug. 1901, 156 ib. 369; 98 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1212; 25th July, 1905, 160 C. J. 353. 27th and 28th April, 1892, 147 ib. 166. 196. 3 13th May, 1892, 147 ib. 249. • Naval Defences, 1st April, 1889, 144 ib. 102. Unless a notice of motion so exempted has been reached at halfpast eleven o'clock, the Speaker thereupon adjourns the house. Orders of the day unread, see p. 262. |