The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-12-13 00:00:00

THE ADJOURNMENT-A SCENE.

Several notices were then given for the spring session,
and before the questions, of which there were 52 on the
paper, were reached,
Lord R. Grosvenor moved the adjoqrnment of the
House.

This led to a rather lively scene.
Mr. T. O'Connor and other Irish members protested
warmly against this unusual method of shelving the
questions, and Sir H. Wolff called attention to the
Standing Order of 1882 regulating motions for adjourn-
ment, which lays down that they cannot be made before
the Orders of the Day without the leave of the House,
or without the support of 40 members rising in their
places, and for the purpose of calling attention to some
definite matter of urgent public importance.
The Speaker. however, held that under the creep-
tiunal circumstances of the occasion, the House being
about to adjourn for the holidays, and there being no
Government business on the paper, the motion was
regular, and the Standing Order which was meant for
cases where it was desired to raise a debate did not
apply.
Mr. Callan: Is not the noble lord's motion vexatious
and obstructive ? (Irish cheers.)
The Speaker: The hon. member is not entitled to
we that language, or to argue with the Chair. (Hear,
hear).
Mr. M. luest: I beg to call attention to the fact that
there are not forty members present.
A large number of members on the Ministerial
benches then left the House.

Mr. A. O'Connor: May I ask you, sir, whether the
fact of the House sitting -
The Speaker: The hon. member cannot speak till the
iiouse has been counted.

hr H. D. Wolff (remaining seated and with his hat
on) : May I ask
.7ou, Mr. Speaker -
The Speaker: The hon. member cannot address me
whil the House is being counted.
Sir H. D. Wolff (rising, and removing his hat) : I wish
to call attention to a question of order.
The Speaker: No question of order can be raised at
this stage.
The House was then counted, when it was found that
there were 37 members present.
Sir H. D. Wolf: There are some hon. members behind
your chair, Mr. Speaker. (Cheers and laughter.)
Mr. Callan: Yes, there are some members behind the
chair. (Renewed laughter.)
The Speaker: The House is adjourned.
Mr. Callan: There is a member of the Government
behind your chair. There is Mr. Blennerhasset.
(Irish cheers.)
The Speaker: The sitting is suspended till four
o'clock.

Mr. Callan (pointing behind the Speaker's chair) :
There are Errington, Bleunerhassett, and the Govern-
ment whips. (Ironical Irish cheers).
Mr. Kenny: A dirty trick. (Laughter.)
Mr. Callan: Shame! shame!
Lord H. Lennox: I suppose business will be taken at
four o'clock.

The Speaker: The sitting will be suspended till
four o'clock, when the House will adjourn if there is
no quorum.

Tfie sitting was then suspended, at two o'clock.
At four o'clock the Speaker again took the chair,
being_ greeted with ironical cheers from the Parnellite
niembe.rs.

On the House being counted it was found that there
were only 23 members, and the Speaker, amid renewed
ironical cheers from the Irish members, declared the
House adjourned to Feb. 19.