15 MARCH 1890, Page 2

The Special Commission debate was not resumed on Monday after

the count-out without a long dispute as to the proper mode of picking up the dropped thread, which the Speaker decided on common-sense principles, declaring that though it was quite possible that Mr. W. H. Smith's motion giving precedence to the debate was handed in a few seconds after he had left the chair, yet " amendments to Bills in Committee are constantly received after the House is technically up," "so that there is no absolute limit of time within a few seconds, or even a minute, so long as the convenience of the House is considered in the matter." The wish to embarrass the Government was really the chief motive of the disposition of some Members to interpret the rules of the House with exceptional severity.