One hundred years ago
There are many ways of wasting time in the House of Commons, but all but one are imperfect in this or that par- ticular. They require some degree of concert on the part of those who resort to them, and concert is troublesome to arrange, and apt to fall through when arranged. A man will not be at the trouble of employing them, except when some obvious party advantage is to be gained, and this is not a condition that can be satisfied every day. Or they con- flict with the New Rules of Procedure, and then a Member who has come down with the best intentions of hindering the despatch of business, may see his plans, hopelessly upset by the intervention 01 the Speaker or the Chairman of Coln' mittees. The supereminent way we have in view has none of these faults. It is in the power of every single Member to ask a question, and before doing so he need take counsel with no one but himself. Then, a question makes so small a de- mand on the time or the energy, that the busiest or the most indolent man may. put half a dozen in succession, without being either hurried or wearied. 1883 Spectator, 2 Junes
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