In the House of Commons on Tuesday, after the Eleven
o'Clock Rule had been suspended, Mr. Asquith brought forward Resolutions for closuring the Housing and Town Planning and the Irish Land Bills. A hostile amendment was moved by Mr. F. E. Smith in an amusing speech, but the most damaging speech was that of Lord Robert Cecil, who declared that the " guillotine " system was prejudicial to the efficiency and dignity of the House, and reduced its legisla- tive action to .a farce. Mr. Asquith replied that resort to this system was an odious necessity. Personally he believed in the drawing up of a time-table by an impartial Committee repre- senting all sections of the House, instead of by the Govern- ment, but so far his efforts to secure this change had failed. In the ensuing debate Mr. Balfour condemned the Prime Minister's proposal, which was severely criticised by several Ministerialists, but ultimately carried by 257 votes against 115. The further Resolution allocating eleven days to the Irish ]and Bill also led to a lively debate, in which Mr. Butcher and Mr. 'Long justified the demand for more time, and Mr. Dillon, amid loud Nationalist cheers, threatened to " let slip the dogs of war " if the tactics of the Ulster Unionists were successful. The Resolution was agreed to by 264, votes to 80.
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