No. 1, the Agricultural Credit Bill, and No. 4, the Message from the Dáil, will not be taken until the next sitting of the House.
Order of Business.
Why?
The Government, I understand, are unable to proceed to-day in either case.
If the only matter of any urgency on the Order Paper is No. 1, the Agricultural Credit Bill, it is a pity you had not noticed in time that it would not be taken, as, if you had, there would be no necessity for any meeting at all. In the present situation with regard to transport, both from the point of view of expense and inconvenience, it is rather unfair to have a meeting of the House when there is no need for it. One would imagine that the business could be so arranged —I am not saying it has anything to do with you, of course—that we would meet only when we had something to do. I am a Dublin person and it makes no difference to me, but from the point of view of country people and the expense and inconvenience, it seems to me to be very bad management and very unfair.
I appreciate what the Senator says. I am always desirous of so arranging business that inconvenience may not be caused, but we had not notice of the postponement until Friday afternoon, when the Provisional Order Paper had gone out. Even then, the notice was not definite, and it was only on Saturday that we learned that it would not be possible to take the Bill this week.
If notice were given in time, it would be less expensive to put off the meeting by telegram than have a meeting to-day.