The Committee adopted my suggestion that we did not require in this assembly to have these recommendations as to what I might call etiquette and procedure put into the form of Standing Orders, that if the Seanad were prepared to adopt them they would be equally prepared to follow them up. We thought it would probably lead to greater decorum and add to the dignity of the Seanad if these recommendations were accepted.

As to No. 4, in these recommendations sometimes a Senator has to pass in front of a speaker. It is usual in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords to bow your head a little so as not to interfere with the Speaker.

I do not see what necessity there is for doing that. He can always get round. Why he should pass in front I do not know.

Sometimes you have to go across the floor.

That is a different rule about crossing the floor of the House in front of the Chair. That is dealt with by another rule.

In Committee sometimes you have to get advice from people who may be sitting in the gallery. You may have to get a change in your amendment. It happens very often in the House of Lords.

I never saw anyone do it by passing in front of the speaker addressing the House. He could always go through the back benches.

As a rule, we have to bow. If the House is crowded it is very hard to get by in time. You are settling this for all time.

I think it is the invariable practice that no one would pass between a speaker and the Chairman.

If it was attempted there would at once be a shout of "Order, order."

In the Seanad there is no trouble about getting round backwards.

During the Land Bill I had to hurry up on one or two occasions.

I must say generally that these proposals of the Committee are excellent. They are matters of courtesy, and are things, I think, that can be observed in spirit.

Forms of procedure agreed to.

I move that the report as amended be adopted.

I second.

Before the Report is printed, I should state that these Orders have been in the hands of the Assistant Clerk for a very considerable time. He has taken a tremendous amount of trouble with them, and he wants permission, when getting them printed, to put them in sequence. You will find in one part an order dealing with Committee, and then you hop on to something else. The Assistant Clerk has got them prepared so that they follow in compartments and in proper sequence. I take it that there will be no objection to what he suggests.

Will they be put into book form?

Yes.

May I say that the Assistant Clerk is to be congratulated on the way he has carried out the work. It is extremely difficult work, and, so far, I think, it has been admirably arranged. In the near future I would like to have the Orders in booklet form.

And a good index, so that there will be no excuse for anyone.

That is very important, as on it our future depends.