§ MR. AYRTONsaid, he rose to put a question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer with regard to the Reform Bill, which had come back from the Upper House with some very serious Amendments. It would greatly facilitate the course of public business if the House were informed as to the course the Government intended to take. The right hon. Gentleman was no doubt aware that on occasions of this kind it had been the practice for the Member who had charge of the Bill to put down upon the Paper the Amendments he proposed to ask the House to agree to, and those he advised the House to dissent from. Perhaps before Thursday the right hon. Gentleman would be able to make some statement of this kind to the House?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERJust as the House was about to adjourn, at a happy moment, when, if it had been a minute later, it would not have been in my power to make the communication to the House, the Bill for the Amendment of the Representation of the People was returned from the other House of Parliament. I stated then that I should at once move that the Amendments of the Lords be printed, and that I would move that the House should take them into consideration on Thursday. Now, as I understand the hon. and learned Gentleman, he wishes that in the interval I should state which of those Amendments of the Lords Her Majesty's Government would request the House to give their assent to or to dissent from. My knowledge is perhaps limited on these subjects, and I would not put it in comparison with that of the hon. and learned Gentleman, who on matters connected with the conduct of Parliament always shows so much information; but I was not aware that that was the custom of the House of Commons. I propose to follow the precedents—fortunately, rare precedents—in cases of this kind. On Thursday, when I move that the Amendments of the Lords be considered, I shall take the opportunity, before asking the House to consider them seriatim, of taking a general view of these Amendments, and I shall state the course which Her Majesty's Government are prepared to recommend the House to follow.