§ MR. ANDERSONasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If it is the intention of Government to proceed with the Bank of England Notes Bill this Session; and, if so, when it will be put upon the Order Sheet in such a position as to give reasonable chance of its coming on?
MR. GLADSTONESir, in answer to the Question of my hon. Friend, I 1859 am sorry to say that we do not see any probability of being able to obtain from the House during the present Session the degree of attention which this measure deserves and would require; and that being so, we do not intend to proceed with it. The Question seems to afford a suitable opportunity of referring to several other Bills, as it will be a matter of convenience to hon. Members that their attention should not be claimed by subjects which there is no intention of carrying to a practical issue. The first Bill to which I will refer is No. 7, on the list for second reading—the Trade Marks Registration Bill. That is a measure with respect to which the President of the Board of Trade is of opinion that it will not be in his power to pass it during the present Session, and his intention therefore is to withdraw it. The Prevention of Crime Bill stands No. 15 on to-day's list for Committee; and upon that subject my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary observed the state of opinion in the House on the occasion of the Second Reading. He has accordingly been considering the expediency of consolidating the Law upon that and upon cognate subjects connected with the Prevention of Crime Acts—the Penal Servitude Act and the Convicted Prisoners Acts. Bills are now in operation for the purpose of consolidating the law on these subjects; but it will not be practicable to introduce them, at least not to prosecute them, during the present Session, and therefore he looks to endeavour to deal with them during the coming Session. No. 16 is the Bank of England Notes Bill. No. 17 is the Building Societies (No. 3) Bill. It is not intended to proceed with that Bill during the present Session. Nor with the next on the list, the Fisheries (Ireland) Bill. No. 20 is the Public Prosecutors Bill. That is a subject of great importance, but requiring much attention, and probably more time for discussion than can be given to it in the present Session. We do not, therefore, propose to proceed with it. That makes in all six Government Bills, now upon the list, which we propose to remove from the list, and which will not appear in it after to-night. As I am upon the procedure of the House, I have to state, with reference to the Vote of the House on Friday night, upon the salaries of the Civil Service in Ireland that, in redemption 1860 of the pledge we gave, it is our intention to appoint a Departmental Committee, which will examine into the position, emoluments, and conditions of service of the Civil Service in Ireland, and will go through such of the different establishments as may apply for examination into their cases.
§ MR. ANDERSONsaid, that owing to the reply just given respecting the Bank of England Notes Bill, he would give Notice that, early next Session, if they had another, he should call attention to the subject of the Currency and again move for a Committee to inquire into the subject.
§ COLONEL STUART KNOXasked the right hon. Gentleman to state, What wore the intentions of the Government with respect to the Landed Estates Court (Ireland) (Judges) Bill? Most Irish Members were about to go off to the Assizes, and surely it was not intended to proceed with a Bill of that importance in their absence?
MR. GLADSTONEMy noble Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland is considering the subject of the Bill, and will be prepared very shortly to state his intentions.
§ MR. DISRAELIThere is another Bill, No. 22 on the Orders, the Consolidated Rate Bill, and I think we understood from the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Local Government Board that it would be withdrawn.
§ MR. STANSFELDYes, it will not be proceeded with.
§ MR. DISRAELIIt will be convenient to the House to know what Business will be taken at the morning sitting to-morrow.
MR. GLADSTONEThe Judicature Bill.
§ In reply to Mr. DILLWYN,
§ MR. ASSHETON CROSSsaid, he intended to withdraw the Building Societies Bill which stood in his name; but should on the first day of next Session introduce a measure drawn on the same lines.