THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, I understood it to be stated on Saturday that the Chancellor of the Exchequer to-day would be prepared to make some further statement with regard to the measures with which it is proposed to proceed, and also with regard to those which the Government would abandon for the present Session. I do not wish to make a long statement; but I may mention that there are still on the Order Book 32 or 33 Government Orders of the Day more or less. Some of them are of no great importance, but there are others of considerable importance, and which will require time for their discussion, and the whole of them will require consideration from the Government. That consideration will, I should think, make it necessary for the Government to make up their minds to make a further sacrifice of these measures if this House is to adjourn within a reasonable time. I need not remind the right hon. Gentleman that there is something still to be done in Committee of Supply, and that there are several important Motions on going into Committee of Supply. I hope the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be able to make some announcement which will give the House some reasonable prospect of being able to finish its Business about the time he named.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, it is perfectly true, as the noble Lord has observed, that there are a considerable number of the measures introduced by Members of the Government which are still on the Paper, and that some of these are measures which may be expected to take a considerable time in discussion. On the other hand, there are a good many of the 32 or 33 measures which are either so far advanced in their progress, or are of such moderate dimensions, that, although they may be important, yet I do not think they would take a great deal of time to consider. Taking the Paper for to-day, I would observe that we shall, of course, proceed with the first Order —the South Africa Bill; with the second Order — the East India Loan Bill; and with the County Officers and Courts (Ireland) Bill, which has made 174 considerable progress. I should hope that we may also be able to proceed with the Canal Boats Bill, and with the Police Expenses Act Continuance Bill. The Parliamentary Elections and Corrupt Practices Bill must either be passed, or continued in some shape or other for one year. The Prisons (Ireland and Scotland) Bills, which are both already in Committee, are, no doubt, large measures; but it may be hoped that, under the circumstances, they will not take an inordinate time in discussion. There remains on the Paper the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Bill, which we do not think it will be possible to go on with this Session. I may say the same with regard to the Bankruptcy Law Amendment Bill, and also the Factories and Workshops Law Consolidation Bill. I am afraid also that, in consequence of the difficulty raised with regard to the Post Office Money Orders Bill, it will evidently take more time for discussion than can now be given to it. Accordingly, although we believe it to be an important measure, we shall not proceed with that Bill, and we shall, therefore, drop to-night these four measures —the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Bill, the Bankruptcy Law Amendment Bill, the Factories and Workshops Law Consolidation Bill, and the Post Office Money Orders Bill. There are several other measures which come after these on the Paper, and which, considering how far they have advanced, ought not to take any length of time, and may be disposed of rapidly. On Wednesday we propose to proceed with the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Bill, and also with the Board of Education (Scotland) Continuance Bill. I think that these, with the Votes of Supply, and the questions referred to by the noble Lord on going into Supply, with the consideration of the Lords' Amendments to the Universities Bill, constitute the work that remains for the rest of the Session. And I am not without hopes that we may be able to get through that work by Wednesday, the 15th, or the 16th of August.
§ MR. SERJEANT SIMONwished to know, whether he had understood the right hon. Gentleman to state that the Parliamentary Elections and Corrupt Practices Bill would be dropped, or whether it would be dealt with in the Continuance Bill?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERWe will consider whether it shall be dropped, or proceeded with in the Continuance Bill.
§ MR. SERJEANT SHERLOCKasked the Leader of the House, whether it was his intention to proceed with the Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Bill.
§ SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOTasked, if it was intended to proceed with the Summary Jurisdiction Amendment Bill?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, the right hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had made no remark on the 8th Order of the Day, the Local Taxation Returns Bill, which was a measure, though perhaps of little interest to the House, still of great interest in the country. Was that Bill to be proceeded with?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINsaid, in regard to this Bill, the Amendment which had been placed on the Paper by the President of the Local Government Board would remove any objections which might have been felt in regard to it.
MR. ASSHETON CROSSsaid, he hoped before the end of the Session to be able to pass the Summary Jurisdiction Amendment Bill, which was a very useful measure.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, he should have to communicate with his right hon. Friend the President of the Local Government Board in regard to the Bill mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bradford, before he could give an answer. The Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Bill would, of course, be proceeded with.