§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLI beg to give Notice that on Thursday I shall ask the Chief Secretary for Ireland—as he seems now more inclined to answer Questions than he was yesterday —Whether any of the Poor Law Unions set forth in the Schedule of the new Irish Land Bill were not scheduled as distressed Unions by the Local Government Board prior to the 29th of February last; and, if so, whether he will name them, and state whether they are simply scheduled now for the purpose of preventing ejectment for the nonpayment of rent?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERSir, I can answer that Question at once. No Union has been scheduled for any such purpose.
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLMight I ask whether any of the Unions scheduled were not scheduled by the Local Government Board before the 29th of February?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI thought it advisable to answer at once the first portion of the Question, because there was in it an inference—["No, no !"]— yes, a most decisive inference—that the Government, not having told the House until quite lately of their introducing a Bill, had been preparing for that Bill. Perhaps the noble Lord will take my word for it that we did not think it necessary to prepare the Bill by scheduling Unions for that purpose. If the Government had done so it would have been a most unfair act, and I think it desirable to remove that unfair inference at once. I cannot, at this moment, say when the different Unions were scheduled. If the noble Lord thinks it worth while to repeat the Question on another day, I will endeavour to answer 550 it; but I trust he will abstain from making inferences of this decided character.