§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)I wish to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, If it is the fact that in "another place," without any comment at all, or any intimation of the kind from anybody, the Government have given Notice to omit from the Irish Land Law Bill five of its most important clauses, two of them entirely, and to substitute for the other three wholly new clauses; that is to say, the clauses dealing with the stay of evictions, the jurisdiction of the County Court, and the Bankruptcy Clauses. I wish further to ask whether, under these circumstances, the Government will postpone taking any such action in the House of Lords, and wait to propose their Amendments when the Bill comes down to the House of Commons, which is a more competent Chamber to deal with them?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The hon. and learned Gentleman has given me no Notice whatever of the Question which he has put to me. I am really not aware of the procedure of the other House of Parliament in the matter. I can give him this assurance, however, that no- 1819 thing will be done that will invalidate the Irish Land Law Bill, with the consent of the Government, in the House of Lords.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYAre we to understand that these Amendments have not been made a Cabinet matter, and that this is entirely the action of the Marquess of Salisbury?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe House will see that the Question which the hon. and learned Member puts to me is one which ought not to be put to me without ample Notice.