§ MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, E.)said, he wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury a Question of which he had given him private Notice. It was in reference to the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Expenses) (Scotland) Bill. The second reading of that Bill had been objected to from the other side of the House. He had communicated to the right hon. Gentleman the desire of Scotch Members that a second reading should be given to the measure; and he begged to ask him whether he would be assisted in any way by the Government in getting the Bill put down at some future time in order that it might in the meantime be withdrawn?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The hon. Gentleman had been good enough to send me a letter on the subject signed by several Scotch Members, to whose wishes I should be glad, if it were possible, to give effect. But the hon. Gentleman must be aware that there are many other hon. Gentlemen in the position he occupies—who have Bills in which they take great interest, and which are also interesting to other Members with whom they are associated. I greatly fear that if the Government were to make an exception in favour of one Bill, I should be pressed to make 398 exceptions for other Bills, for which it would be utterly impossible for me to afford facilities. Under all the circumstances, I am sure that at this very early period of the Session the hon. Member will have abundant opportunities of bringing forward his measure; and, in any case, should he not succeed in bringing it on, the object he has in view is covered entirely by a Bill of which the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Edinburgh (Mr. Childers) his charge.