§ Order of the Day for Consideration of the Report of Amendments read.
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL)said, he was anxious that the Bill should reach the other House of Parliament before the Easter holidays; and he proposed that its third reading should be taken on Thursday. He had an Amendment, which he would move on Thursday, relating to the constitution of the Medical Board in Ireland. Having added a representative to the Board from the Medical Colleges and Corporations in Ireland, he had proposed, at the same 1128 time, to give an additional member to be elected conjointly by the Irish Universities; and he had had, as he thought, reason to think that that proposal would be acceptable. Since the last stage of the Bill, he understood, on the contrary, that the proposal was extremely unacceptable, and he found it necessary to give it up. He would put an Amendment on the Paper that evening which would have the effect of giving an additional representative on the Board to each of those Universities.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONsaid, he could not conceive how there should be any such haste in proceeding with the Bill; because, even if it went down to the other House before Easter, was there any chance of that House proceeding with the measure for a very long time to come? At an early part of the Session the noble Lord the President of the Council told their Lordships that he was extremely anxious to proceed with the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill, that it might go down to the other House and be discussed there. Well, that Bill had gone down to the other House, and they knew well the condition in which it now was. It had been put down for a Morning Sitting, and the result was that several Members made long speeches, and the House was obliged to adjourn. That was not the way in which the Government, if it were in earnest about passing the Bill, should have treated it. During the last stage of the Bill now before their Lordships, the noble Lord had come to an understanding with his noble and learned Friend (Earl Cairns), and agreed to introduce a clause in reference to the representation of the Universities and Medical Corporations on the Board.
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL)I assure the noble Duke that the proposal I make is entirely consonant with what passed between me and the noble and learned Earl opposite (Earl Cairns), and is found in the Amendment of which I have given Notice. I privately informed the noble and learned Earl that I was about to propose the Amendment; and I now suggest that it would be convenient that I should propose it on Thursday.
THE DUKE, OF RICHMOND AND GORDONAs I understood the noble 1129 and learned Earl (Earl Cairns) and the agreement referred to, there were to be four members in each University and in each Corporation. I understood the noble Lord the President of the Council to modify that, and to say that there wore to be three members in each University and one other member to be chosen.
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL)I have given that up.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONIf the noble Lord is proposing to insert, on the third reading, a clause that will have the effect of giving four members to each University and three to each Corporation that is an alteration to which I should not object.
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL)That is precisely the effect of the Amendment of which I have now given Notice. My Amendment, as now proposed, will give four members on the Board of each of the Universities and three to each of the Corporations.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONI should not have troubled the noble Lord if he had explained that at first.
§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL)I think if the noble Duke had followed the progress of the Bill he would have understood it.
§ Amendments reported, and agreed to.
§ Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.
§ House adjourned at a quarter past Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Ten o'clock.