§ On the Question that the Order of the Day be read for going into Committee on the Landed Property (Ireland) Bill,
§ MR. ROEBUCK,before the Order of the Day was read, wished to bring under the attention of the House the fact, that 1024 they were about to proceed to the consideration of two Bills, one relating to the support of the poor in Ireland, and the other to landed property in that country. Now, he was anxious to know from the noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) whether it was to be distinctly understood, that provided he did not suceed in carrying through the Poor Relief Bill substantially as it now stood, he was nevertheless prepared, he would not say as a Member of that House, but as an adviser of Her Majesty, to propose that the Landed Property Bill should be proceeded with? He should like to have an answer to this question from the noble Lord, as he was of course prepared to propose that the Poor Law Bill for Ireland should first be proceeded with, and then the Property (Ireland) Bill afterwards. In short, he wanted the Poor Law Bill to take precedence of the Landed Property Bill: but supposing the noble Lord did take up the last-named Bill first, would he then he prepared to state that the Poor Law Bill should be carried through?
LORD J. RUSSELLthought this was a question which had not been asked before, and therefore he had had no occasion to answer it. He hoped that the Lauded Property Bill would go through Committee, and that the Poor Relief Bill would afterwards go through Committee likewise; but as to what would take place in the event of their failing to carry the first-named Bill, he thought that probably the House would agree with him, that the present was not the time to settle what should be done in such a contingency.
§ MR. ROEBUCKunderstood the noble Lord to have formerly said, that he would proceed with the Landed Property Bill and the Poor Relief Bill pari passu; what he wished the noble Lord now to do, was, that if the one step was not taken, he should not take the other—that if the Poor Law Bill was not carried substantially in its present form, he should not go on with the Landed Property Bill.
LORD J. RUSSELLhad stated that he would pass both these Bills pari passu; that was to say, that having gone through Committee with the Landed Property Bill, he would then proceed with the Poor Relief Bill in Committee, so that they might come to the third reading at the same time. What he would do in any such contingency as that to which the hon. Gentleman referred, he thought it was unnecessary to state.
§ Order of the Day read.