§ LORD CLAUD HAMILTONsaid, he wished to ask the hon. and learned Member for Kilkenny what course he intended to pursue further as regarded the Tenants' Compensation Bill for Ireland; and also whether he had not surrendered the conduct of the Bill to the Government?
§ MR. SERJEANT SHEEI beg leave to state, Sir, that it is my intention thankfully to accept the offer of the Government to take charge of the Tenants' Compensation Bill. With respect to the question whether I accept that offer upon the terms which the Government have proposed, I beg to say that I do not exactly know at present what those terms are. I understood the Government to have assented generally to the principle of the Bill, and no more. The right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for Ireland announced that he did intend to propose to the House certain alterations of the Bill in Committee. I reserve to myself, as an independent Member of Parliament, the right to deal with the alterations proposed by the Government when I see them printed.
§ LORD CLAUD HAMILTONI beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is prepared to state, on the part of the Government, what course they intend to pursue with regard to this Bill? I trust he is ready to put on the paper the exact terms of the Amendments which he proposed the other evening.
§ MR. HORSMANI will immediately prepare the Amendments which I propose to make in the Bill, in accordance with the views I stated the other evening on the part of the Government, and as soon as they are ready will place them on the Votes of the House. I shall also endeavour to fix as early a day as possible for going into Committee on the Bill.