§ MR. AYRTONsaid, he wished to put a question to the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to one of the Orders of the Day. The right hon. Gentleman seemed to have forgotten that before the Adjournment for the Easter holidays he was asked whether he intended to bring on the London Corporation Bill upon the re-assembling of Parliament, and he then stated that it was not his intention to do so until the first week after Parliament had assembled. A number of hon. Gentlemen were not only astonished to find it amongst the Orders of the Day, but that the Government entertained some intention of bringing on the Bill, contrary to the distinct assurance given by the right hon. Gentleman (Sir George Lewis). No doubt it was some mistake, which he hoped might be immediately rectified, and he (Mr. Ayrton) would be glad if the right hon. Gentleman would inform the House that it was not his intention to proceed with the second reading of this Bill upon the present occasion.
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, he was under the impression that the question asked of him was, whether it was his intention to move the second reading of the London Corporation Bill on the first day of the meeting of the House after the Easter holidays, and that he answered that inquiry in the negative. He certainly was not aware that he had given any assurance that he should not bring on the question in the first week of the re-assembling of Parliament. If, however, the hon. Member was positive as to such an intimation having been conveyed by him, he (Sir George Lewis) would be unwilling to dispute the fact. He submitted, however, that the present time was most opportune for proceeding with the measure and for taking a discussion upon its provisions. He should, however, be sorry to take any course that might be represented as a breach of faith on his part, and should rather postpone the consideration of the measure to a future day.