§ MR. POWELLsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is the intention of the Government to proceed with the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill in the present Session, or merely to renew the existing Act upon the subject; and, in the event of the Government proceeding with the Bill before the House, whether it is intended to insist upon the last clause, which provides for the disfranchisement of the whole body of electors in constituencies in which corrupt practices are reported to have existed?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, he wished to proceed with the Bill, but was obliged to postpone it, owing to the Parochial Assessment Bill, and Lunacy Law Amendment Bill, of which he was in charge, not having made greater progress. Next week he should be able to say whether he should be able to proceed with the Bill or not. As to the last clause, the hon. Gentleman was mistaken in the view he had taken of it. It did not disfranchise the whole body of electors, but merely sanctioned the suspension of the writ in the event of corrupt practices being proved.