§ LORD JOHN MANNERSasked, Whether it is intended to proceed with these measures; and whether the Government are prepared to accept the principle of the Clause of which he had given Notice, for declaring beyond all doubt these Acts applied to Government Establishments?
MR. BRUCE, in reply, said, the Bill would be brought on to-morrow, he hoped at an hour which would insure its convenient discussion. The Government departments to which the noble Lord specially referred were, no doubt, the War Department and the Post Office. With respect to the first of these, there were some special difficulties which would render it premature to apply the principle on the present occasion. As to the telegraphic branch of the Post Office, 1575 there would be very grave objections to bringing it under the Act, and he could in no case consent to do so without very careful previous inquiry. In fact, it seemed to him that in no sense could this service be said to be a manufacturing establishment, and accordingly it was very doubtful how far the principle of the Bill was applicable to Government Departments at all.
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSsaid, he should leave the matter in the hands of the right hon. Gentleman this Session, but should call attention to it hereafter, if the law proved to be in an unsatisfactory state.