§ MR. MITCHELL HENRY (for Mr. BUTT)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether he will give precedence to his Motion relative to Mr. Justice Keogh on Monday the 22nd instant, or on any other early day?
MR. GLADSTONESir, I must distinguish between what relates to the Motion of the hon. and learned Member (Mr. Butt) and the general subject. I cannot undertake to give precedence to the Motion of the hon. and learned Member over other Motions of which Notice has been or may be given by other Members. I must leave them to fair and free competition among themselves. But I may repeat what I have already stated to the House. We shall be prepared at a proper time to name 1038 a day when the general subject may be discussed; but with due consideration, however, to the general convenience, we cannot fix that day until the House has gone into Committee on the Public Health Bill and the Licensing Bill. ["Oh, oh!" and Laughter.] If any hon. Gentlemen opposite are able to get through two or three things at once, they may be able to meet the general convenience of the House a great deal better than I can pretend to meet it; but as I lie under the unfortunate limitation of being able to do no more than one thing at once, I must, with great respect for my hon. Friends who laugh, try to arrange Public Business for the general convenience upon that footing. The whole evidence, moreover, in the Galway Election Case has not yet been delivered, but I believe it will be delivered to-morrow. We shall then consider whether it will be desirable in the public interest that we should submit a Motion of our own upon the subject; and, if not, we will take care that a day is provided when other hon. Gentlemen will have an opportunity of inviting the attention of the House to the subject.
§ MR. MITCHELL HENRYasked when the Government would be likely to come to a conclusion? Some notice to the Irish Members would be necessary, as the majority of them were absent in Ireland.
MR. GLADSTONEsaid, of course, it was necessary to consider the Irish Members. He hoped, however, the discussion might take place on Thursday week.