MR. BRANDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether his attention has been called to the remarks made by Baron Bramwell at Stroud upon the practice of giving the artisans employed in the mills a holiday on the day of polling at Parliamentary Elections with-out deduction of their wages; and, if so, whether it is his intention to rescind the order lately issued to the dockyards which authorised the practice condemned by Baron Bramwell; and, whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill for extending the hours of polling so that the artisans employed in dockyards, mills, &c. may have increased 1035 facilities for recording their votes at Parliamentary Elections?
§ MR. HUNT, in reply, said, he doubted whether the Circular recently issued by the Admiralty fell within the principle referred to by Baron Bramwell in his judgment. The Circular provided that there should always be a half holiday for voters in Dockyards, and in his (Mr. Hunt's) view, that would not constitute an inducement to them to vote for any particular party. Not having had the advantage of legal advice, however, he was unable to state whether the Circular did infringe the principle in question; but the matter should be inquired into. At present he was not prepared to rescind the Order. As to the hours of voting, no such measure as that indicated by the hon. Member was at pre-sent under the consideration of the Government.