§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. BIGGAR,in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, 612 the object of it was, with reference to persons who were really entitled to the franchise, to prevent their being disqualified owing to their names not having been duly inserted in the rate book.
Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Biggar.)
§ MR. MULHOLLAND,in moving that the Bill be read a second time that day six months, said, the Bill had come before the House in various forms and under various designations, such as a Town Rating Bill, a Borough Franchise Bill, and now as a Voters Bill. It had always been rejected. He contended that the Bill, instead of its being in reality a measure to prevent the disqualification of voters in Ireland who were now entitled to the franchise, owing to their names not being inserted in the rate book, was rather a proposal by which persons who were not entitled to the franchise would have their names so registered. He pointed out also that if the name of a voter were improperly omitted from the rate book, he might put in a claim which it had been decided would put him just in the same position as he would have been if his name had been inserted. The direct payment of rates was entirely ignored by the Bill. That was a damaging position. The Bill did not put the legitimate voter in a better position, and it proposed no remedy for the accidental omission of names from the rate book. The Preamble of the Bill was untrue, and its provisions were dangerous.
Amendment proposed, to leave out the word "now," and at the end of the Question to add the words, "upon this day six months."—(Mr. Mulholland.)
§ SIR JOSEPH M'KENNAsupported the Bill. He thought a more unfair reading of a Bill than that of the hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Mulholland) could not be imagined. The object of the measure was simply an attempt to assimilate the law in Ireland to that which prevailed in England with respect to conditions under which persons in Ireland should be entitled to the exercise of the franchise. There was no ground for saying that its operation would be to put the name of a single voter on the rate book who was not really 613 entitled to have it placed there in case of an assimilation of the law for both countries. He hoped the Bill would be accepted by the House.
Question put, "That the word 'now' stand part of the Question."
The House divided:—Ayes 99; Noes 125: Majority 26.—(Div. List, No. 118.)
Words added.
Main Question, as amended, put, and agreed to.
Second Reading put off for six months.