HC Deb 05 March 1878 vol 238 cc756-7
MR. SULLIVAN

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether the intentions of Her Majesty's Government in reference to the Irish Sunday Closing Bill were correctly stated by the late Chief Secretary for Ireland on the 18th of January last, when he promised for the Government (reserving the right to move certain Amendments) to support it in its earlier stages, and afford greater facilities, with a view to the question being settled this Session and not delayed; or whether the present Chief Secretary for Ireland spoke with greater authority on Saturday last, when he announced to a deputation of Brewers and Liquor Merchants that the Government would neither directly nor indirectly support the Bill, and that, with the conceding of one day for its discussion, the obligation of the Government ended?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

The statement which was made by my right hon. Friend the Colonial Secretary previous to the introduction of this Bill correctly expressed the views; and intentions of Her Majesty's Government, and I understand it was not in any way the intention of my right hon. Friend the present Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant to override or alter the understanding which was then arrived at. What my right hon. Friend the Colonial Secretary promised was this—He said, speaking of the Bill before it had been introduced— If the provisions of that Bill are identical with those of the measure brought in last Session by the hon. Member for Londonderry County (Mr. R. Smyth), Her Majesty's Government will be prepared to take the same course with regard to it as they took last year. They will support its earlier stages, but reserve to themselves the right to move such Amendments as may appear advisable in Committee. He went on to say— I cannot doubt that the hon. Member for Roscommon will take every means in his power to secure opportunities for the discussion of his Bill by this House; but, if necessary, the Government will be prepared to aid him in obtaining greater facilities for the purpose, with the view of securing, so far as we are able, that a settlement of the question shall he arrived at this Session, and shall not be delayed, as was the case last year, from want of time. We have thus far fulfilled this obligation, because we did support the Bill in its earlier stages, and we hope to fulfil the engagement as far as is in our power with regard to the subsequent stages. But this Bill is not a child of the Government, and what our duties to other people's children are is always a question of some delicacy. We do not propose either to make a promise to be so kept as to be only keeping it to the ear and breaking it to the hope; and, on the other hand, we must not be supposed to pledge ourselves to give an indefinite support to this Bill, so as to set aside other Business of pressing importance. [Major O'GORMAN: Hear, hear!] The most practical Answer I can give with regard to the next step of progress is this. I promised some time ago that if our Business was making fair progress about the middle of March, I would make some arrangement for the further discussion of this Bill. We have not yet arrived at the time I then contemplated; but, if we continue to make fair progress with the Business of Supply, and especially with the Army and Navy Estimates, I hope to be able to place either Monday, the 25th of March, or the following Thursday, the 28th, at the disposal of the promoters of this Bill, in order that we may proceed with the discussion of it, and make progress.