§ MR. WARTONasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether it is the intention of the Government, in consequence of the defeat sustained by them on Friday night, to issue the Returns relating to Stipendary Magistrates in Ireland which they considered should not be issued, due regard being had to the interests of the public; if not, whether it is their intention to take immediate steps to ask the House to rescind the vote?
§ MR. SEXTON,as the Mover of the Returns in question, asked whether it was not unprecedented to bring such a Question before the House?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI only saw this Question five minutes ago. Not having been addressed to me, it escaped my notice, and I have not had time to communicate with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. It is not the intention of the Government to ask the House to rescind the vote. It was one of those Returns that are put down thinking they are unopposed, and it is usual to give Notice to the Department concerned that they will be pressed if they cannot be so given. I had told the hon. Gentleman two or three days before to be good enough to confer with me. Part of the Return I was willing to give; another part was unnecessary. There is no real objection to the Return, except that it gives very great trouble to the Office. If I had thought the Return would have been seriously pressed on Saturday morning, I should have remained here instead of going to bed. As it is now, I think it better to let the matter stand as it is.