§ MR. O'KELLYasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, in view of the state of Ireland resulting from the enforcement of existing Laws by the Military forces of the Empire, it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to demand urgency for the Land Bill, and so shorten the period of dangerous tension which must elapse before the remedial measures proposed by Government can come into operation?
MR. GLADSTONESir, the hon. Member will excuse me for guarding myself against being supposed to assent to the proposition that the state of Ireland results from the enforcement of the law by the Military Forces of the Crown. That may be the opinion of the hon. Member, but I do not share in it. I should be disposed to attribute it to other causes. As to his Question whether it is the intention of the Government to demand "urgency" for the Land Bill, I have to remind the hon. Member that the House has kindly consented to take Morning Sittings on Tuesdays and Fridays, for the purpose of carrying on the discussions on that Bill. If we are more fortunate than we have hitherto been in avoiding an enormous and unprecedented multiplication of Questions, and Motions for the adjournment of the House, there ought to be a considerable time at the disposal of the House for the prosecution of the measure referred to by the hon. Member. At the same time, our estimate of the importance of the Bill, and the necessity of carrying it forward, is in no way abated, and it might possibly become our duty to make fresh proposals to the House.
SIR, EARDLEY WILMOTasked the Prime Minister, Whether there was any truth in the statement which had appeared in some of the morning papers that, with the view of expediting the progress of the Irish Land Bill through Parliament, portions of the Bill were to be abandoned?