§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the First Lord of the Treasury, with reference to the announcement in his Budget speech that the County Government Bill will not be proceeded with at present, Whether the Government contemplate the introduction of any other legislation during the present Session for giving effect to the Resolution which this House has already twice passed in favour of giving localities control over the Liquor Traffic "by some efficient measure of Local Option?"
MR. GLADSTONE,in reply, said, it was certainly quite true that they had contemplated action on the subject of County Boards, which would indirectly, but materially, bear upon the question in which his hon. Friend was greatly interested—namely, Local Option; but, being compelled reluctantly to abandon the County Boards Bill for the present year, he did not believe the Government had any means of making any proposal during the present Session on the subject of Local Option.