§ On the Motion of Sir R. ASSHETON CROSS (for Mr. W. H. SMITH), the following consequential Amendments were agreed to:—Page 41, line 30, leave out "on my behalf," and insert "by my authority, or with my knowledge or consent; "line 30, after "person," insert "nor any club, society, or association has;" line 30, leave out "has;" page 42, line 34, after "person," insert "nor any club, society, or association has;" line 34, leave out "has;" page 43, line 32, after "person," insert "club, society, or association;" line 37, after "person," insert "club, society, or association;" page 46, line 12, after "person," insert "club, society, or association;" line 20, 137 after "person," insert "club, society, or association."
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)said, he had to make a request to the House in respect of a technical matter in relation to the Bill—namely, that it should be re-committed in respect of Clause 34, in order to take power to charge certain expenses upon the Imperial Fund in cases where the Election Judge sat as an Appeal Court from the decision of the Commissioner. He would point out to the hon. Member for Monaghan (Mr. Healy) that having gone through the Schedules very fully in Committee, they could not be expected to go through them again. At the same time, there was a disposition to deal with some of the smaller Irish boroughs—Portarlington, for instance—which did not contain more than about 150 electors, in the sense indicated by the hon. Member.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be re-committed in respect of Clause 34."—(Mr. Attorney General.)
§ MR. BUCHANANasked the Attorney General to take into consideration the case of the Scotch counties, which were very materially affected by the Amendments of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South-West Lancashire (Sir R. Assheton Cross). The hon. and learned Gentleman, in the course of the few remarks which he made, had simply repeated the statement of the right hon. Gentleman; but there was no reference to any Scotch county.
§ MR. HEALYsaid, he thought the statement of the hon. and learned Gentleman was a very fair one, and he thanked him for having made it. Of course, he should offer no objection of the kind suggested; but the Attorney General having spoken of consulting the feeling of Members from Ireland, he trusted he would be guided by the numerical strength of those present. He pointed out that they had just had a large body on their side—namely, 23, the Government numbering only three in the Lobby.
§ COLONEL ALEXANDERsaid, he hoped the Attorney General would not follow the advice of the hon. Member for Edinburgh (Mr. Buchanan). Seeing 138 that the hon. Member was a borough Member, he was unable to understand why he was so interested in respect of the Scotch counties.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill re-committed in respect of Clause 34.
§ Bill considered in Committee.
§ (In the Committee.)
§ Amendment proposed, Clause 34, page 17, to insert, in Sub-section 4, after the word "Court," the words "and the expenses of the Election Court, and of receiving and accommodating the Election Court."—(Mr. Attorney General.)
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Bill reported; as amended, considered.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)Sir, I have to congratulate hon. Members on having reached this stage of the Bill, the discussion of which has engaged our attention for a very long period. I have also to make a particular request—namely, that the House will now consent to the Bill being read the third time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."—(Mr. Attorney General.)
§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSSir, I concur with the remarks of the hon. and learned Attorney General, and also express my hope that the House will agree to the Motion for the third reading.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill read the third time, and passed.