§ SIR R. ASSHETON CROSSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to Notice given on Thursday last by the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies for leave to bring in a Bill to prohibit the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors on Sunday in the Isle of Wight; and, whether such Notice, relating to piecemeal legislation, was given on behalf of the Government, or with the sanction of the Government?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT,in reply, said, he must remind the right hon. Gentleman that his hon. Friend (Mr. Evelyn Ashley) was the sole Member for the Isle of Wight, and that it was only through him that the views of the constituency could be represented. He had brought in the Bill as Member for the Isle of Wight. He (Sir William Harcourt) had no wish to leave the right hon. Gentleman under a misapprehension as to what the views of the Government might be; because, after the course which they had taken with reference to Irish and Welsh Sunday closing, and also with reference to the Bill introduced last Session as to Sunday closing in Cornwall, he did not wish the right hon. Gentleman to suppose that the Government objected to the general principle of piecemeal legislation on this subject. On the contrary, it was a question, no doubt, of areas; for the Government had always held that it was essentially a matter upon which localities ought to judge for themselves.