HC Deb 11 June 1883 vol 280 cc208-9
MR. DAWSON

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that, owing to the defects in registration, many persons in Ireland entitled to the franchise are precluded from obtaining it; whether, owing to the provisions contained in the sixty-third section of the Act 11 and 12 Vic. c. 91, many thousands of persons otherwise entitled to the Poor Law, Municipal, and Parliamentary Franchise in Dublin, are deprived of any share in the selection of Poor Law, Municipal and Parlimentary representatives; and, whether, with a view to encourage Constitutional action in Ireland, he will press forward the Registration Bill he has introduced, and amend it so as to remove the difficulties which at present exclude many thousands of people in Ireland from franchises which the Law intends they should enjoy?

MR. TREVELYAN

Sir, I am well aware of, and I regret, the circumstances referred to in the second paragraph of this Question, which the hon. Member has in so patriotic a manner brought before me more than once. I think this is a matter which would more properly be dealt with in a measure relating to the franchise, whether Municipal or Parliamentary, than in a Bill dealing exclusively with registration. I almost doubt whether it would be considered within the scope of a Registration Bill by the opponents of the measure. With regard to the defects of the existing system of registration, I may say that among the proposed Irish measures of this Session there is none that I am more anxious to see promptly carried than one dealing with this question. But the delay in the Government Bills has been so great, and was so unexpected by me when I first brought forward my programme of Irish measures, that I must own I have not now the same confidence of being able to get them carried this Session.

MR. DAWSON

asked whether it was not a fact that in the English Registration Act of 1878 the provisions referred to in his Question were incorporated from political motives?

MR. TREVELYAN

said, the provisions were practically determined by the Act of 1869, introduced by the right hon. Member for Ripon (Mr. Goschen). That Act was undoubtedly of a political nature, and was only carried after considerable discussion.