§ MR. HENEAGEasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering the severe and continued depression in agriculture, and the generally admitted necessity of securing the tenants compensation for unexhausted improvements, the Government will introduce their Bill relating to this subject before Easter; and, whether they will give it precedence over the London Government Bill and other measures for which there 1756 is neither the same commanding necessity nor immediate urgency?
MR. GLADSTONESir, in the present state of Public Business, Her Majesty's Government have no anticipation of being able to introduce before Easter any of the several important measures announced in the Queen's Speech, on account of the want of time available for the purpose; and I may also say that, in my opinion, it is not a wise course, with reference to the real acceleration of Business, that the Government should introduce a very large number of measures at one time, and that it is much hotter, both for the measures advanced and the measures postponed, that they should only be introduced at a period when there is a reasonable chance of some real progress being made. In regard to precedence being given to this Bill, it would be premature if I were to attempt at this time to lay down the order in which the Government will endeavour to proceed with the various important measures before thorn. I have only to say that not only do the Government admit and feel very strongly the general strength of the claims for a Bill of this kind, but they also recognize the accession of strength which those claims derive from the peculiar circumstances of the case and the present times.