§ [ADJOURNED DEBATE.]
§ Order read, for resuming Adjourned Debate on Question [21st March], "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair" (for Committee on the Revision of Jurors and Voters Lists (Dublin County) Bill.
§ Question again proposed.
§ Debate resumed.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORsaid: I rise to Order. The right hon. Gentleman has already spoken upon this subject.
MR. J. LOWTHERsaid, he had spoken on the subject, but it was four or five years ago; and he had yet to learn that he could not state his views on the matter now because he spoke on it in 1878 or 1879. He shared the prevailing ignorance in regard to the merits or demerits of this Bill. His recollection was that it was a very small and a very narrow Bill. He objected to it on the ground that it had not been introduced for the purpose of remedying any existing grievance, or placing the law on any reliable and comprehensive basis, but in order to secure a Party advantage in a particular constituency, and it was open to all the objections brought against measures introduced by Irish Members.
§ MR. SEXTONIt is a Government Bill.
MR. J. LOWTHERsaid, the Bill to which he referred as having been opposed by himself several years ago was introduced by private Members, though it now appeared to have passed into official hands, and under these new auspices had never been even explained to the House. The Bill, he observed, proposed to create a new Office, and this Office was to be given to the inevitable barrister of 10 years' standing.
§ MR. ION HAMILTONsaid, he was surprised that the Chief Secretary did not give the House an explanation of this Bill. If it was intended to be a censure on the Recorder of Dublin the right hon. Gentleman ought to say so.
§ It being ten minutes before Seven of the clock, the Debate stood adjourned till To-morrow.
§ The House suspended its Sitting at Seven of the clock.
§ The House resumed its Sitting at Nine of the clock.