[BILL 124.] COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 23 June 1884)

§ MR. HEALY
said, the hon. and gallant Member for the County of Dublin (Colonel King-Harman) and others, interested in opposing the Bill, had left the House, he supposed, in obedience to a signal that the Bill was not coming on; but himself (Mr. Healy) and others, anxious to assist in passing the Bill, had not been told. Why were certain hon. Members singled out, and given information, while others were left to sit out other Business, waiting to assist the Government with this Bill? It was now to be put off till Thursday; but, of course, not with the slightest notion of going on with it then. Did the Government really mean to pass the Bill or not? It looked singularly like an intention to send the Bill up to the other House in 1200 the month of August, giving their Lordships that reason for rejecting it. He shrewdly suspected that the Treasury were responsible for these delays. He did not blame the hon. and learned Gentleman the Solicitor General for Ireland, who, he believed, was anxious to see the Bill pass—and it was one of the small number for Ireland that could be passed—but the hon. Gentleman the Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Courtney), thinking it would involve a few hundred pounds additional expenditure in Ireland, adopted this mode of killing it. Let there be a frank statement when the Bill would be taken, so that hon. Members interested might not be brought down and kept waiting for the Bill night after night.

§ MR. WARTON
said, he was present on Friday, when the Bill was postponed, and there were but a few Members in the House; and when an appeal was made to the only Member of the Government present, the noble Lord the Member for Flintshire (Lord Richard Grosvenor), he, in a good-natured way, said—"We will set up the Bill directly;" and so it was put down for Monday.

§ MR. HARRINGTON
said, he must add his protest to that of his hon. Friend (Mr. Healy). They were slipping very near the day of revision, a most important event in relation to Irish politics, and all parties looked forward to the result with great interest. If the Government allowed that day to arrive, without a better revision being made, they would find themselves stranded in great difficulties. Last year, there was great dissatisfaction at the wretched manner in which the Recorder attempted to get through the business, in order to meet the various engagements attached to his position. It was shameful the way in which voters had to fight to get their names on the list. They had to watch day after day; and, if they chanced to be absent when their names were called, they were passed over. Hundreds of men in the county of Dublin had been omitted, owing to the duties that devolved on the Recorder, which he was wholly unable to meet; 1,000 voters, who should have been on the Register, had been deprived of their votes, simply because of the incapacity of this man to meet the engagements of his position. He would appeal to the hon. and learned Gentleman the Soli- 1201 citor General for Ireland, who knew the necessity for the Bill, would he press upon the Government the urgency of the measure? Why bring it in at all, if not with the intention of proceeding with it? Were they going to accommodate the hon. and gallant Member for the County of Dublin, who hoped, by blocking the Bill, to retain his position for a while? Only a short time since, the Chief Secretary for Ireland said he did not wish to bring the Bill forward in the absence of the hon. and gallant Member, and it would now appear they were only going to have the Bill when the hon. and gallant Member wished it; and how much the Bill would prejudice his position as Member, Irish Members knew. He would propose, as an Amendment, "That the Bill be taken To-morrow at Two of the clock."

§ MR. COURTNEY
said, the hon. Member for Monaghan (Mr. Healy) had attributed to him (Mr. Courtney) an influence in opposition to the Bill which he did not possess. It was obvious that the simple explanation was that the Franchise Bill was not reached until a late hour, and occupied considerable time; other Business followed in turn, and he felt, at past 2 o'clock, it was too late to go on with the Bill. It was quite open to any hon. Member to ask during the evening if the Bill would be taken. It was now proposed to put it down for to-day; but the only result would be that it would be reached at 10 minutes to 7. If the hon. Member would leave it for Thursday, in all probability the Bill would be taken after the principal Business of that evening was disposed of.

§ MR. HEALY
thought, under the circumstances, his hon. Friend (Mr. Harrington) would withdraw his Amendment, on the understanding that the Bill would be taken on Thursday. Would the hon. and learned Solicitor General for Ireland say the Bill should be taken then?

§ MR. HARRINGTON
said, of course, he would withdraw his Amendment if 1202 he saw any probability of the Bill being taken on Thursday; but he should divide on every occasion the Bill was postponed, in order that the public might see how the Bill was treated by the Government.

§ MR. COURTNEY
said, he would consult with his right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland as to taking the Bill. Of course, it could not be taken as the first Business on Thursday; but he saw no reason why it should not be taken later.

§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALKER)
said, he had no influence in arranging the Business of the House; but he was anxious and ready to go on with the Bill at any time when his Colleagues, who had the management of the order of Business, thought it should be brought on. He would also consult with the right hon. Gentleman the Chief Secretary for Ireland on the subject.