[BILL 88.] COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 10 April 1885)

§ MR. HEALY
said, he observed in the Bill that though Ireland was not formally excluded, yet, practically, that would be so. He offered no opposition to the Bill; indeed, he would be glad to see it pass; but he did not see why legislation for the two countries should vary. If Irish Members brought in a similar Bill for Ireland, it would surely be "blocked," or else thrown out in the House of Lords; could not the hon. Member opposite (Mr. Leake) devise some means of extending the provisions of the Bill to both countries? If the Government did not object, he hoped English Members would be generous enough to allow Ireland to be included. The Bill was to remove certain doubts as to the legality of expenses incurred by local authorities, and it was not stated anywhere that the Act should not apply to Ireland; but in the Interpretation Clause the expression was used, that certain words should have the same effect as those used in the Public Health Act of 1875. Now, that Act did not 1433 apply to Ireland—the Irish Act was passed in 1878. But there was no reason in the world why Ireland should not have the benefit of the Bill; and, therefore, to obtain some reply from the Government, he begged to move the adjournment of the debate.

§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT
said, he was afraid he was hardly in a position to express any opinion on the subject; it was a question for the Local Government Board in either country; and the Bill had received the sanction of the Local Government Board for England; but, not being conversant with the matter, he could not say if Ireland should be included. He would undertake to say the point should be carefully considered.

§ MR. PARNELL
said, he would suggest to the hon. Gentleman who had charge of the Bill (Mr. Leake) that he should consider the matter between this and the Report stage of the Bill, agreeing to a nominal Amendment in Committee, so as to insure that there should be a Report stage. Of course, if the Bill passed through Committee without Amendment, there would be no Report stage. Meanwhile the matter might be examined, and he judged the Government would not object.

§ MR. WARTON
said, in reference to the last observations from the hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell), that it was his intention to move an Amendment which the hon. Member in charge of the Bill was inclined to accept.

§ MR. LEAKE
said, he had not the least objection that the Bill should extend to Ireland, and therefore he accepted the suggestion of the hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell). If the Bill were now allowed to go through Committee, then, on the Report, probably the reference to Ireland might be introduced.

§ MR. HEALY
said, in asking leave to withdraw his Motion, he would ask the hon. Member (Mr. Leake) to be content with getting the Bill into Committee, and then to report Progress. He would thus advance the Bill a stage. For his own part, he thought it would be a little too soft to allow the Bill to go through Committee; he knew too much of the 1434 Irish Government to trust them so far.

§ MR. WARTON
said, perhaps the hon. and learned Member would allow the Bill to proceed to his (Mr. Warton's) Amendment.

§ MR. HEALY
said, he had no objection.

§ MR. WARTON
said, the Amendment he had to propose would come in line 13, after the word "Board," in the second line of the clause, to insert the words "on their behalf." The words of the clause were rather wide, and the phrase he proposed was often employed in such cases.

§ MR. HEALY
said, this was exactly the point where an Amendment to apply the Act to Ireland would come in; after "Board," the reference to the Local Government Board (Ireland) would come in. He would, therefore, move to report Progress.

§ MR. WARTON
said, in the latter part of the clause might be introduced the words "Public Health Act (Ireland), 1878," and also in the Interpretation Clause, to the effect that the words "Local Government Board" should mean in England or in Ireland. To 1435 accept the present Amendment would not limit the Committee at all.