§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRE (Bradford, Central)said, he was constrained to repeat the Question regarding Land Law Reform put to the noble Lord the Chancellor of the Exchequer earlier in the Sitting. He trusted the noble Lord would pardon him if he said that the answer which was returned to his Question was not calculated to facilitate the progress of Business. ["Oh, oh!"] All he wished to know was, whether or not the Government had made up their minds as to the course they would take on the subject? If the noble Lord said they had not, he would be quite content with that answer. He had put the Question to the noble Lord with a sincere desire to learn what the intention of the Government was in connection with this important matter; and he might add that the subjects referred to in it were totally distinct from what was ordinarily meant by the term of land transfer. It was a subject in which he felt a great interest, and one in regard to which he intended to submit proposals to Parliament next Session. If the Government did not deign to give him a satisfactory answer he would take his own course upon the subject. He submitted that it would not be unreasonable that the noble Lord should indicate the scope of a measure upon such an important subject which they intended to bring forward next Session; and, in any case, he hoped he would get a more courteous answer than the noble Lord had given him a few minutes ago.
§ THE CHANCELLOE OF THE EXCHEQUER (Lord RANDOLPH CHURCHILL) (Paddington, S.)I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that I intended no discourtesy to him; and if he thinks my answer discourteous I must apologize fairly and freely. I did not intend any discourtesy; but I do still think really and truly that the question is unreasonable. He asks the Government to state whether or not they have made up their minds as to the exact scope of a very difficult and complicated measure which the Lord Chancellor intends to submit to Parliament next Session. How can we tell that, at the present moment, with regard to a measure very technical and very difficult? The right hon. Gen- 1130 tleman must see that the inquiry is altogether premature; and I will frankly confess that I am myself perfectly incompetent to deal with the question the hon. Member (Mr. Egerton Hubbard) raises. I have little or no knowledge of the difficult questions involved, and I do not take upon myself—I would not be presumptuous enough—to attempt to give any expression of opinion which might lead or mislead the House on the subject. I cannot answer the Question of the right hon. Gentleman. I do not think it is a Question which, under ordinary circumstances, he can expect the Government to answer. The measure to be introduced next Session will, on its introduction, either satisfy the right hon. Gentleman, or it will not; if it does not, then it will be open to him to object to it in toto, or else to endeavour to enlarge it or amend it.