§ MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, With regard to the recent announcement of the Secretary to the Treasury, that the requisite particulars touching the application for the grant of a city charter to Belfast had been placed by the municipality in the hands of the Irish Law Officers of the Crown for their consideration and report, whether the Government have yet advised the Crown to grant the charter?
§ MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the Question, may I ask him, if it is not a similar Question to that which I asked him on Tuesday, 14th June; and if, in accordance with an intimation from him, I have not been waiting for an occasion to repeat the Question. The hon. Member for West Belfast seems inclined to make political capital out of this matter by trying to monopolize Belfast Questions entirely.
§ MR. SEXTONMay I ask, whether it is not a fact that while the hon. Member was away engaged in Orange processions in Ulster, I twice brought the matter before the House?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)While I have no wish to enter into controversy between the hon. Members, it is a fact that my hon. Friend the Member for South Belfast did, in the first instance, ask me, whether Her Majesty's Government thought it well to celebrate the Jubilee of Her Majesty, by conferring a City charter upon the town of Belfast; and I told the hon. Gentleman that the Government were of opinion it was not desirable to connect the Jubilee with an event of such a character. The subject, however, has since had the attention of the Government, and we are informed by the Irish Law Officers that they are of opinion it is competent for the Government to grant a charter for the City of Belfast. The subject is receiving the attention of the Government.