§ MR. COX (Clare, E.)asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, in view of the legal rights of joint ownership conferred upon tenants in Ireland, the Government will introduce, and press forward this Session, a short Bill providing for the qualification of tenants, holding under statutory terms, as electors in drainage districts in Ireland?
§ THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH), (Strand, Westminster)in reply, said, this was not so simple a matter as the hon. Gentleman appeared to think. The whole question had been very carefully considered by the Royal Commission on Irish Public Works; and he was afraid it would be impossible for the Government to deal with the subject in the course of the present Session.
§ MR. COXasked the right hon. Gentleman, if he was aware that the right hon. Member for Newcastle (Mr. John Morley), when he occupied the post of Chief Secretary, promised to bring in a Bill dealing with this subject?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHsaid, he was not aware of the fact. The Royal Commission did not recommend any such complete measure as that suggested by the hon. Member.