HC Deb 28 March 1887 vol 312 cc1622-3
MR. PICKERSGILL (Bethnal Green, S. W.)

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether the statement which has appeared in the public Press is correct, that the Government propose to— Continue the sitting of Parliament right through Easter, if the Second Reading of the Criminal Law (Ireland) Bill be not taken before Good Friday; and, if this statement is not correct, whether he will now state, for the convenience of the House, when the Easter Recess will begin and end?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)

Her Majesty's Government are most anxious to consider and to meet the convenience of all sections of the House; but they feel it to be their duty to ask the House to give the Bill for the Amendment of the Criminal Law (Ireland) a second reading before they can propose the usual Easter holiday—["Oh!"]—and I say this, expressly disavowing any menace or throat to any hon. Member; but the House will understand that a measure which the Government regard as vital to the maintenance of law and order in Ireland—[Mr. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.): Why don't you hang the Walkers?]—and on which they stake their own existence, cannot be postponed even for the usual holiday, much and sorely as it may he needed.

MR. T. M. HEALY

asked, whether it was intended to read the Land Bill in the House of Lords a second time before that Assembly adjourned for the Easter holidays?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I am not able to give the hon. and learned Gentleman the information which he requests; but I will undertake to say that progress will be made very rapidly with that Bill in the House of Lords, and I expect it will roach this House before the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Bill has left it.

MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)

wished to know whether, in the event of the second reading of the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Bill not being taken out before that time, the House was to sit on Good Friday?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I hope, Sir, it is not necessary to make any statement with respect to that day.

SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL (, &c.) Kirkcaldy

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is stated in the public Press that it has been arranged that the House of Lords shall rise the day after the introduction of the Land Bill until the 18th of April?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I am sorry to say that I have not been able to acquaint myself with the statements in the ordinary organs of public information, nor do I know what the arrangements of the House of Lords are.

MR. W. H. JAMES (Gateshead)

; asked whether there would be any, and if so, what interval between the introduction and the first reading of the Criminal Law Amendment (Ireland) Bill and the second reading?

MR. W. H. SMITH

I hope there will be sufficient interval to allow hon. Members to acquaint themselves with the contents of the Bill.