§ SIR G. CAMPBELL (Kirkcaldy, &c.)Is it intended to go on with the Local Taxation Bill on Monday, or will it be dropped?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI hope it will come on on Monday after the Motion I shall make at an early hour in the evening.
§ MR. BUCHANAN (Edinburgh, S.)Will the right hon. Gentleman take care that the Lord Advocate shall be in his place on Monday when the Bill comes on?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI regret the hon. Gentleman should have thought it necessary to ask that question. The House is well aware that the Lord Advocate is most constant in his attendance in the House, and most assiduous in the discharge of his public duties.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Longford, N.)I desire to call attention to Mr. T. W. Russell's letter on the licensing question in Ireland, which appears in the Times of to-day, and to ask the Government when the Amendments extending the Licensing Clauses to Ireland will be laid on the Table?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the hon. and learned Gentleman's memory has somewhat failed him in this matter. In the course of the animated discussion which took place some time back on this question, I stated not once, but many times, that the Government would not be responsible for putting Amendments of the kind suggested on the Paper; but that if hon. Members put Amendments on the Paper the Government would consider them.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYDrafting Amendments to a Bill is a work of almost inconceivable trouble. Are hon. Members to take all that trouble, and is the only return to be that the Government will consider them?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe labour of drafting Amendments may be considerable, but it seems to have been got over some what successfully in regard to this Bill. I prefer the Bill in its present shape, and do not think we should gain by introducing the innumerable questions which would be raised by the Amendments suggested. I think the whole thing should stand over until Local Government has been established in Ireland.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI bog to ask the First Lord of the Treasury when that will be?
§ MR. HUNTER (Aberdeen, N.)When will the Scotch Police Bill be introduced?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHI hope the Scotch Superannuation Bill will be printed and circulated to-morrow.