§ MR. J. E. ELLIS (Nottingham, Rushcliffe)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the widespread interest attaching to the subject of licensing and the vital importance of the proposals for extinction and compensation in the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Duties Bill, and the fact that the actual terms of the proposals were only circulated on Friday, he will defer the Second Reading of the Bill until its actual effects have been more thoroughly appreciated, and hon. Members have had reasonable time to communicate with those whom they represent on the subject?
§ MR. CAINE (Barrow-in-Furness)I beg also to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if, in consideration of the great importance of the subject and the strong interest manifested throughout the country, he will postpone the Second Reading of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Duties Bill till after the Whitsuntide Recess?
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI am not able to accept the suggestions of hon. Members that the Second Reading should be postponed until after Whitsuntide. I shall ask the House to read the Bill a second time on Monday, but it is not intended to take the Committee stage until after Whitsuntide; and I apprehend that the opposition of hon. Members is directed against a clause rather than against the whole Bill, so that ample time will be afforded for the consideration of the provisions in question.
§ SIR W. LAWSONIt is the principle of the Bill that we oppose, and the principle can only be discussed on the Second Reading.
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI am aware that it is usual to discuss the principle of a Bill on the Second Reading; but there is more than one principle in this Bill, and I believe that some of the principles are accepted by both sides of the House. If the hon. Gentleman objects to any particular licensing provision of the Bill the best way to give effect to his objection will be to move the rejection of the clause in Committee.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWhat course do the Government propose to take in regard to the extension of the Suspensory Clauses to Ireland?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThere will be no inconvenience in hon. Members moving in Committee to extend the Suspensory Clauses of the Bill to Ireland so as to prevent the creation of new licences in that country.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYThat would deprive us of the opportunity of considering the proposal on the Second Reading stage of the Bill to which we are certainly entitled, because we may not be satisfied with the proposal of the Government. Was there not a distinct pledge by the Irish Office that Ireland should be included in the Bill?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not think that any objection can be taken with regard to the proposal as it now stands.
§ SIR W. HARCOURTI would suggest that the Bill should be committed pro forma in order to introduce Amendments. It would be unfair not to take a discussion so far as Ireland is affected.
§ *MR. W. H. SMITHI will undertake that after the Bill has been read a second time the necessary steps shall be taken to introduce a clause into the Bill for extending the Suspensory Clauses to Ireland.
§ MR. CAINEI beg to give notice that on Monday next, on the Second Reading of the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Duties Bill, I will move that the Bill be read a second time that day six months.
§ SIR W. LAWSONI beg to intimate that in the event of the Government persisting in the endeavour to force the Bill through this day week I will avail myself of every opportunity of preventing it coming on until the country has had time to consider it.