§ MR. BUCHANANI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of his statement that no contentious business will be proceeded with this Session, he intends to introduce the West Highland Railway Guarantee Bill?
§ MR. DALZIELasked whether circumstances had not changed in respect to the Bill since the recommendation was made by the Committee four years ago, on which it was based; and whether the Bill would not, consequently, occupy a long time? He might remind the hon. Gentleman that the Member from whom the opposition last session chiefly came, had since succumbed to the chances of Parliamentary election? [Laughter.]
§ MR. BUCHANANsaid, that in that case he must ask further, whether the question of the grant to the West Highland Railway, guaranteeing a large expenditure of public money, depended on the result of an election as to whether the matter became contentious or not?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYNot at all; but the fact, that the Gentleman who principally opposed it is no longer in this House.
§ MR. DALZIELYes, he is—I principally opposed it.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI do not wish to determine the precedence between the hon. Gentleman and Mr. Birkmyre, who is the Gentleman to whom I referred. If it turns out that the Bill is so regarded, it will not be proceeded with, and the responsibility of its being dropped must then rest on those who make it contentious.
§ MR. BUCHANANasked whether the right hon. Gentleman did not consider a Bill contentious which proposed, for the first time in Scotland, to guarantee State help to a railway?
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member is only repeating, in an argumentative form, what has already been answered.