HC Deb 13 July 1896 vol 42 cc1305-6

MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.) moved:— That it be an Instruction to the Committee to inquire into the advisability of extending the municipal franchise to all Parliamentary voters except lodgers, and of providing that the burgess lists shall be revised and made up by the same persons and at the same time as the Parliamentary Register, before the increased powers proposed to be given by the Bill are conferred upon the Corporation; and, if they think fit, to make provision in the Bill for the same. He said that as the matter had been one of general consent all round, he need not detain the House with any statement or argument in favour of the Instruction and would content himself with moving it.

*MR. SPEAKER

said it seemed to him that it was somewhat doubtful whether the Instruction was in order or not, and if it had been objected to he should have liked some further time to consider it in connection with the terms of the Bill. As, however, it appeared to be accepted by general consent, he did not think it necessary to raise any objection.

Motion agreed to.

MR. VESEY KNOX (Londonderry) moved:— That it be an Instruction to the Committee to inquire whether provision should be made in the Bill to secure under the extended franchise the representation of minorities in the Corporation, and, if they think fit, to provide for the same by the election of the councillors triennially by the cumulative vote or otherwise. When the Bill was before the House at an early period of the Session, he said in moving a similar Instruction, that he thought the same principle ought to be applied and could be applied with advantage to all parts of Ireland, and he was still of this opinion. Of course, he only spoke for himself. There had been no suspicion that in the past there had been any sort of trampling upon, or ill-usage of the minority in Dublin, and therefore, it could not be suspected that this form of Instruction was in any way a reflection upon the people of Dublin. It occurred to him that the simplest and most useful way in which the principle could be applied in the case of Dublin was if there were three-corner constituencies established in the same way as the matter was enforced throughout the United Kingdom under the Act of 1867 or 1868. It was a matter for inquiry before the Committee, and if it was found that there could be no general agreement arrived at, the Committee might not think it necessary to act upon the Instruction.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central)

objecting,

Consideration of the Motion deferred till to-morrow.