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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. JOHN ATKINSON, Londonderry) moved:—
That leave be granted to bring in a Bill to confirm a Provisional Order made by the Local Government Board for Ireland, under the Public Health (Ireland) Act, 1878, relating to the urban sanitary district of Armagh.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)complained that the Government had taken a very inconvenient course. On February 18 they had introduced a Provisional Order Bill bearing exactly the same title. The effect of the introduction of this said Bill would be to involve the opponents of the Provisional Order in serious additional expenditure. Did the Government wish to embarrass the people of Armagh? He thought that the Government ought to have given some explanation of their action. The Bill emanated from the Local Government Board for Ireland, of which the Chief Secretary was the head, and its introduction was the act of the Government, and they were responsible. Why was this second Bill required? The first Bill failed to provide for the suitable representation of the people of Armagh in connection with the matters with which it dealt. Was it the object of this Bill to remedy that defect? There were in Armagh 7,500 inhabitants.
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! The hon. Member cannot discuss the question of the representation of Armagh on the Motion for leave to introduce this Bill.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYsaid that the Bill affected the urban sanitary authority of Armagh, and that the urban sanitary authority in that town was identical with the Corporation.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid that the hon. Gentleman was entirely out of order.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYasked whether it would be possible afterwards, on other stages of the Bill, to discuss the point?
§ MR. SPEAKERMy ruling applies only to what is before me.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYsaid in that case he would defer his observations until the Bill was before the House. At present he protested against the Government placing on the opponents of these Bills the additional expense involved under the Standing Orders in lodging a petition.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.If the hon. Member had only ascertained the dates of these proceedings, he would have seen there was no ground for his complaint against the Government. The first Provisional Order was made on the 16th August 1895. A Bill to confirm it was introduced and ordered to be printed on the 8th February 1896. The second Provisional Order was not made till nearly a month afterwards, namely, the 3rd March 1896. It is difficult to see why the Government should be requested to anticipate the result of the initial proceedings m reference to the second General Order which has just begun, and delay the introduction of the Bill to confirm the first Provisional Order, until they had ended.
§ MR. VESEY KNOX (Londonderry)saw no reason why the two sets of Provisional Orders should not be introduced in one Measure. The Government surely knew that there was a likelihood of this second Provisional Order being necessary.
§ The House divided:—Ayes, 287; Noes, 86.—(Division List, No. 43.)
§ Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Attorney General for Ireland and Mr. Gerald Balfour; presented accordingly, and read 1a; referred to the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills.—[Bill 140.]