§ MR DILLONsaid that he desired to ask the right hon. Gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury a Question of which he had given him private notice— namely, why the introduction of the Irish Judicature Bill had been so frequently postponed, and on what day it would be introduced? The right hon. Gentleman had said that the Bill would be introduced in such a form as would meet with general acceptance. The Bill had been altered from its original shape, and he wished to know at whose request that alteration had been made.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYThe hon. Gentleman is apparently greatly exercised, and in my view quite unnecessarily exercised in his mind, with regard to a statement I made yesterday on the subject of the Irish Judicature Bill—namely, that the Bill would be introduced next week; and when I stated yesterday that I hoped that it would he in a form to receive the consent of all parties I assumed that the objectors to the Bill were principally to be found among Members of the Irish Bar. As far as my inquiries extended, I believed that they would not object to the Bill in its present form, and I trust it will meet with no objection from any other quarter.
§ MR. DILLONsaid that the right hon. Gentleman had not answered his Question as to what day the the Bill would he introduced.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYOn Thursday next.
§ MR. DILLONsaid that he should also like to ask whether the Bill was modified to meet the opposition of any Gentleman from whom the right hon. Gentleman had made inquiries. [Cries of "Order!"]
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI do not think a question has ever been asked of the Government before as to the modifications of a Bill which had not yet been introduced. [Cheers.] We have endeavoured to make ourselves acquainted with the views of those who may be regarded as the representatives of the legal profession in Ireland, and we think we have met those views, and that we shall he able to introduce the Bill in a form which will be acceptable to them and to all other parties interested in the matter.
§ MR. DILLONsaid he thought his question was a very reasonable one. The First Lord of the Treasury said he had made inquiries that satisfied him that the Bill, in the shape in which it would be introduced, would be acceptable to all quarters of the House. What he asked was ——[Cries of "Order!"] Did the right hon. Gentleman take the position that because it was acceptable to the Bar of Ireland it must, therefore, be acceptable to all parties in the House?
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! the Question has been answered. The hon. Member is proceeding to argue upon it.
§ MR. DILLONsaid he only wished to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman had made inquiry in any quarter from any representatives except those from the Bar of Ireland.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI have formed a conclusion upon this subject, which I trust may be an accurate one, from a large number of separate circumstances which I certainly am not called upon to enumerate to the House. ["Hear, hear!"] But I may remind the hon. Gentleman that I think it was he and his friends who expressed the desire that if there were any reduction in the Irish Judicature the money so saved should be devoted to Ireland. That promise has been given, and I therefore have some reason to suppose, as far as that goes, that they would be satisfied. There remained the question that the feelings of the Irish Bar ought to be consulted. I have endeavoured to ascertain those feelings, and trust the Bill to be introduced next Thursday will not be met with any opposition from that quarter. ["Hear, hear!"]