§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, out of a population of neatly 12,000 there are only 247 voters on the present burgess roll of the borough of Kilkenny; and, whether he will take the opportunity, a Bill being now before Parliament to confirm a Provisional Order relating to Kilkenny, to sanction the introduction of a Clause into that Bill reducing the qualification of burgesses from £10 to £4, as was done last Session in the private Acts promoted by Drogheda, and Waterford, and in the Provisional Order Confirmation Acts relating to Armagh, Belfast, Blackrock, and other places?
MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask you if it is not the case that the course suggested in the Question was ruled by you from the Chair to be out of order, on the occasion of the Second Reading of this Bill?
§ MR. SPEAKERThat is so. And it would be quite out of order for a Committee, or for the tribunal which, in the case of an unopposed Bill, takes the place of a Committee, to deal with the matter after I had ruled it out of order.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThat being so, I have nothing further to add.
§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIENMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Government will facilitate the passing of a Bill, if I introduce it, making this change in the franchise, as in the case of Belfast?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo, Sir; I could not undertake to do that.