§ SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Kerry, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if his attention has been called to the abnormal cost to Ireland this session in the matter of Private Bill legislation; and whether, in view of the heavy expenditure that the existing system entails annually upon Ireland, the Government will favourably consider the question of dealing with the subject next session.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI have no information as to the first paragraph of the hon. Baronet's question, and with regard to the second I cannot enter into any pledge with regard to legislation for next session upon any subject. With reference more particularly to Private Bill legislation for Ireland, I would suggest that surely it is desirable to await the issue of the experiment about to be carried out in Scotland before we attempt to extend the same system to other parts of the United Kingdom.