§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ SECOND READING.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."
§ Debate arising.
133§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.), said he wished to take objection to the title of this Bill, because if they passed it without some Instruction it would be impossible to apply it to Ireland. He thought it was most unfair that they should not apply the same law to all parts of the United Kingdom. If this was a United Kingdom, why should Ireland not have the same powers which they were now proposing to confer upon English County Councils? He noticed that the title of the Act was an Act to amend the Local Government Act of 1888. That Act was purely an English measure, and he wished to know if it would exclude any Amendment in favour of including Ireland.
§ MR. SPEAKERI do not see how that can be done by Amendment.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYasked if it could be done without an Instruction.
§ Mr. SPEAKERNo.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYsaid that unless the Government could give him some assurance that it could be applied to Ireland, he could not see why they should press the measure now. If the right hon. Gentleman would give an undertaking that he would consult the Irish Office, he should be quite satisfied to allow the Bill to be read a second time. He was willing to sit down the moment the Government would state their willingness to reconsider their position. When the English Act was going through Committee, the Government permitted a provision which allowed English County Councils to petition against Bills, and that was a very important provision. What had happened since was most important. Parliament had realised the necessity, not merely of enabling County Councils to promote Bills dealing with large areas and watersheds, but it had been found necessary to deal with other questions, because, by tapping the water in certain districts they were affecting districts 134 far away. When they had this difficulty in England Parliament was on the spot, and near at hand, but if they took the case of Ireland they had the obstacle of distance, and it was most unfair to pass a Bill of this kind in such a way as to exclude Ireland from its provisions. Why, for instance, should the County Council of Dublin be deprived of the relief which would be given by this measure?
§ MR. JOHN BURNS (Battersea)asked whether, considering the great benefit that the County Council Act of 1888 had conferred upon every part of the United Kingdom, the right hon. Gentleman did not think the time had arrived when he might respond to the appeal made by the hon. Member for Louth that this beneficent measure should be applied to Ireland. The conditions of the two countries in many respects were similar, and knowing something of the operation of the Act of 1888, and its effect upon London, he was convinced that an inconceivable boon would be conferred if Ireland had the same opportunity.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. WALTER LONG,) Bristol, S.I think the hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Louth has overlooked the fact that this Bill is, in its present form, inapplicable to Ireland. We propose to amend the Act of 1888, and also to adopt a portion of the Borough Funds Act which also does not apply to Ireland.
§ MR. HEALYYes, the Borough Funds Act has since been applied to Ireland.
§ MR. WALTER LONGWe have considered whether it was possible to make this Bill in its present form applicable to Ireland, and I have ascertained that it is impossible. If the suggestion is one which the Irish Government will accede to, then it must be done by a separate Bill. I shall be glad to consult the Chief Secretary, if that will be sufficient to satisfy the hon. and learned Member.
§ MR. CALDWELL (Lanarkshire, Mid)said he thought this Bill should also apply to Scotland. In the Local Government Act for Scotland, the Clause relating to the Borough Funds Act was word for word the same as in the English Act.
§ And, it being half-past Seven of the clock, the Debate stood adjourned. Debate to be resumed To-morrow.