§ Considered in Committee.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That it is expedient to authorise the remission of a Debt due to the Public 2050 Works Loan Commissioners in pursuance of any Act of the present Session to grant Money for the purpose of certain Local Loans out of the Local Loans Fund, and for other purposes relating to Local Leans."—[Mr. Hobhouse.]
§ Sir F. BANBURYIt is rather curious that all those remissions, with one exception, apply to Ireland. We are just now on the eve of Home Rule, and this is a very bad precedent. I only rise to call attention to the fact that this is a curious document. It is a very interesting feature with regard to certain Irish people, who appear to have had money lent them, which they have not been able to repay. I draw the attention of the Committee to the very extraordinary fact that everybody in the United Kingdom seem to be able to pay their debts except the Irish.
§ Mr. T. P. O'CONNORI am going to make the hon. Baronet a firm proposition. We are willing to restore all the money he alleges we owe if England will restore all which the Commission alleges is owing to us.
§ Mr. MOONEYThe same question arose with regard to England and Scotland, and the hon. Baronet did not then raise this question at all.
§ Question put, and agreed to; Resolution to be reported to-morrow.