§ LORD ORANMORE AND BROWNE had given notice to ask His Majesty's Government whether is their intention to pass into law during the present session the promised Irish Land Bill; and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords, the noble Lord on the Woolsack has requested me to postpone this Question, as it would be more convenient for the Government that it should be taken at a later date. I need not say that it gives me great pleasure to accede to any request from the noble and learned Lord, but I am not sure that, under ordinary circumstances, I should have been able to agree to his suggestion, because, as a matter of fact, I had asked several noble Lords who agree with me to conic here and support me this afternoon, with what I hoped would be strong criticism 658 of the action of the Government in this matter. As your Lordships are aware, the debate which was initiated last Thursday I by my noble friend, Lord Donoughmore, on the whole subject of the policy of the Government with regard to Ireland is to be resumed, and I am afraid that if I were to ask this Question it might result in that debate being postponed to a later hour than would be convenient to your Lordships' House.
§ I must, however, say one word of protest against the habit, of which this is not the only example, of requesting noble Lords who have Motions or Questions on the Paper at the last moment to postpone these Questions or Motions. I know perfectly well that the noble and learned Lord would be the very last person in the world to be discourteous in a matter of this kind, but I was only this morning informed of his wish that the Question should be postponed. It has been on the Notice Paper of the House for three weeks; during the whole of that time the Chief Secretary for Ireland has been in this country, and it does seem unfortunate that the various Departments should not have been able to decide upon the answer which it would be desirable to give. I cannot help hoping, however, that the real meaning of the request to postpone my Question is that if an answer were given at the present time the Government would be obliged to give one -which I should be very sorry to hear, namely, that they did not intend to proceed with the Bill. I know the great interest which is taken in this matter by the noble Lord, and I am inclined to hope that the postponement of this Question till Wednesday week will enable him to give me an answer more satisfactory than he would have been able to give me to-day. I beg to postpone my Question.