I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that there is in some places still in use the form of certificate of registry of death in use prior to the passing of the Burial Act of 1880, with the result that disputes sometimes arise at funerals as to the production or custody of the certificate; whether he will represent to the Registrar General the necessity for substituting in all cases the new form issued since the passing of that Act; and whether he will also suggest that, in any further issue of the new form, the misleading note at foot should be omitted?

I have been requested to answer this question. The Local Government Board had been in communication with the Registrar General on the subject prior to notice being given of this question. He is about to issue a Circular to Registrars of Births and Deaths which will have the effect of substituting in all cases the now form of certificate of registry of death issued since the passing of the Burial Act of 1880. The note at the foot of the form will also be modified.

I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether the Education Department has received from Cleator Moor, Cumberland, an application on behalf of 239 children of Protestants for free education; whether, with reference to the statement of the Department that there are 874 free places in two Roman Catholic Schools, and 151 in a British school, such schools being within an easy distance of nearly all the applicants, he is aware that the British school is, in fact, a mile and a quarter from whore the children reside; and that, if all the places in that school were filled, there would be 88 Protestant children who, to obtain free education, must attend Roman Catholic schools; and whether, in view of the fact that the Department has, in the case of Portsmouth (20th May, 1892) and elsewhere, recognised the need for Roman Catholic schools, notwithstanding a sufficiency of school places in Protestant schools, he will now, on a reconsideration of the facts, take steps to provide the required free-school accommodation at Cleator Moor?

The facts of this case are as stated in the hon. Member's question, except that the Department are not officially informed that all the 239 children in question are Protestants, though from the facts as to the existing accommodation in the Roman Catholic schools it may be assumed that they are. As I have already explained more than once in the House, the Department have no power under the law as it stands to compel additional provision in such a case, though they would not be precluded from accepting, and as a matter of fact have accepted, such additional provision if offered, either by a Board where a, Board existed, or by voluntary managers. In the Portsmouth case to which the hon. Member refers there was a large existing deficiency, which would not have been wholly supplied even by the additional provision which the School Board was prepared to make. I have no power to take such steps as the hon. Member suggests.

I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he is aware that a printed circular has been issued by the managers of the Parish Church Schools, Dewsbury, addressed to the parents of the children in the boys and girls department, in which, for the purpose of preventing future reduction from the fee grant payable to their schools, the managers propose to place to the funds of the school, under the head of "subscription," the weekly contributions from 13th February to 31st March; and whether such a proceeding would constitute a violation of the Assisted Education Act of 1891; and, if so, what stops he proposes to take in the matter?

The Department were not aware of the issue of the circular referred to. But the proposal made therein would be regarded by the Department as inadmissible, and a letter has been addressed to the managers of the school stating this.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the great local interest taken in the territorial regiment of Militia by the inhabitants of Shropshire, he can hold out any hope that such regiment will this year or next year go through its annual course of training at Shrewsbury, or some other convenient place within the county?

The difficulty in training the 3rd Battalion of the Shropshire Light Infantry at Shrewsbury arises from the want of an adequate rifle range; and it has been decided to train the battalion this year at Altcar. Should a range be obtained at or near Shrewsbury the question of training the battalion there in future would be considered.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that married members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who reside in private dwellings are prevented from letting any portion of their dwelling-houses; and whether, considering the desirability of encouraging members of the Force to live in respectable and commodious houses, particularly at summer resorts, he will communicate with the Inspector General in order to have this rule modified?

I am informed that it has always been held to be objectionable that members of the Force should accommodate lodgers in their own houses, and that to allow them to do so would seriously militate against the proper discharge of their police duties.

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, owing to a want of agreement between the Wisbech (Cambridgeshire) and the Holbeach (Lincolnshire) Boards of Guardians as to the settlement of a widow pauper named Ramsdale, aged 85, who removed from Newton in Cambridgeshire to Wingland in Lincolnshire, the widow's outdoor relief was stopped for 13 weeks; and whether the Local Government Board will issue an Order to the Wisbech Board of Guardians to pay the 13 weeks' arrears?

I understand that Mary Ann Ramsdale, who was 85 years of age, whilst receiving relief from the Wisbech Union went to reside in the Holbeach Union. The Guardians of the Wisbech Union then asked the Guardians of the Holbeach Union to continue to pay on their behalf the 5s. 6d. per week which Ramsdale had previously been receiving, but as it appeared that the place where she had gone to live was a considerable distance from the residence of the medical officer, and any attendance by him in the case would have involved a long and special journey, and the payment of a bridge toll of 1s., the Holbeach Guardians were unwilling to undertake the payment of the relief unless the Wisbech Guardians would agree to pay any expense in respect of the medical officer and any other expenses incurred by them. This the Wisbech Guardians would not agree to, and they gave an order for the admission of the woman into the workhouse. The order was not accepted, but she has since returned to the Wisbech Union, and is in receipt of the allowance of relief which she formerly received. I have no information as to how Ramsdale was maintained during the 13 weeks referred to, and the Local Government Board have no authority to make any Order for the payment suggested.

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, before appointing Civil servants to positions where they are called upon to enforce discipline and to act with absolute impartiality, he will consider the advisability of requiring them to resign their seats as Directors of retail trading stores in which their subordinates may be shareholders?

I have been requested to answer the question for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Rule of the Service in this matter is that laid down in the Orders in Council of March 21 and August 15,1890, and is as follows:—

"No officer shall be allowed to accept any part in the management of any society or any trading, commercial, or financial company of whatever description which would require the attendance of such officer at any time between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m."

Is that rule absolutely carried out with regard to Civil servants?

Yes, Sir; it is.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the repairs said to be required by Her Majesty's guardships Triumph and Starling will be executed at Cork; and whether the Admiralty will allow some of the numerous steam launches lying idle at Haulbowline quays to be utilised, especially in bad weather, to convey Government employés to and from their work every evening?

Inquiries are being made as to the executing the repairs of Triumph and Starling at Haulbowline. Inquiries are also being made as to the launches.

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will grant the same privilege to rural and county postmen as that enjoyed by city postmen on Easter Mondays and Bank Holidays generally?

The rural postmen do, as near as possible, enjoy the same privileges as town postmen on the days mentioned—i.e., they are relieved from duty early in the day, and they receive extra pay for all the work which they perform. The duties could not be further curtailed without putting the public to serious inconvenience.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether it is the intention of the Government to institute an exhaustive series of scientific experiments, utilising all the modern Continental results, regarding pleuro-pneumonia, and especially with a view to inquire into the efficacy of inoculation as a preventive of the disease as approved of by almost universal Colonial experience?

Perhaps my hon. Friend will allow me to refer him to the reply given by my Predecessor to the similar question addressed to him on the 11th August last. In the view then expressed I entirely concur, but I may perhaps add that, inasmuch as no case of pleuro-pneumonia has been discovered amongst home stock for nearly six months, there is now even less necessity for the institution of ex-pensive experiments than there was whilst pleuro-pneumonia was still prevalent.

I bog to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has granted, or is about to grant, a licence for the establishment of a magazine for explosives at Auchintibber, in the Parish of Blantyre, Lanarkshire; and, if so, whether it is usual for the Home Office to override the unanimous decision of the Local Authority upon the subject?

Yes; intimation has been given to the applicants for a licence for a magazine at Auchiutibber, in the Parish of Blautyre in Lanarkshire, that the Secretary of State will be prepared, on the magazine being established in strict conformity with the draft licence, to confirm such licence, notwithstanding the refusal of the Local Authority. The question was brought up before me on appeal by the applicants under the 8th section of the Explosives Act against the refusal of their assent by the Local Authority to the establishment of the magazine. The appeal, together with the reasons given by the Local Authority, were carefully considered by me and my technical advisers, with the result above stated. There have been a number of appeals to the Secretary of State from the decisions of Local Authorities since the Act came into operation, of which some have been allowed and others disallowed.

Am I to understand this is the usual course?

It is a statutory right.

I beg to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board whether he has received any Reports from the Medical Officer of Health for Warrington stating the numbers of cases of small-pox which occurred during the late epidemic in Warrington, and giving the numbers of cases and deaths amongst properly vaccinated persons compared with those amongst non-vaccinated or imperfectly vaccinated persons; and whether he will lay such Reports upon the Table?

The Local Government Board have not yet received Reports from the Medical Officer of Health of Warrington as to the number of cases of small-pox which occurred during the recent epidemic, and giving the numbers of cases among properly vaccinated persons compared with those among non-vaccinated or imperfectly vaccinated persons. As I have previously mentioned, the Royal Commission on Vaccination have caused inquiry to be made with regard to the outbreak of small-pox at Warrington.

But when does the hon. Gentleman expect to receive the Report?

I cannot fix a definite time. It will probably be two or three months.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether be can give any information with regard to recent disturbances in the Island of Symi?

It has been reported to Her Majesty's Government that the Authorities at Symi carried off a convert to Christianity from a monastery, but there is some dispute as to whether the conversion was the cause of the seizure. The inhabitants forcibly rescued the man from the police, and some soldiers are said to have committed excesses in searching for him afterwards. An Armenian Christian official was sent from Rhodes in a Government steamer to investigate the affair, and some of the soldiers were removed, which produced a change for the better. Two Senators of Symi were, however, summoned to Rhodes and put into prison there.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether representations having been made to him that many of the Crofters in the Western Isles of Inverness-shire are in a destitute state, and unable to procure the necessary seeds to be put into the ground this spring, the Government is prepared to render those poor people any assistance under the circumstances?

The Government are of opinion that assistance is best granted in the shape of wages for relief works rather than a seed loan or direct relief. In consequence a grant of £10,000 has been obtained for roads and footpaths, of which £3,000 was allotted to Inverness-shire. The County Council proposed to give three-fourths of that money to the distressed districts in the West, and one-fourth to the Eastern districts, but, as Secretary for Scotland, I ruled that, with the exception of £700 to Lochaber, the whole should go to the Western Islands, which I think is the right policy.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he thinks it consistent with the exercise of good Government to turn a deaf ear to the cry of a large section of the community for bread?

I do not think the Government have turned a deaf ear, seeing that the £3,000 granted represents wages—at the rate paid in the Highlands—for 1,000 men for a month or five weeks.

But that money is for making roads, and not to provide seed for these poor people to put into the ground. It is of no use to them. In consequence of the unsatisfactory reply of the right hon. Gentleman, I will at the first opportunity call attention to this matter, which is of urgent public importance.

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a Memorial from the coal merchants of Winchester in reference to the increased rates charged since the 1st day of March last by the London and South Western Railway Company and the Great Western Railway Company for the carriage of coal to Winchester; and, if so, whether he will kindly put pressure on those Railway Companies to revert to their former charges, and to refund the excess rates?

Yes; I am in communication with the Railway Companies Association on the subject.

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction which exists throughout the Highlands and Islands, particularly in Ross and Cromarty, in consequence of the prosecutions for alleged breaches of the Game Laws; and whether the Government see their way to promote legislation for abolishing or amending the Game Laws?

I have heard of complaints in regard to some individual cases of prosecutions under the Game Laws, but I have not had my attention called to the existence of general dissatisfaction on this subject throughout the Highlands and Islands, or in Ross and Cromarty particularly. The Government have not considered as to promoting legislation on this subject.

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he will set aside a sum out of the profits of the Department, or seek powers to enable him to provide a fund for the purpose of affording compensation for losses similar to those occasioned to the fishermen of Plockton, Rossshire, on the 9th and 10th instant, through mistakes on the part of the Post Office authorities in dealing with telegrams?

No, Sir; I do not think I should be justified in asking Parliament for powers to impose upon the taxpayer the amount which would be necessary for the purpose mentioned by the hon. Member.

I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that the greatest dissatisfaction exists amongst the fishermen of the Highlands and Islands in consequence of the laws relating to sea fishing; and whether the Government will support a measure under which salmon and trout in any part of the sea shall be the property of the fishermen who net or catch them?

I am aware that much dissatisfaction exists amongst the fishermen around the coasts of Scotland on the subject to which this query relates. The Government have it in contemplation to arrange for licences being granted to fish for salmon, and other fish of the salmon kind, in places around the coasts of Scotland, where the right of salmon fishing has not been already granted to private individuals.

How about the rights that have not been given to private individuals?

In cases where the rights have not been given to private individuals they are vested in the Crown.

When will the licences be granted?

I know that ray right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland is doing all he can to forward the matter.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think the House is aware——

Order, order! That is a matter of opinion. The hon. Member is entitled to ask questions only.

I am seeking for information. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when a fisherman whose family perhaps is on the verge of starvation, while pursuing his ordinary calling, catches in his nets a salmon, and takes it home for food, he is seized by the keepers and watchers, and either fined or sent to prison?

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he can now state what, if any, decision has been come to with regard to the claims of the clerical staff in Scotch prisons?

In reply to the hon. Member, I am glad to say that a decision, which I trust will be satisfactory, has been arrived at and communicated, for the information of the Clerical Staff, to the Prison Commissioners in Edinburgh, who will carry out the arrangement.

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether Chiatek Sun and Chin Sin Yung have been added to the Commission of the Peace for the Settlement of Penang; whether they are also appointed to be Visiting Justices for that Settlement; and if he is aware that both these persons are opium farmers under the Government, and are proprietors of opium smoking dens of a similar nature to those prohibited by the Indian Government; and if so, will he consider the advisability of removing their names from the Commission of the Peace?

We have no information on the subject, the appointments being made by the Governor, but inquiry will be made.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether, to obviate the expense caused by the removal of troops for target practice to distant stations owing to the long range of the Lee-Metford, he will consider the advisability of constructing ranges of sufficient length at the various Infantry quarters?

The War Department is fully alive to the desirableness of having rifle ranges at all the military centres, but the great range of the Lee-Metford rifle renders it very difficult to find safe positions for the ranges; and often when sites are found the price of land is so high that the cost of transport now incurred is the less evil of the two.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether an arrangement has been made whereby Her Majesty's Forces quartered in Plymouth and elsewhere are supplied with foreign frozen meat; and whether, if that be so, he will consider the advisability of encouraging the agricultural industry at home, and putting a stop to a practice so detrimental to that industry?

A certain quantity of refrigerated beef and, in a smaller proportion, frozen mutton is supplied to the troops during the winter months. But whenever duo regard to economy admits of it, there is always a desire to give the preference to home-grown meat of good quality.

Has the practice been extended lately?

I do not think so at all.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the "normal establishment" of the various Public Offices recommended by the Ridley Commission has been settled in all cases; whether he will furnish a list showing the normal numbers so settled with those appearing in the Estimates, 1893–4; and whether an arrangement once made between the Head of a Department and the Treasury is considered final and the definite establishment of that Office, and not to be revised until after an independent inquiry to be held under the recommenda- tion of the same Commission on "Revision of Establishments"?

A normal establishment has been adopted, so far as is practicable, for nearly all the Public Offices. Particulars will be given in a Return which will shortly be distributed. Arrangements made between the Treajury and the Departments cannot, of course, be final, but must be liable to reconsideration if there should be variation in the nature or amount of work to be done.

Will these points be inquired into?

The Treasury will consider such matters whenever brought before them by the Departments.

I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether he has received a protest from the postmen of Dublin against the recent appointment of Mr. A. Taplin to the office of Assistant Inspector of Postmen; and, if so, whether any reply has been given to it; and will he explain on what grounds this appointment has been made, seeing that it involves not only a departure from a rule of the Post Office, that postmen should be officered by men selected from their own branch of the Service, but the passing over of 200 employés with superior claims?

The appointment of Assistant Inspector of Postmen is ordinarily made from the class of charge-takers, and on this class Mr. Taplin stood, counting from the top, No. 6. The number of postmen, therefore, over whose heads he passed was not 200 but 5, and it was certified to me by those whose special duty it is to inform themselves on the point that of these five persons no one was qualified for the appointment of Assistant Inspector.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that the maintenance of the bye-law of the Fishery Board, by which a limited portion of the waters of the Firth of Clyde was opened to trawlers, is a source of great dissatisfaction and injury to the local fishermen of the district; and whether he has held or ordered any renewed inquiry into the circumstances of the case as he promised to do when receiving a deputation of the said fishermen in Glasgow on 25th November, 1892?

I am aware that complaints have been made of the injury done by trawlers to the local fishermen of the Firth of Clyde. In consequence of the deputation of November, 1892, the case was fully inquired into in January last by Mr. Anderson Smith, of the Scottish Fishery Board. He reports that the small fleet of trawlers (there are 18 boats in all) form the principal fishing community of the locality, and have not seriously interfered with the productiveness of the ground; and that the town of Greenock considers that it could not properly be supplied with fish were it not for these trawlers. After careful consideration of his Report, I am not prepared to cancel the bye-law instituted under my Predecessor (Lord Lothian).

Has the right hon. Gentleman given his personal attention to the case of the fishermen on the Ballantine Banks? It is a very hard one.

I cannot say that I have gone into it personally, but I have read with very great care the Papers and the Report of Mr. Anderson Smith. I shall be happy to show them to the right hon. Baronet, and hear what he says about it.

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury if his attention had been directed to the loss of £37,000,000 in the foreign trade of the United Kingdom during the past six months (September to February inclusive), compared to the same period in 1889–90, and to the simultaneous increase of 115,000 Trades Unionists, reported to the Labour Department by some 20 Societies as being without employment; and what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to diminish the distress prevailing among the industrial masses owing to want of work, short time, and reduced wages?

The falling off in our foreign trade in the six months ending February, 1893, compared with the same period three years ago, is £30,890,000, and not £37,000,000, as stated by the hon. Member. The comparison, however, is misleading, inasmuch as the six months taken three years ago was a period of great inflation and high prices just preceding the crisis of 1890, as against a period of severe depression and low prices. 1890 was the highest year in the history of our foreign trade. The difference is very largely a difference of price both in imports and exports. With regard to what the hon. Member describes as "the simultaneous increase of 115,000 Trades Unionists, reported to the Labour Department by some 20 Societies as being without employment," no such Report has been made by the Labour Department. It would appear as though the hon. Member, instead of taking the average of the six months, has added together the numbers for each mouth and given the total, and has thus multiplied the number of the unemployed six-fold. It is not within the power or functions of Her Majesty's Government to prevent fluctuations in trade.

Is the figure of £30,000,000 taken from the Trade and Navigation Returns, and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the maximum number of unemployed in any one of the six months named in 1889–90 was 4,900, and the minimum in any one of the six months in 1892–93 was 16,974?

The hon. Gentleman has proved my case. He has taken them month by month for six months and added them together. I am sorry to say it is impossible to convey any idea of figures to the hon. Gentleman.

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Military Authorities have decided to appoint the examiners for the Army Medical Board from the London College of Surgeons; and, if so, whether it is intended to also appoint examiners from the Irish College of Surgeons; and whether he is aware that the rumour that the Army Medical Board intend to confine their choice of examiners to the London College has given rise to a belief, wide-spread, in medical circles in Ireland, that Irish candidates for the Army Medical Service will not receive fair consideration under such a system?

Yes, Sir; the examiners are now to be appointed for the limited time of four years, and they will be taken from among the examiners of the College of Physicians and the College of Surgeons. I do not anticipate that this will have any prejudicial effect on the interests of the Scotch and Irish Schools, a result to which I should personally be as reluctant to contribute as the hon. Member himself.

Is there not a good deal of alarm in medical circles in Ireland on this subject? Why are the examiners appointed from one College only, and why are the Irish and Scotch Colleges ignored?

The examiners are to be appointed for a limited period of four years. I hope one of the examiners will be an Irishman, but the object of making the selections from the London Bodies is to insure that we get competent men. As far as I am concerned, I will take care nothing is done to damage the interests of the Irish and Scotch Schools.

On what ground is it thought that the new plan will insure competence? What is the reason for the innovation? Was any complaint ever made against the old system?

The principal reason for the innovation is that formerly the examiners were appointed practically for life, and it is thought much better they should be appointed for a limited term of years, so as to secure fresh men, who perhaps were better acquainted with the newest developments of medical science.

I give notice that I will call attention to the subject on the Estimates.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think competent examiners can be obtained in Ireland?

And quite as competent in Scotland.

Then will not the right hon. Gentleman take care to appoint one examiner from Scotland and one from Ireland?

I would press the same point.

As I understand it, the matter is to rest for four years without any change.

Yes.

May I ask the Prime Minister, for the general convenience of the House, in what order the various matters arranged for Thursday will be placed on the Paper?

The Motion for the time of the House will be the first business; the Vote on Account, if not previously obtained, will be the second; the Adjournment of the House and the Employers' Liability Bill then follow.

Will the House meet as usual at 3 o'clock?

I have not been able to ascertain what will be most for the general convenience. If it will be for the general convenience to meet at 12 o'clock, the Government will give Notice of Motion to-night and make it at the commencement of business to-morrow.

May I ask whether, if the House meets at 12 on Thursday, the Sitting will be subject to the Wednesday Rule?

No, Sir.

Will any Orders beyond those named be taken on Thursday? The Sea Fisheries Regulation (Scotland) Bill is down for that day; will it be proceeded with?

There is no intention of taking on Thursday any business which may be regarded as contentious.

Will the Second Reading of the Local Veto Bill be taken before or after the Committee stage of the Homo Rule Bill?

If the hon. Gentleman will be kind enough to give the Second Reading of the Home Rule Bill, I shall then be in a position to answer that question.

I wish to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty a question of which I have given him private notice. Has his attention been called to the fact that the Board of Trade have prohibited the deposit of dredgings on the Solent; and when will the Report as to the deposit from Admiralty lighters of dredgings on the Essex Fishing Grounds be out?

The answer to the first question is "No." As to the second, I have already informed the hon. Member the Report is of a confidential nature and will not be laid on the Table. It has been decided that the system of dredging must continue until the completion of the Ship Canal at Chatham—a work of Imperial importance. Then we hope a now system will be adopted.

When will the Report be out?

It will not be laid on the Table at all.

I beg to ask the Prime Minister if he is able to state when the blank Schedules of the Home Rule Bill would be in the hands of hon. Members. It is extremely desirable that this should be done some time before the opening of the Debate on the Second Reading, as at present the House has no information as to what the Government proposals are?

My right hon. Friend desires me to answer the question, which is a perfectly fair one. The Schedule concerning the arrangements for the Constabulary I hope to be able to place in the possession of hon. Members to-morrow or Thursday. The Schedule affecting the Civil servants is postponed at the request of certain Civil servants in Ireland, who desired to have an interview with me before definitely placing proposals in the Schedule. I conceive there will be no objection to that; on the contrary, a considerable amount may be gained. In any case, however, the Schedules will certainly be in the hands of hon. Members on the day when the Debate commences.

Will it not be possible to circulate the Schedules a day or two, at all events, before the beginning of the Debate.

I can only promise to do my best, and I hope to have the interview on Saturday in Dublin. Not an hour shall be lost.

Is the House to understand that the Home Rule Bill is to be pressed forward next week, the Bill being completed only on the morning on which we are asked to read it?

The hon. Gentleman is really to understand nothing beyond what I said. All I said was perfectly reasonable and intelligible. The hon. Gentleman must be aware that it constantly happens in the case of large and important Bills that the Schedules are deferred till a late stage. The Schedule being in the hands of hon. Members at the time I have stated will give ample opportunity for the consideration of that part of the scheme.

I wish to know whether, according to the answers of the right hon. Gentleman, if the Bill had been brought on at the time the Prime Minister desired, the House would have been asked to read it a second time without having the Schedules before them?

Was it not at the request of the late Government that the Belgian Government brought about the Convention to the decisions of which the North Sea Fisheries Bill gives legal force, and is not, this country the only one that has failed to carry out legislation on the subject? Is it not essential that the Bill should be passed and receive the Royal Assent without delay?

It is quite true that the North Sea Fisheries Bill is of the utmost importance, not only to carry out the Convention, but in the interests of the fisheries themselves, because it will practically suppress the greatest curse of the North Sea fisheries—the floating grog-shops. But I am opposed night after night when I want to make progress with the Bill. What can I do then? If the right hon. Member will use his influence with his hon. Friends opposite, perhaps he can induce them to withdraw their opposition.

As the Government are taking over nearly the whole of the time of the House, why do they not bring it forward at a time when we can discuss it?

There is not a single Amendment put down to the Bill that it has not an opponent in this House. It is practically a re-enactment of the measure brought in by my Predecessor. As for bringing it in in Government time, I do not see any necessity for doing that, seeing that it is unopposed. Such a course would only afford the hon. Gentleman an opportunity of making talk about it.