And in page 19, line 19, after "section," insert "Nor any advances without proper security that those advances shall be expended for such purposes as aforesaid, in addition to the sums advanced or expended by the company out of their own moneys." Clause, as amended, agreed to. such advance is made one month's previous proportion to its area than that of any notice thereof shall be given in a newspaper other country in Europe, and the evicirculating in the district within which the said dence of Professor Baldwin showed holding is situated, and in such other manner as the Board of Works may prescribe; and such clearly enough that there was a suffiadvance shall not have priority over any charge cient quantity of fairly improvable land or incumbrance of which the Board of Works in Ireland, the letting value of which may have had notice in writing given them did not exceed 58. an acre, which might, before making the advance." by a small expenditure per acre, be raised to a letting value of £1 per acre to support all the tenants in Ireland. He had brought forward an Amendment in another portion of the Bill, and he had some hope that the Government would consider the question of giving extended powers to local authorities for the purpose of purchasing land; and he trusted that when they obtained a system of representative county government for Ireland the House would see its way to giving such representative bodies powers which would enable them to improve the industrial resources of the country. It was true that at present they had not in Ireland a sufficiently representative body to undertake this work; and in proposing an Amendment to give such powers to the Boards of Guardians he should say that, as at present constituted, they were unsatisfactory bodies for the discharge of such duties. Before the condition of the congested districts came before the House again he hoped some practical legislation would have taken effect in the direction he had just indicated. In the operation of this Bill he trusted that many of the smaller tenants who had actually cut their holdings out of the bog would obtain suitable reductions of rent, and he considered that on such tenants this Bill would confer greater benefits than on any other; and he hoped that it would be possible, without resorting to emigration, to make these poor people live in their small holdings still longer, until the unoccupied and unreclaimed land had been brought into a state of cultivation, and he hoped the Government would not find it necessary to spend one single MR. PARNELL (on behalf of Mr. HEALY), in moving the omission of the clause, said, that, taking into consideration the very late period of the Session at which they had arrived, he and his Friends did not intend to occupy the House at any length on the subject. He wished to point out that they were very much influenced in confining themselves to one division and a strong protest against the clause by the fact that the clause as it originally stood in the Bill had been very materially modified. As the clause originally stood, it provided that emigration should only take place to Canada and the British Colonies; but they felt firmly convinced that those who did emigrate under the Bill should be perfectly free to select the country themselves. They had also fixed £60,000 as the limit which should not be exceeded in any year in assisting emigration under the clause. These alterations were, of course, from their point of view, very important. In protesting still against the clause as it stood, he should record his opinion against the necessity for such a clause at all. The object of the Bill was professedly to improve the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland; but had the House and the Government had time to go into the question of emi-penny on emigration. Emigration went gration, which they had not been able to raise in any but a tentative manner, they would have been able to show the House that there was not the least necessity whatever for emigrating a single human being from Ireland. He could prove by statistics to the full conviction of Members of that House that the population of Ireland was less in against every feeling in the Irish character, and it was associated with many of the most painful, deplorable recollections in the history of the country. They believed there was no necessity whatever for the departure from their country of one single man or woman or child; and he trusted that in the division about to be taken they would show the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the purpose of sending emigrants to a the Duchy of Lancaster that the majority country where they would not be allowed of the Irish Representatives were against to be customers for British manufacthe proposed legislation. He begged to turers. move the rejection of the clause. Amendment proposed, in page 19, line 33, leave out Clause 27.-(Mr. Parnell.) Question proposed, "That the words 'The Land Commissioners may from time to time' stand part of the Bill." MR. GLADSTONE said, he accepted thankfully the assurance of the hon. Gentleman and his Friends that they did not think it necessary to revive the prolonged discussions upon this question that took place in Committee. He thought it necessary, however, to say to the hon. Gentleman that he certainly misunderstood the effect of the clause as it was first introduced. although he would admit it had been improved in its wording-as it was devised entirely for the purpose of insuring that emigration should be carried out in any quarter of the globe without any restriction whatever. The Government acceded very freely to the limitation of the money, as they did not believe that wholesale proceedings would or ought to arise under this clause. He should point out, in conclusion, that the Government had acceded willingly to the Amendment which limited the operation of the clause, and which rendered it necessary that they should again apply to that House and obtain its consent before any extension of the powers granted by the clause could be obtained. He need only say that the Government would adhere to the clause as it stood. Amendment proposed, In page 19, line 42, after the word "Ireland," to insert the words "to any British colony and dependency.”—(Mr. Ecroyd.) Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted." MR. PARNELL said, he wished to point out to the hon. Member who had just sat down that it was the English Members who were doing this, and not the Irish Members. As a proof of that, he would mention the fact that in the division which had just taken place 34 Irish Members voted against the clause, and only 22 of all sections voted in its favour. It had been stated on a previous occasion by the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster that they dared not take a division against the clause; and since he had expressed that opinion a majority of Irish Members had twice voted against it. He reminded the Prime Minister of his declaration that, in including or striking out the Emigration Clause, he would be guided by the preponderating view of Irish Members; and he therefore asked that the Prime Minister, having regard to the opinion of the majority of Irish Members, would have this clause struck out in the House of Lords. LORD JOHN MANNERS said, that 34 was not a majority of the Irish Members. MR. PARNELL explained what he meant was that a majority of the Irish Members voting had opposed the clause. MR. GLADSTONE said, he trusted discussions. The majority of the Irish their time would not be occupied in such Members were in favour of the clause, and he therefore hoped they would hear no more of this boasted Irish majority. MR. A. M'ARTHUR wished to enter his protest against the alteration of the clause, which limited the assistance given to persons emigrating to British Colonies, and said he sympathized very much with the Mover of this Amendment. Question put, and negatived. Clause 33A (Exceptional provisions for certain officers). On the Motion of the ATTORNEY GENE- | applications to Parliament on this subRAL for IRELAND (Mr. Law), Amend- ject, if they could be avoided; and he ment made, in page 34, line 32, after thought the difficulty which would arise "1877," by insertingif the Land Commission had not completed its work within the time for which it was to be appointed would be best obviated by his proposal. "And also to Clerks of the Crown and Peace who, under the provisions of the sixteenth section of the said Act have elected to continue to practise as solicitors." In page 34, line 36, by leaving out paragraph from "Every," to office," in page 35, line 9, both inclusive; and in page 35, line 14, by leaving out from "and until," to "twenty-one," in line 15, both inclusive. Clause, as amended, agreed to. Amendment proposed, In page 23, line 40, after the word "Act," to insert the words-"Provided always, That in case at any time after the expiration of a period of six years from the passing of this Act a Commission shall have been issued by Her Majesty under Her Royal Sign Manual to ascertain and report whether the business of the Land Commission makes it requisite or not requisite that, after the expiration of the said Clause 35 (Constitution of Land Com- period of seven years from the passing of this mission). MR. W. H. SMITH, in moving, in page 23, line 40, after the word "Act," to insert the words "Provided always, That in case at any time after the expiration of a period of six years from the passing of this Act a Commission shall have been issued by Her Majesty under Her Royal Sign Manual to ascertain and report whether the business of the Land Commission makes it requisite or not requisite that, after the expiration of the said period of seven years from the passing of this Act, there should be, in addition to the Judicial Commissioner, one or two other Commissioners; and, in case such Commission shall report that the business of the Land Commission makes it requisite that there should be, in addition to the Judicial Commissioner, one or two other Commissioners, and that such other Commissioner or Commissioners should be appointed for a period to be stated by such Commission. In such report Her Majesty may by Warrant under the Royal Sign Manual from time to time appoint some fit person or fit persons to be such other Commissioner or Commissioners to hold office during the period stated in such report. "If such Commission report that the business of the Land Commission does not require that there should be any Commissioner in addition to the Judicial Commissioner, then upon the expiration of the said period of seven years after the passing of this Act, all the jurisdiction, powers, privileges, and authorities by this Act conferred upon the Land Commission shall thereafter be exercisable and enjoyable by the Judicial Commissioner alone," said, that the provision at present embodied in the measure lacked the element of stability, for, if it were preserved unchanged, the Land Commission must come to an end after a period of seven years, when it would be necessary, supposing the continuance of the Commission to be desirable, to make fresh applications to Parliament. It was undesirable that there should be repeated Act, there should be, in addition to the Judicial Commissioner, one or two other Commissioners; and, in case such Commission shall report that the business of the Land Commission makes it requisite that there should be, in addition to the Judicial Commissioner, one or two other Commissioners, and that such other Commissioner or Commissioners should be appointed for a period to be stated by such Commission. In such report Her Majesty may by Warrant under the Royal Sign Manual from time to time appoint some fit person or fit persons to be such other Commissioner or Commissioners to hold office during the period stated in such report. "If such Commission report that the business of the Land Commission does not require that there should be any Commissioner in addition to the Judicial Commissioner, then upon the expiration of the said period of seven years after the passing of this Act, all the jurisdiction, powers, privileges, and authorities by this Act conferred upon the Land Commission shall thereafter be exercisable and enjoyable by the Judicial Commissioner alone."-(Mr. William Henry Smith.) Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted." MR. GLADSTONE said, he regretted that the House generally had not had an opportunity of carefully considering this Amendment; but he and his Colleagues had had that opportunity, and he was bound to say that he felt indebted to the right hon. Gentleman for his suggestion. The Government were extremely desirous to avoid the risk of having an unnecessary number of offices and officers, and they also wished that there should be an opportunity of calling in the discretion of Parliament, as opposed to granting unlimited discretion to the Executive Government. Upon the whole, the Amendment was a prudent provision, and the Government were prepared to accept it. The creation of a Royal Commission in accordance with the views of the right hon. Gentleman would do away with the necessity, which the Government would otherwise be under, of applying to Parliament for fresh powers at the end of seven years. MR. PARNELL said, as the House had not had an opportunity of considering this Amendment, and those hon. Members who sat round him were not quite clear as to its meaning, he thought it would be better if the Government would adjourn this discussion until the Amendment was in print. The matter was too important to be disposed of hurriedly; and, as the ordinary time for adjournment had almost arrived, he begged to move the adjournment of the debate. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned." (Mr. Parnell.) MR. GIBSON said, the Amendment contained nothing suspicious whatever. His right hon. Friend thought on the termination of seven years to prevent what might be a deadlock, by enabling the Government in the last year to appoint a Royal Commission to consider the whole state of the business under the Commissioners, and to recommend, after due inquiry, whether one Commissioner or two should be appointed. He must add that the Amendment would merely restore to the Bill the meaning of provisions originally contained in it with regard to the durability of the Commission. The Amendment would obviate the possibility of jobbery and prevent the multiplication of offices. being sprung upon the House at the eleventh hour. Such a provision might have a tendency to paralyze and minimize the action of the Commissioners, two of whom would have a species of notice that it was contemplated to get rid of them as soon as possible. MR. SPEAKER: It appears to me very doubtful whether, at this stage of the Bill, a proposal of this kind can be considered by the House. Certainly, it does involve a possible charge on the Exchequer, and any proposition of that character should be brought forward in Committee. The balance of my opinion is decidedly adverse to the regularity of the proceeding. MR. GLADSTONE hoped the right hon. Gentleman would not press this proposal under these circumstances, because the Government could not think mere majority. of attempting to press or carry it by a MR. W. H. SMITH said, that, after what had fallen from Mr. Speaker, it would be out of the question to persevere with the Amendment at this stage; but it was so important that he gave Notice that he would move to re-commit the Bill with a view of having it inserted. MR. GLADSTONE said, that, however favourably they viewed the Amendment, he could not undertake to be a party to such a course. MR. GIBSON said, he was of opinion that the Amendment did not involve the question of a charge upon the Exchequer, there being no words in it referring to the salaries of the Commissioners. MR. GLADSTONE said, he did not think the argument of the right hon. and learned Gentleman relieved them of the difficulty in which they were. MR. SHAW said, he saw no reason for objecting to the Amendment. It would never do, at the expiration of the seven years for which two of the Commissioners were appointed, to allow the whole business of the Commission to SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE come to a deadlock, and such a contin- pointed out that if the suggestion of his gency would be prevented by the adop-right hon. Friend really partook of the tion of the Amendment. At the same time, it would be a good thing to postpone the consideration of the Amendment, in order that hon. Members might have an opportunity of thoroughly understanding it. He would, however, suggest that the Amendment should be inserted in the Bill when it got to "another place," and be dealt with afterwards by the House of Commons. SIR JOSEPH M'KENNA said, he strongly objected to this Amendment Mr. Gladstone character which had been ascribed to it by the Speaker, it followed that it was a provision which could not be introduced into the Bill in the House of Lords; and if nothing were done they would be under the necessity of having another Land Bill at the end of seven years. The only way of solving the present difficulty would be by re-committing the Bill; and as they had made great progress that afternoon, the Motion for the third reading might not SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOT said, he would again impress upon the Government the necessity of giving some more specific and definite information as to their determination with regard to the functions of the Assistant Commissioners. It was a matter of the utmost importance to Ireland, and absolutely necessary that information should be given as to the numbers and the class of persons to be appointed. They would have most important functions to perform, and it was not desirable to leave the House in the dark on the subject. MR. GLADSTONE said, it was impossible to fix the number of Commissioners, because they did not know what the work would be. As to the choice of individuals, it would be a breach of duty for the Government to do so without consulting the Commission, and the Commission could not exist until the Act had passed. MR. PARNELL inquired whether the Commission would have power, pending an application for a judicial rent, to stay proceedings which a landlord might take under a writ of fi fa. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW) said, the Government could not stop a landlord from proceeding like any ordinary creditor. Clause agreed to. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. Law) said, he could not agree to this, because this sub-section was, in the opinion of the Government, essential to the Bill. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 43 (Rules for carrying Act into effect). On the Motion of the ATTORNEY GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Law), Amendment made, in page 27, line 24, by leaving out from "the mode of service," to "judicial rent," in line 25 inclusive, and inserting "The attendance and discharge of duties of the Civil Bill Courts before the Land Commis. sion and Sub-Commissions when holding sittings under this Act." Clause, as amended, agreed to. Clause 44 (Service of civil bill processes and limitation of costs). Amendment proposed, in page 28, lines 2 and 3, to leave out the words "and for recovery of rent."-(Mr. Healy.) Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill." Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. In page 28, line 8, after the word "whenever," to insert the words "after the making of such rules and orders.”—(Mr. Gibson.) Question, "That those words be there inserted," put, and negatived. Amendment proposed, in page 28, line 8, after the word "action," to insert the words "for the recovery of rent or." Clause 41 (Powers of the Commission). (Mr. Healy.) On the Motion of the ATTORNEY GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Law), Amendment made in page 25, line 16, by leaving out from "for the purposes of this Act," to "High Court, in line 18, inclusive, and altering the numbers of the succeeding paragraphs. Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted." MR. TOTTENHAM said, as this matter was of great importance, he moved the adjournment of the debate. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Debate be now adjourned." SIR HERVEY BRUCE moved the Mr. Tottenham.) —(Mr. omission of sub-section 2. Amendment proposed, in page 25, line 19, to leave out from the word" for," to the word "Court," in line 24.-(Sir Hervey Bruce.) Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill." MR. GLADSTONE said, the Government proposed to take the further confirst Business to-morrow (Thursday). Assideration of the Bill on Report as the suming that only a limited portion of the Sitting would be required for that purpose, and that there would be a general acceptance by the House of the |