NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Debate on the Second Reading of the Franchise Bill was continued yesterday week by Sir Richard Cross, in a speech of studied conciliation, in which Sir Richard complimented Mr. Gladstone on the tone of his speech, approved of all the indica- tions he had given concerning the character of the Redistri- bution Bill,—especially the separate representation of what might be called rural "pursuits,"—and only lamented that nothing was said about the principle of minority representation. Sir Richard Cross, it is evident, is quite opposed to the Tory- Democratic demand for an approximation towards equal electoral districts, and wants to have a Bill drawn on the lines indicated by Mr. Gladstone. Sir Charles Dilke, who spoke next, reaffirmed all Mr. Gladstone's offers, and emphatically promised that, if full information could be given to the Oppo- sition concerning the character of the Redistribution scheme without endangering the Franchise Bill, that information should be given. He, too, though hinting his own dislike to any artificial separation of rural from urban "pursuits," indicated his willingness to waive his scruples for the great benefit of a large extension of the representative principle.
