In reply, Mr. Balfour, while sympathising with the agri- cultural
community, whose burdens the Unionist Government had done their best to relieve, and would further relieve when our finances justified it, declared the amendment im- practicable, as it was impossible to limit rigidly the amount the ratepayers would have to contribute. Mr. Chaplin offered to withdraw his amendment, but a division being challenged by the Opposition, it was rejected by 291 votes to 14. On Thursday Mr. Soares's amendment providing for the pay- ment of reasonable travelling expenses of the members of the Education Committees was opposed by the Government on the ground of its far-reaching application, and rejected by 197 to 130. In the ensuing discussion on the subsections of Clause 13, the Government maintained the position that the parish, and not the county, should be the financial unit. Shortly after 11 o'clock the special " guillotine" Resolution came into effect, only Ministerial amendments being put from the Chair. Divisions were forced in every instance by the Opposition, with the result, as the Daily Chronicle neatly puts it, that the House was converted from a talking into a walking machine ; and when the House rose at 3 a.m., Clauses 14, 15, and 16 had been added to the Bill, Clause 17 having been rendered un- necessary by the omission of Clause 5.
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