STATE OF BUSINESS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
From the commencement of the session to Tuesday the 6th April, when the Commons rose for the Easter recess, the period has been pretty equally divided between the Russell and Derby Administrations. More accurately expressed, the Russell Government enjoyed two and a half weeks of office, their successors have had three and a half weeks : add three weeks of interregnum and preparation, and the entire period of nine weeks is accounted for. At their accession to office, the Derby Govern- ment found twenty-two bills on the tables of both Houses, the work of their predecessors. Four of these—the three Reform Bills and the Burgh Harbours (Scotland) Bill—were withdrawn by their authors. Of the eighteen which remain, sixteen have been adopted with more or leas 'heartiness by the new Government. The remaining two—the bill to abolish Tests in the Scottish Universities, and another to facilitate the Drainage and Embankment of Lands—lie neglected. Of bills of their own' the Derby Ministry have brought in nineteen, and two more have been ordered. Of these nineteen, the most important is the Militia Bill, which awaits its second reading. The bill for regulating. the Repayment of Ad- vances to Ireland will prove fertile in discussion ; and so will the bill to facilitate the Apprehension of Deserters from Foreign Ships. kilalang the aggregate of the bills moving onwards under Ministerial eillipices, the stages reached are as follows.
Waiting the Royal Assent* 4 Read a first time iu the Lords (all of them have passed the Commons)t 3 . Read a second time in the. Lords (including 3 which have passed the Commons)t 5 Bead a first time in the Commons (including 1 Which has passed the Lords)§ 5 "1* Read a second time in the Commons (including 1 which has passed the Lords)II 113 • 35 A considerable number of those bills which have been read a second time have made some advance towards the third reading. Twenty-five bills are promoted by private Members.
At the reassembling on Monday, the programme will stand in this way. The Miscellaneous Estimates have to be voted. The thirty-five bins noted above have to be disposed of. The Committee on East India Af- -fairs has to be moved ; Sir john Pakington has to bring in his measure for conferring representative institutions upon New Zealand ; Mr. Na- pier's Tenant-right Bill for Ireland is looked for ; Mr. Disraeli has to make his financial statement, and to tell, among other things, what he means to do about the renewal of the Income-tax. All this is independent Of those measures which the now Administration are to put forth in con- junction with "Protection," as their passport to electoral favour, and which must be produced in a practical and mature shape so as to allow their merits to be pronounced upon. All this (if actually undertaken) in- volves the absorption of much time. Up to Easter, the usual allowance of two evenings was allotted to Government business : Lord John Russell has suggested the addition of Thursday ; but Mr. Disraeli, not being in a hurry to close the session, has not yet signified acceptance.
• indemnity; Protection of Inventions ; Commons Enclosure; Personal Estates of Intestates. + St. Allan's Disfranchisement ; Copyright Amendment ; Common Law Fees Regulation. Bishopric of Quebec ; Patent Law Amendment (No. 2); Mutiny ; Marine Mutiny ; Com- mon Law Procedure Amendment.
Militia ; Poor-law Board Continuance- Kennington Common Improvement ; Turnpike Roads (Ireland); Secretary of Bankrupts' Office Abolition.
II Low or Willa Amendment ; Repayment of Advances Acts Amendment (Ireland) ; Appre hension of Deserters from Foreign Ships ; Ditferential Dues ; Linen, Sc. Manufactures (Ire- land) ; Sheep, Sc. Contagious Disorders Prevention ; Exchequer Bills ; Poor Relief Act Con- tinuance; Commons Enclosure Arts Extension ; Suitors In Chancery Relief; Metropolis Water Supply; Improvement of Towns (Ireland); Passengers Act Amendment ; Corrupt Practices at Elections; General Board of Health ; Law of Evidence (Scotland); Charitable Trusts ; Burghs
(Scotland).
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