On Monday, Sir John Lubbock prosecuted his endeavour to prevent
a different system of banking from springing up in Ireland under Home-rule, by proposing that the Irish Legis- lature should have no power to legislate on banking and bills of exchange, pointing out that in all federal countries such legislation was reserved to the federal power. Mr. Gladstone, however, resisted the amendment, which was defeated by a majority of 29 (283 to 254). An amendment by Mr. Parker Smith, intended to keep the law of life, fire, and marine insurances the same throughout the United Kingdom, was defeated by a majority of 36 (259 to 223). Then came a dis- cussion on the law of divorce ; but as the Irish marriage law is already different from our own, Mr. Gladstone had no difficulty in defeating the proposal to deny to the Irish Legis- lature all power of meddling with that subject. Sir F. Powell's amendment was rejected by a majority of 34 (270 to 236). Mr. Gerald Balfour's amendment to keep the Census- making power in the hands of the Imperial Parliament was negatived by a majority of 33 (264 to 231). And, finally, Mr. H. S. Foster's proposal to keep under the Imperial Parlia- ment the duty of collecting information on all those financial subjects which are reserved for the Imperial power, was negatived by a majority of 37 (248 to 211).
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