On Wednesday in the Commons Mr. Asquith announced that, as
Mr. Lloyd George had not recovered his voice, the Budget would be postponed, and the second reading of the Welsh Church Bill would be taken next Monday. Several questions were asked on the highly topical subject of blocking motions, and Mr. Asquith said that the condition cf things was scandalous, and no one was more anxious than himself for reform. He promised to introduce a motion and to give time for its discussion. The Order Paper of the day provided proofs of the urgent need of this reform. Four notices of motions by private Members were blocked by the device of presenting Bills on the same subjects. Thus a motion on Tariff Reform was blocked by an " Agriculture and Indus- tries (Foreign Competition) Bill." We do not say that this was a bogus Bill, but a bogus Bill is as good as any other for blocking debate. We are glad to say that Mr. McKenna's Bill, which, among other things, allows seven days or more for the payment of fines of less than 40s., was read a second time with general approval. It should reduce the number of super- fluous cases of imprisonment.
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