The Bankruptcy Bill has been talked out. The Attorney , General
on Wednesday proposed the second reading, and. after a sensible debate, during which Mr. Serjeant Simon proposed the total abolition of the bankruptcy process, leaving debtors and creditors to settle as they could, Sir Stafford Northcote offered an important suggestion for expediting busi- ness. This was to refer the Bill, after the second. reading, to a Grand Committee, containing all interested in the measure, and to accept their amendments, in lieu of passing the Bill through Committee of the whole House. The effect of this change, which has often been proposed, would be very great, as a dis- tilled House of the kind would actually work ; and the plan was in substance accepted by Mr. Forster, but Mr. Parnell de- liberately talked out the remaining time. The second reading is, therefore, not passed, and the Bill may be considered. lost. This is the worst thing the Obstructionists have yet done, and the one most like obstruction for obstruction's sake. Mr. Parnell did not object to the Bill, but only to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposal, which might be injurious, he thought, to the rights of minorities. As the proposal was only a sug- gestion to be subsequently discussed, he might have let the Bill pass, had he not wished. to arrest business.
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