20 DECEMBER 1879, Page 2

In the Gazette of Tuesday appeared a proclamation further proroguing

Parliament till Thursday, February 5th, then to meet "for the dispatch of divers urgent and important affairs." The newspapers have also informed us that a Treasury circular has been issued, informing the various Departments of State that " as it is the intention of the Government to take all Votes in Supply before Easter, the Estimates in their complete form must be sent in during the present month,"—i.e., between a fortnight and three weeks sooner than is usually required. As Easter Sunday falls early this year,—on March 28th—this certainly looks a little like preparing for the contingency of a dissolution directly after Easter. Such a dissolution would be just in keeping with the precedents of the two longest Pa,lia- ments since 1832. It is, however, likely enough that the notice given is only precautionary, and not indicative of any fix( intention on the part of the Government.