The House of Commons was during the earlier part of
the week engaged in debating the land clauses of the Budget, and in proving once more that the Government have dealt a severe blow at the cause of legislation by discussion. An all-night sitting lasting till nine o'clock next morning was begun on Tuesday, but to call the Commons a deliberative Assembly when at work under such conditions is absurd. After men have sat for eight or nine hours at a stretch they do not debate : they merely jest or wrangle or sleep, or do all three in turns. The one thing they do not, and indeed cannot do, is to discuss. The House will resume the consideration of the Budget on Tuesday, August 31st. All but one clause of the land clauses have now been passed, and it is expected that the postponed clause will not occupy a very great amount of time. What will be the fate of the licensing clauses remains to be seen, but it is understood that the Government will propose to change the system they proposed originally, and will calculate the amount to be paid in respect of a license on the amount of intoxicants sold. There is, we think, a good deal to be said for this system. If the licensing proposals go through fairly quickly, it seems possible that the Budget may, after all, reach the House of Lords soon after the middle of September.
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