The first Massacre of the Innocents took place on Thursday,
and the slaughter was considerable. Sir Stafford Northcote does not intend to take up the time of the House with the Valuation . of Property Bill, which has become involved in large questions about Representative Councils, and the Ministers naturally do not wish to discuss in the latter half of July the awkward subject of local govern- ment. The Irish Valuation Bill, the ,Bialiopric Bill, the always unfortunate Patent Bill, the Scotch Poor Law Bill, and the Public Health (Metropolis) Bill will be heard of no more ; and the Bankruptcy and Factories and Workshops Bills are virtually abandoned. This is not a final arrangement, and it is highly probable that some of the Irish audScotch measures which are pro- visionally retained will soon be dropped. Already the Government have deprived private Members of their nights, the only exception being one in favour of Mr. Butt's University Bill. Sir Stafford Northcote says theSession will close at the usual time —" eome- where about the 12th of August ;" and it is not easy to see . how the necessary work will be accomplished, without postponing such measures as the Lord - Advocate's Roads and Bridgee Bill—to which there are 190 amendments—or the Sheriffs' Courts Bill. The Navy ..Estimates, various Supplementary Estimates, and the Transvaal Vote, which is for £100,000, are not disposed of ; and next Tuesday, the postponed dis- cussion on the Army Warrant relating to retirement and .pro- motion will be taken. We fear that Irish and Scotch con- stituencies will be disappointed, if they be sanguine about the success of their national measures,—unless, 'perhaps, the .Irish Judicature and the Prisons Bills.
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