The Report stage of the Home-rule Bill was brought to
a close on Friday week, under the guillotine Closure. In the debate, Mr. Maeartney proposed that the Lord-Lieutenant should be given the powers of reserving Bills "for the signi- fication of the Queen's pleasure," which belong to every Colonial Governor. The Government, however, opposed, and the amendment was negatived without a division, The same fate met Lord Wolmer's proposal, moved in his absence by Lord Carmarthen, to introduce the machinery of veto, which obtains in Canada in respect of the Dominion veto over Bills passed by the Provincial Legislatures. Under this plan, the Lord-Lieutenant would have to forward copies of all Irish Bills to the Imperial Government ; and there would also be some person—the Home Secretary—whose business it would be to read these Bills, and report if there was any ground for exercising the veto. As it ie, it will be no one's busineis to do this, and no one will have any official ]nowledge of what is happening in Ireland in regard to legislation. This reiterated refusal of the Government to set up any machinery for exercising the veto, clearly shows that they intend it to be a power which is never to be employed. The Government likewise refused Mr. 13alfour's very reasonable proposal to prevent " tacking " by the Irish Parliament. The divisions were not exciting. The last amendment was negatived by 36 (227 to 191); and Mr. Morley's amendment providing that the Lord-Lieutenant should appoint the Irish Judges was carried by 38 (228 to 190).
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