3 AUGUST 1907, Page 2

On Friday, July 26th, the Prime Minister made his state-

ment as to the Bills which the Government mean to pass. Chief among them are :—(1) The Army Bill, (2) the Small Holdings and Allotments pill, (8) the Eyicted Tenants (Ireland) Bill, (4) the Small Landholders (Scotland) (4) the Land Values (Scotland) Bill, (0) to Criminal Appeal Bill, and (7) the Qualification of Women (County and Borough Councils) Bill. This is a formidable list, but it only includes half those mentioned by Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. He estimated that the programme thus announced would enable the House to rise on August 24th. The Prime Minister's usual optimism produced the equally usual explosion of pessimism on the part of the Leader of the Opposition. Leaders of the Opposition are always astounded at the want of moderatien in their rivals' legislative forecasts, and on the present occasion Mr. Balfour was more than ordinarily emphatic. After Mr. Ramsay Mac- donald had expressed the disillusionment of the Labour Party in regard to the House of Commons as a working body, and Mr. Austen Chamberlain had arraigned the Government for their methods of treating Supply, the discussion concluded. That the House will rise on August 24th seems exceedingly doubtful. We should think ourselves that September 1st is much nearer the date, though no doubt there is the usual strong desire amongst Members on both sides to get away.