On Thursday, after the Prime Minister had stated that Monday,
July 150, would be reserved for Mr. Lyttelton's vote of censure on the subject of Colonial Preference—a Motion which, it is rumoured, Mr. Balfour only consented to under extreme pressure from the Tariff Reformers—the House debated the existing system of Irish University education. We are glad to say that Sir Edward Carson, while strongly deprecating any interference with Trinity College, declared that he was quite willing that the wants of Roman Catholics should be met by the creation of a new University. Mr. Healy blamed the Government for not having redeemed the pledges made in the King's Speech in regard to the University question. The Government had made their contract. Why were the goods not delivered ? Dr. Massie, on the part of the Nonconformists, protested against episcopal control in any University. Mr. Birrell, winding up the debate, declared that it was the bounden duty of the House to remedy the Roman Catholic grievance. In answer to Mr. Healy, he denied emphatically that he had been betrayed in connexion with the Irish Council Bill. Dis- appointed he might have been, but not betrayed. As to the charge of broken faith, it was his intention to introduce a University Bill as soon as possible. It is sincerely to be hoped that the result of the autumnal cogitations promised by Mr. Birrell will not be marred by the pedantry of those Nonconformist Radicals who, like Dr. Massie, will give Ireland Home-rule, and thus the power to establish a Roman Catholic University, but will not give such a University at first hand. We cannot say too often that what is wanted is not what we or other Protestants consider an ideal University, but the kind of University which the Irish Roman Catholics, who form the bulk of the population, desire.
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