Although in the first week of June Parliament has not
arrived at the full harvest of abortive bills, yet it is giving signs of a desire to avoid unprofitable talk and to wind up its affairs for the session. Even the Tenant-Right Bill, which used to open the floodgates of Irish eloquence, was allowed to pass a second read- ing without a debate : a fortunate denouement, and none the less so because it proved to have been the result of a happy mis- take by Mr. Horsman, who is now pledged to stop the bill at the next stage. On Tuesday night the Commons declined to malre a House—they fled from three or four propositions on the other Irish novelty of Ministers'-Money.
The Appellate Jurisdiction Bill, set afloat last week in the Upper Rouse, has been steered into the treacherous waters of the Lower. The question is in a deliCate position. Originating in a desire to improve the Supreme Court of Appeal, it raised the Life Peerage controversy ; thereby hurrying Lord Derby and his friends into antagonism to the Crown, and Ministers into collision with the House of Lords. The result is an admitted compro- mise. The Tory leader escapes by admitting four life Peers ; the Ministers escape by sacrificing a portion of the Royal pre- rogative. Yes ; that seems to be the ultimate admission. They were challenged with the fact on Friday, and again on Tuesday night. Up to the last moment the Marquis of Lansdowne declared that if he thought the bill curtailed the prerogative, nothing would induce him to support it. But on Thursday Earl Granville ad- mitted that the bill is an abandonment of the prerogative. As to the measure itself, it does strengthen the Court of Appeal ; it Is still an open question whether a better Court of Appeal could not be constituted. Meanwhile, Ministers, doubtless, do not find it very inconvenient to have in their gift four peerages and the disposal of 10,0001. a year.
A brief discussion in Committee of Supply, on a vote for the Statute Law Commission, enabled Lord John Russell to proclaim a notable discovery : he has found, after -his immense experience, official as well as unofficial, that the -very best way of doing a thing, is to set to work and do it. On the same occasion Sir Pitzroy Kelly eased his conscience by announcing that he should not renew that over-due promise, made some months ago, to bring in several law-consolidation bills.
The novelty in Parliament is HT. Sidney Herbert's statement of a plan for the reform of the educational department of the Army. The plan is based on the 'principle of providing such education and instruction for officers as will impart a higher pro- fessional tone to the Army, and increase the efficiency of the Staff. In general terms it won the assent of all parties; the pinch will come in working out the details. But the time is propitious, the necessity imperative ; some adequate plan Minis- ters are bound to adopt : if they are wise they will mature and launch their own plan without delay.
Previous page
