The debate on the Home Rule time-table on Monday was
chiefly remarkable for the admissions of Mr. Birrell. The Irish Secretary announced that the Government had decided to grant two more days for the remainder of the Committee stage, bringing the total up to twenty-seven days, but refused to accede to the demand of Mr. Hayes Fisher that fifty days should be allotted to the Committee stage. Home Rule, he argued, did not need all that amount of discussion, as it was familiar to the electorate. The details of the two former Home Rule Bills had been debated, and the subject had been before the country endlessly. But he was obliged to admit that the present Bill had not been before the electorate, and added that his present task was hopeless. Inasmuch, however, as he had expressly stated that the concession of the extra two days has been due to Mr. Bonar Law's criticism, he laid himself open to an effective attack from the Opposition leader. Mr. Bonar Law observed that he was not only grateful but surprised that the Government should have recognized the absurdity of their time-table. The Opposition wanted to destroy the Bill by criticism, and the last thing the Government would allow was that it should be either destroyed or dealt with by intelligent criticism. On Mr. Hayes Fisher's amendment the Government majority dropped to eighty, and the proposal to limit the time for debating the Government's future arrangement of the pro- ceedings on Report proved too much for the loyalty of Mr. Neil Primrose and Sir Henry Dalziel, who declared that the Government proposal would make the House "a tied House," with the result that Mr. Samuel, on behalf of the Government, consented to give a half-day.
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