Mr. Gladstone on Monday commenced the "Massacre of the Innocents."
In reply to Colonel Wilson Patten, who told him that there were ninety-eight Bills among the orders of the day, the Premier announced that Government would abandon the Grand Jury Presentments Bill (Ireland), the County Offi- cent' Bill (Ireland), the Land Transfer Bill (Scotland), the Contagious Diseases' Prevention Bill, the Master and Ser- vants' Wages Bill, and the Metropolitan Police Superan- nuation Bill, the last three Bills of considerable importance. They will go forward with the Public Health Bill, which may be con- sidered safe ; the Licensing Bill, which ought to be passed, if only for party reasons; and the Corrupt Practices' Bill, though as to this last Mr. Gladstone seemed extremely doubtful, as its most stringent clauses are embodied in the Bill for secret voting. They will also bring forward the Education Act Amendment Bill, which is "indispensable ;" the Thames Embankment Bill, on which Mr. Lowe and the public are at loggerheads ; and the Enclosure Bill, now passing the Lords, and not likely to pass the Commons with- out days of battle. Besides these Bills, there are to be debates on Judge Keogh, on Mr. Ayrton in re Kew Gardens, and on the Thames Embankment, all lively subjects, so that if Parliament does rise as announced, on the 10th of August, it will for the next three weeks have to work a great deal harder than the artisans who say that ten hours kill them.
