On Tuesday afternoon, after various unwise attempts by private members
to tinker the Bill, attempts born either of pure political fidgets or of political vanity, Mr. H. Fowler moved his new clause postponing the operative effect of the Bill till January 1st next,—a clause which will doubtless be harmless, as it postpones the operation of the Bill only to the date which is the earliest possible at which the Bill could, in the ordinary course of things, and without special legislation to hasten its operation, have taken effect,—but the special need or utility of which is entirely beyond our com- prehension. However, it gave rise to a discussion in which Lord Randolph Churchill expressed his satisfaction with Mr. Gladstone's promise to introduce a Redistribution Bill next Session, and urged him to prepare for it by appointing a Boundary Commission during the Long Vacation. Mr. Glad- stone stated that the Government contemplated following the precedent of 1831, by authorising certain persons to collect for the Government all the information on the subject of bound- aries which would facilitate the introduction of a properly digested Redistribution Bill at the beginning of the next Session. Mr. Henry Fowler's clause, as accepted by the Government, was carried by 256 votes against 130 ; majority, 126 (or almost two to one).
