Mr. Balfour stated on Tuesday, in reply to a question
from Mr. Labouchere, that he should take a vote on account before the House separated for the Whitsuntide holidays, and that it would be taken probably for a month or six weeks. The Times builds on this answer the inference that the Session will not end before Supply is finished in the usual way; in other words, that the House will not separate till August, and the General Election not take place till after harvest. That is a very hasty inference. The taking of a short vote on account before the political prospect can be clearly discerned, does not in the least prevent the taking of a longer vote on account somewhat later. If the Government see, as they probably will, that there is no substantial prospect of carrying their Irish Local Government Bill, they will hardly care to go through all the weary votes in Supply in an impatient and jaded House, in which the only strong motive of the Opposi- tion will be to irritate and discredit the Government that they may injure their electoral prospects.
