The debate that followed was not memorable for any very
striking speech, but a good deal of detailed criticism of a telling kind was offered. We have stated elsewhere the grounds on which we oppose the Bill, but may observe here that Mr. A.squith's statistics require to be very carefully tested. As the Times points out, the seating statistics are particularly fallacious, because the sects in Wales are in rivalry among themselves, and each tries to provide seats for the whole population. "Naturally the seats are largely empty, and empty seats are hardly a test either of spiritual activity or of numerical strength." Mr. Asquith's figures as to the adherents of the various sects have an equally insecure basis. Until a religious census is taken, it would be most unwise to rely upon figures which are in truth the roughest of rough estimates.
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