NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Irish Land Bill lags. Itis in Committee, but every Govern- ment night is taken up by some amendment, often moved .by a Liberal, which is rejected by Government, but debated at length, and after a night has been consumed, withdrawn, or defeated by a majority of a hundred. Nothing will be done till after the Whitsuntide holidays, when the Government will con- tinue the morning sittings, and possibly propose to sit de die in diem. Even then, however, if Members will not show more self-denial, the measure cannot be got through without some 'form of pressure equivalent to urgency." There are dozens of important amendments, and even if three amendments are disposed of a day—three times the present pace—the Govern- ment, though setting aside every other business, will not have days enough to finish in, without running the risk of the Lords declaring that they have no time for the discussion. The duty of the Liberals, under such circumstances, as we have argued .elsewhere, is to propose their amendments privately, and if they are rejected, vote silently, in reliance upon the Government, which is responsible for the measure, and alone understands its full import. Otherwise, we shall come either to a dead-lock or the clffture.
