We were mistaken in supposing that the Lords agreed last
week to that amendment on the Ballot Bill to which Lord Ripon assented, extending the hours of polling to 7 p.m. in the summer half of the year, and limiting it to 5 p.m. in the winter half. It was rejected by a majority of 37 (227 to 190), the Tories remarking that if agreed to, a dissolution in the winter half of the year would always be regarded as indicating distrust of the working-classes. On Monday, the Lords' amendment, making the Ballot an eight- years' experiment, to expire in 1880, unless previously renewed, was disagreed with by a majority of 81 (246 to 165), after a somewhat sharp collision between the Prime Minister and Mr. Cavendish Bentinck, who, as usual, arrogated to himself the most absolute certainty on a point on which he was entirely astray.
Mr. Cavendish Bentinck is of those men who would contradict the Astronomer Royal as to the question of Greenwich time with the most positive air, and not be a bit abashed when he found he was wrong.
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