on Sunday enjoyed excursions by bicycle, or motor car, or on foot. It was well known that the bona fide traveller was often no more than a bona fide toper, but bona fides might be found even in Sunday travellers. He could not anticipate the details of the Government Bill, but he could say that no Licensing Bill could be complete which omitted to deal with the question of Sunday trading. If the Resolution. should go to a division he would have no hesitation in voting for it, because the Government agreed with the main principle which underlay it, without at the same time committing themselves to a complete, universal and unqualified plan. He believed there was in the House a general desire that the Governments Licensing Bill should follow two main principles-it should be effective for its purpose, and it should not be violent in its methods. There would be a desire that they should proceed fully as far as an enlightened public opinion allowed without ignoring or treating as negligible the limits which that public opinion imposed. *MR. BOTTOMLEY (Hackney, S.) said he had attended the House prepared with a large number of statistics and arguments against the Resolution, but he was happy to say the speech to which the House had just listened furnished him SUPPLY (NAVY ESTIMATES). Postponed Proceeding on Question, «That 128,000 officers, seamen, and boys be employed for the Sea and Coast Guard Services for the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1908, including 18,595 Royal Marines," resumed: Question again proposed. And it being after Eleven of the clock, and objection being taken to further Proceeding, the CHAIRMAN left the Chair to make his Report to the House. with a sufficient text for the rest of his to say that the public-houses should be Mr. Herbert Samuel. Committee report Progress; to sit Adjourned at four minutes after An Asterisk (*) at the commencement of a Speech indicates revision by the Member. HOUSE OF LORDS. Wednesday, 6th March, 1907. PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS. Barnsley, Wombwell, and Wath Tramways Bill [H.L.]; Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway (General Powers) Bill; London County Council (Tramways and Improvements) Bill; Boston Spa Gas Bill; South-Eastern and London, Chatham, and Dover Railways Bill; Simon-Carves Bye-Product Coke Oven Construction and Working Company, Limited (Petition for Bill). Examiner's Certificates of non-compliance with the Standing Orders referred to the Standing Orders Committee on Tuesday next. Galwey's Divorce Bill [H.L.]. Amendment reported (according to order), and Bill to be read 3a To-morrow. Fitz Gerald's Divorce Bill [H.L.]. Amendments reported (according to order), and Bill to be read 3 To-morrow. RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC. NAVAL WORKS. Statement showing the total estimated cost of each work as shown in the Naval Works Act, 1905, and as subsequently revised, the estimated expenditure thereon during 1907-1908, and 1908-1909, and the expected date of completion. Memorandum showing progress and expenditure, etc., on items included in the Naval Works Act. BOARD OF EDUCATION. Report made in pursuance of 16th and 17th Vict., chap. 137, s. 60, in the matter of the charity known as the Hulme Trust Estates. I rise to ask His Majesty's Government THE EARL OF ONSLOW: My Lords, whether they will introduce in this House the measure for amending the law affecting small holdings in England and Wales, promised in the Gracious Speech from the Throne. I have put this question on the Paper, because my noble friend behind me, the Leader of the Opposition, observed, on the first evening that Parliament met, that the measures of social reform had been placed at the tail of the procession of Bills which were promised in the Gracious Speech from the Throne. The noble Marquess the Leader of the House, the cause of whose absence we all deeply deplore, said he considered that these measures of social reform were of the gravest importance; and, alluding to the one affecting small holdings, the noble Marquess stated that it was the intention of His Majesty's Government to introduce a real, honest, and substantial Bill. He added that it had been said in some quarters that if a Bill of that sort were presented to Parliament the House of Lords would throw it out. I was very glad, however, that he went on to say that he did not for one moment believe that that would be the case. Now, I venture to think that in this House there are a very large number of Presented (by Command), and ordered noble Lords who have a special knowto lie on the Table. VOL. CLXX. [FOURTH SERIES.] ledge of this subject, and who are very 2 D largely in sympathy with the desire to create more small holdings. Theirs is not only a theoretical desire; they have exhibited it in a practical manner by doing their best to create small holdings on their own estates. For several reasons, therefore, I venture to express the hope that His Majesty's Government will see their way to introduce in this House the measure which they have promised for amending the law on this subject. There have been many expressions, on the part of noble Lords opposite, of their earnest desire to give your Lordships an opportunity of pronouncing an opinion on measures submitted to Parliament with plenty of time to consider them. Again, in this House we have the advantage of the presence of the noble Earl the President of the Board of Agriculture, under whose auspices I imagine this Bill will be introduced to Parliament. There were a number of measures brought in by His Majesty's Government last year, such as the Agricultural Holdings Bill, the Trade Disputes Bill, and the Irish Labourers Bill, which your Lordships agreed to pass into law; and I am sure we are anxious, if we can, to pass other measures introduced by His Majesty's Government. There is yet another reason why I would urge that this Bill should be introduced in your Lordships' House. The Government are generally understood to have intimated that they do not see their way at present to introduce into the other House of Parliament and get a Second Reading for a great many of the measures which were promised in the Gracious Speech from the Throne. When the Easter holiday arrives hon. Members will go down to their constituencies, and I would venture to suggest to noble Lords opposite that they would give some little pabulum to those gentlemen if, before the Easter adjourn ment, they introduced into this House, as they are unable to do so in the other, one or two of the measures referred to, so as to show what is the legislative proThe Earl of Onslow. gramme of His Majesty's Government. I beg to ask the Question standing in my name in the hope that I shall receive an affirmative reply. THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (The Earl of CREWE): My Lords, before I reply to the Question put to the Government by the noble Earl, I hope he will allow me to thank him, on behalf of those who sit on this side of the House, for his allusion to the absence of my noble friend Lord Ripon, who would naturally have answered this question had he been here, and to the melancholy cause of that absence. I well know in what warm personal regard my noble friend is held in this House without distinction of Party, and what pride we all feel in the long years of service which he has given to the State. Now he has been called upon to suffer the heaviest blow which can fall upon any man by the loss of the gracious lady who, for a period of nearer sixty than fifty years, was partner of his home. I feel sure that it is not too much to say that the affection and sympathy of the whole House go out to my noble friend in his great bereavement. Now, my Lords, I come to the question put by the noble Earl. I find myself in very considerable agreement with what he said as to the great interest that is taken by so many of your Lordships in the question of small holdings. It is perfectly true that a very large number of Members of this Houseindeed, by far the greater numberhave shown the most practical form of interest in the question by doing what they can to promote and increase small holdings upon their estates; and from that point of view there would no doubt be much to be said for introducing the measure in your Lordships' House. On the other hand, it has to be remembered that measures of a similar character have in former years been introduced in the other House. That, I think, is due to a fact which I believe will also apply to a considerable extent to this measure. Questions of finance play a considerable part in all measures of this kind. In these circumstances, although I am not in a position to say anything to the noble Earl or the House about the introduction of this Bill, I am afraid he must take it from me that when it is brought in it will be introduced in another place and not here. in this House. There is amongst Members of this House a great amount of what I think I have a right to describe as expert knowledge of the subject; and nothing could be further from the truth than to suggest that amongst noble Lords who sit on these benches there is anything like reluctance in regard to the policy for which, I presume, expression will be found in this Bill. Most of us, on the contrary, have again and again supported that policy in argument, and many of us have tried to give practical effect to it by our own conduct in the management of our estates. Surely, considering the fact that this House during the earlier part of the session is but scantily occupied, it would have been fair to us to have given us a full opportunity suggestions with regard to any measure dealing with a subject of this kind. I really cannot help, even now, entertaining a hope that His Majesty's Government will, on reconsideration, say that this Bill is one which your Lordships might be entrusted in the first instance to consider and to deal with. *THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE : My Lords, I am sure that noble Lords on this side of the House will allow me to say how entirely we associate ourselves with the words to which the noble Earl opposite has just given utterance as of considering and reviewing and making to the great bereavement which the Leader of the House has lately experienced. We regard the noble Marquess not only with the respect to which his position in this House and his long official career entitle him, but also with a feeling which my noble friend described, it seemed to me, most appropriately-a feeling of personal regard which it is not too much to call affectionate. When we heard of the great calamity which had befallen the noble Marquess there was not one of us who did not feel that in a humble way he shared that great sorrow. These private griefs are too sacred to be publicly discussed, and I therefore will not say more upon the subject except to offer to the noble Marquess our sympathy, which is not less heartfelt than the sympathy of his friends and colleagues opposite. Now, my Lords, passing to the Answer which has just been given to the Question put to the Government by my noble. friend Lord Onslow, I cannot help saying that I listened with considerable disappointment to the reply of the noble Earl. I really can conceive no reason why a Bill dealing with the question of small holdings should not be introduced House adjourned at twenty minutes before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The House met at a quarter before Three of the Clock. PETITIONS. COAL MINES (EIGHT HOURS) BILL. Petitions in favour-from Grange, Harrington, Kilburn, and Mitchell's Main Collieries; to lie upon the Table. EDUCATION (PROVISION OF (SCOTLAND) BILL. MEALS) POST OFFICE (LIVERPOOL AND HONG Petition from Old Monkland, against; upon the Table. to lie Copy ordered, "of the Contract, dated the 2nd day of February 1907, with the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S the conveyance of the Mails, Troops, and Stores between Liverpool and Hong lie SISTER BILL. Petition from Ilfracombe, against; to Kong, for the period from the 7th day the Table. upon SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON Petition from Ringstead, for prohibition; to lie upon the Table. WOMEN'S ENFRANCHISEMENT BILL. Petitions in favour-From Brentwood, Bromley, Ladybank, and Tynemouth; to lie upon the Table. of April 1906 to the 6th day of April 1908, together with a Copy of the Treasury Minute thereon, dated the 27th day of February 1907.”—(Mr. Runciman.) Copy presented accordingly; to lie upon the Table, and to be printed. [No. 69.] QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CIRCULATED WITH THE VOTES. Naval Works Acts 1895-1905. unex MR. RUSSELL REA (Gloucester): To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state separately, regarding the Naval Works Acts from 1895 to the present date, the gross capital liabilities, the amount of the pended balances, the amount of the annuity included in the Navy Estimates for each loan, and the date upon which it is anticipated each loan will be automatically extinguished; whether it is intended to exhaust the borrowing powers under these Acts; and, if not, to what extent it is estimated the contingent liabilities under these Acts will be reduced. STANDING COMMITTEES. Ordered, That all Standing Committees have leave to print and circulate with the Votes the Minutes of their Proceedings and any amended Clauses of Bills committed to them.-(Mr. Stuart-Wortley.) are as follows: (Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson) The annuities created in respect of money borrowed under the authority of the Naval Works Acts, 1895 to 1905, |