Bolton bolting.
Old Morality packed up his papers; Jokim locked up red box containing papers relating to Budget Scheme; Harcourt rose to continue discussion; discovered that Speaker had gone, and Serjeant-at-Arms removed Mace; so, at few minutes past Six, got off with plenty of time to enjoy that recreation, and cultivate those family relations, not less dear to a Member of Parliament than to the more 'orny 'anded son of toil. Odd at this early hour to hear cry of Doorkeeper, "Who goes home?"
"Well," says Member for St. Pancras, "I think I'll be Bolton." And he bolted. Business done.—- New Eight Hours' Day arrangement came into operation. Entirely successful.
Tuesday.—Ritchie a mild-mannered man, six feet high, and of genial temperament. But there are some things he can't stand. One is, to assume that Government Bill dealing with Local Taxation involves Compensation for disestablished publicans.
"I must say," he observed, just now, glaring on Caleb Wright, "that I object to the word Compensation which the Hon. Gentleman has used in his question."
What Government had done was to propose measure for the extinction of licences. Of course, a little money would pass. Jokim, in Budget Scheme, made provision to enable County Council to buy out publicans. "But to call such a transaction Compensation is," Ritchie added, his left eye twitching in fearsome manner on Caleb Wright, "preposterous."
That being so, House went into Committee on Allotments Bill, and drummed away till sitting suspended.
At Evening Sitting, Bob Reid brought on Motion raising sort of British Land Question. Wants to empower Town Councils and County Councils in England and Scotland to acquire, either by agreement or compulsorily, such land within their district as may be needed for the requirements of the inhabitants. House naturally shocked to find a Member proposing to discuss any phase of Land Question apart from Ireland. Interposition of Great Britain in this connection regarded as impertinence. Compromise arrived at; agreed to leave out Scotland. On these terms Debate went forward.
