In the House of Lords on Monday, Lord Granville and
Lord Milltown had a curious contest as to which should move the second reading of the Medical Relief Bill, abandoned by the Government. Lord Granville, who has had an attack of the gout, and was a little slower in getting down to the House in consequence, was much annoyed to find a private Conservative peer, Lord Milltown, insisting on his prior right to take charge of the Bill ; and this right, in spite of all the courtesies, Lord Milltown retained. The debate on Tuesday was not very edifying. It consisted chiefly in criticisms on the Bill from a great many Peers who did not choose to resist it,—criticisms which let " I dare not' wait upon 'I would." The Conserva- tives evidently wholly disapprove the Bill, which nevertheless they not only borrowed from Mr. Jesse Collings, but enormously strengthened, transforming it from a mere suspense Bill into a permanent provision ; and now they can neither take any satis- faction in what they have done, nor venture to undo it. Never- theless, Lord Milltown was evidently very anxious to gain for the Tories the nominal credit of having pioneered it through the House of Lords.
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