On Monday in the Lords Lord Lansdowne, Lord Balfour of
Burleigh, and Lord Courtney protested strongly against the treatment which the Lords' amendments to the Scottish Tem- perance Bill had received in the Commons. Lord Lansdowne pointed out that when the Bill was last before the Lords they had inserted amendments providing that the measure should not come into operation for ten years instead of five years, that there should be local option in voting for disinterested management of public-houses, and that there should be com- pulsory insurance of licences. He had been struck by the almost pitiable way in which the Scottish Liberals in the Commons had pleaded to be relieved from the restraint of the Whips. The operation of the Parliament Act made it most important that decent consideration should be given to the Lords' amendments. Lord Courtney, speaking from the Ministerial side, said that the action of the Government had been " perfectly undiscriminating and unintelligible." Lord Balfour remarked that if the Lords stuck to their guns they got nothing but abuse, and if they gave way they were accused of cowardice. The Lords upheld the amendment as to ten years, but in the case of disinterested management Lord Balfour limited the principle to bar business, in order to meet the objections of the Secretary for Scotland. The lack of consideration shown to the Lords' amendments, which are really valuable, is preposterous. Lord Balfour, for instance, understands this subject from top to bottom, yet his sugges- tions, instead of being gratefully received, are swept aside with contempt.
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