Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's sardonic reference to the Liberal measure for
extending household suffrage to the counties as one which would involve a redistribution of seats that must extin- tinguish the claims of Tewkesbury to rank as a distinct Par- liamentary borough, affords no sort of support to the rumour in various country papers that the Tories themselves are going to undertake a Reform Bill. Nor does his reference to the County Government Bill suggest any measure either stronger, or even one to be more vigorously pressed, than the futile Coanty Government Bills of recent years. Perhaps the Criminal Code Bill was one of those in Sir Michael Beach's thoughts when he talked of the measures of " a real working Session." Perhaps, too, the Prime Minister has conquered the reluctance of Conservative Ministers to keep their supporters on the rack of suspense, and will reign till it is no longer possible- constitutionally to evade a dissolution. Lord Beaconsfield,. as they say of the hunted fox, is pretty sure to "die game."
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