No date has yet been officially fixed for the rising
of Parlia- ment. On Monday night, Mr. Disraeli, being reminded by the Marquis of Hartington that he had promised to make a state- ment relating to public business, announced that the Prisons Bill would be withdrawn. "The Prisons Bill is a Bill which I, for one, and I believe the majority of the House, approve. I think it an excellent Bill, and the country will have an opportunity of considering its merits during the Recess." He also with- drew the University Bills, hoping to reintroduce them next Session ; but declined to give any further information, ex- cept that the Merchant Shipping Bill must be passed; that a night must be given to the Indian Budget and the silver question, and that he would not surrender the " chance " of passing the Vivisection Bill. There must be a further massacre of Bills next week, and even then, if the Queen's Speech is to be read on Saturday week, the work must be huddled up, especially in the Lords, in the most discreditable way, and with a majority of Members absent from London. The confusion is nothing new, indeed it occurs every Session ; but this Session it has been worse than usual, without any excuse for it in the amount of serious legislation.
