CHAPTER XXI 



" NATIONALITIES " AND POLITICS (1887) 



(Age 53) 



They again took 33 Belgrave Square for the 

 season. Parliament met on January 27, and 

 Sir John at once introduced three Bills — one for 

 the Earlier Closing of Shops, one to amend the 

 law relating to Public Libraries, and one to 

 facilitate the formation of open spaces in large 

 cities. 



The first was blocked and he was unable to 

 make any progress with it ; the other two became 

 law. 



The object of the Public Libraries Bill was 

 partly to encourage the formation of libraries 

 in villages by permitting lending libraries, and 

 abrogating the necessity for a separate building ; 

 and secondly to enable Unions to adopt the Act. 

 He also spoke on the Education Estimates, on 

 the Savings Bank Bill, and on the British Museum 

 Vote. 



He had been for some years a member of the 

 Public Accounts Committee, and this year the 

 Government asked him to undertake the Chair- 

 manship. 



The House of Commons Committee on Public 



250 



