The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-19 00:00:00

SUPP..Y.

The House then went into Committee of Supply, and
was engaged until a late hour on the Civil Service Esti-
mates Class 11. (Public Offices).
On the vote for the Foreign Office, Mr. Ashmead-
Bartlett criticised the policy of the department in
Egypt, Madagascar, and Tonquin, and complained also
of its refusal to acquaint Parliament with the financial
proposals which had been laid before the Conference.
By way of protest against the secrecy which had been
practised, he moved the reduction of the vote by 21000,
but this, after a discussion which turned chiefly on the
internal details of the Foreign Office, was negatived by
109 to 19.
The Vote for the Board of Trade gave rise to a
debate which lasted the rest of the evening. Mr. Stan-
hope complained of the growing habit of the permanent
officials taking part in polemical literature and writing
letters to the papers serving the political purposes of
their present head.
Mr. Chamberlain denied this, and defended his sub-
ordinates, especially Mr. Giffen, as to whose evidence
on the sugar bounties there was an animated contro-
versy between him and Mr. Ritchie.
Mr. Norwood complained that there had been no
opportunity of replying to Mr. Chamberlain's speech,
and remarked that both shipowners and the railway
interest had completely lost confidence in the depart-
ment.

I%fr. Jenkins, Mr. Maclver, and others criticized the
constitution of the department, and Mr. Chamberlain,
In replying to these criticisms, protested that no one
had more cause to regret the fate of the Merchant
Shipping debate than himself. As to the Royal Com-
mission, he said he hoped to be able to state the names
of the Commissioners and the order of rEferenee before
the prorogation. _ _ _ _

.
On the subsequent vote for the Dankruptcy Depart-
ment of the Board of Trade, the administration on the
Bankruptcy Act was severely criticized, and especial
complaint was made of the fees charged on estates
which do not keep their accounts with the Bank of Eng-
land, as to which the president of the Board was
accused of having departed from the compromise
agreed on in the Grand Committee. _ _ _ _ _

-A
motion to reduce the vote, made by Mr. W. Fowler,
was negatived by 80 to 58. Ultimately the vote was
agreed to.
The House afterwards adjourned.

In the HousE or LORDS, July 15, the Elections
(Hours of Polling) Bill and the Building Societies Acts
Amendment Bill were read a second time, and the
Licensing Act (1872) Amendment Bill a third time.

THE FRANCHISE BILL.
Lord Milltown, having expressed his opinion that, if
the Government were sincere in their desire for reform
and had no ulterior object in connexion with the sub-
ject, there was no reason why they should not introduce
a complete scheme, asked whether they would take ad-
vantage of the coming session to present such a scheme
to Parliament and the country.
Lord Granville, having remarked that Lord Mill-
town's speech would have been more appropriate if
delivered in the debate last week, said, in reply to the
noble lord's question' that he had nothing to add to
what he stated on the previous evening, when Lord
Wemyss gave notice of that motion which, he regretted
to think, Lord Salisbury intended to oppose.

IRISH TRAMWAYS.
A clause moved by Lord Inchiquin, as one to be added
to all Tramway (Ireland) Provisional Orders, gave rise
to some conversation. The object of the clause was to
make more rigorous the conditions on which capital
employed on the tramways should become guaranteed
capitaL
Lord Carlingford, in declining to agree to the
motion, stated that the Irish Government were of
opinion that the proposed conditions were inadvisable;
and ultimately the motion was withdrawn.
Their lordships rose at a quarter to six.