The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-04 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROYAL ASSET.
The Harm or LORDS met on March 28th to hear the
Royal Assent given by Commission to the following
bills: The Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill, 1885, and the
Cape of Good Hope (Advance) Bill, 1885. The Royal
Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of
Cork, and Lord Monson. The only other peers present
were Lord Stratheden and Campbell, Lord Carrington,
and the Bishop of Newcastle.

The Lord dhancelloi subsequently took his seat on
the Woolsack.

ARMY (ANNUAL) BILL.
This bill was brought up from the Commons and read
a first time. The House adjourned at twenty-five
minutes past five o'clock, for the Easter holidays, until
the 13th April.

In the HOUSE OF CommoNs, the Speaker took the
chair at five o'clock, and at ten minutes past that hour
was summoned, with the members of the House of
Commons, by Black Rod to the House of Lords to hear
the Royal Assent given to the Consolidated Fund
(No. 2) Bill, and the Cape of Good Hope Advance Bill.
Upon the Speaker's return, the House immediately
adjourned, at twenty minutes past five.

ENGLAND AND AFGHANISTAN.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 30, Sir Stafford
Northcote gave notice that on the motion for the
adjournment for the holidays he would ask whether the
Government could give to the House any information
as to the present state of the negotiations with respect
to the protection of Afghanistan.
Sir G. Campbell having asked whether her Majesty's
Government proposed that Parliament should separate
without receiving any explanations on the subject of
the great military preparations now being made both
in this ccuntry and throughout her Majesty's Indian
Empire,_

The Marquis of Hartington repeated that it was not
desirable in the public interest at the present moment
to enter into explanations on the subject of questionF
which were now the matter of negotiation between her
Majesty's Government and the Government of Russia..
The Under• Secretary would give to the House such in-
formation as it was at present possible to give respect-
ing the present aspect of the negotiations. They were
proceeding, and the latest intelligence from St. Peters-
burg was of such a naturc as to strengthen the hopes of
her Majesty's Government of arriving at a satisfactory
conclusion. As to the military preparations, we were
under certain obligations to the Ameer of Afghanistan,
and, looking to the distance which separated our mili-
tary forces from the region to which the negotiations
related, her Majesty's Gcvemment were of opinion
that it was desirable to make arrangements which would
enable them to fulfil their engagements if the occasion
should arise.

In reply to Mr. Ashmead-Bartlett, who asked
whether any reinforcements were being sent to Sir
Peter Lumsden at Herat, Mr. J. Cross stated that
General Lumsden's mission was diplomatic, and there-
fore no question of military reinforcements would
arise.

Lord E. Fitzmaurice informed Mr. Stanhope that an
answer to the last communication of her Majesty's
Government had been sent by the Russian Govern-
ment. He was not yet aware of its exact terms, but it
was understood that it contemplated an early meeting
of the Frontier Commission, and looked forward to such
meeting as likely to allay the excitement on both sides.
Having regard to what they believed to be the con-
ciliatory tone of this reply, her Majesty's Government
would strongly deprecate the i.se of language of a
nature to cause irritation, and thereby endanger the
peaceful solution of the present difficulty.
TEE LADIES' GALLERY.

On the Order for Supply, Mr. S. Buxton called
attention to the condition of the Ladies' Gallery and
moved a resolution in favour of improving the accom-
modation of the gallery, and substituting for the pre-
sent grating a rail;ng so constructed as not largely to
exclude sound, light, and air. This was seconded by
Mr. Puleston, but opposed by Mr. H. Gladstone on be-
half of the Department of Works, which, he said, after
having consulted the older members of the House and
many ladies who frequented the gallery, had come to
the conclusion that it was not desirable to make the
Suggested alteration. Ultimately the resolution was
negatived by 121 tio 75.