The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-16 00:00:00

THE AFGHAN FRONTIER.

In reply to Sir S. Northcote, Mr. Gladstone made a
statement identical with Lord Granville on the refer-
ence to a friendly Power of the Afghan Frontier Ques-
tion, and added that the Ameer had been sufficiently
consulted to give the Government full assurance that
they were acting in harmony with his wishes.

THE VOTE OF CREDIT,

In moving the second reading of the Consolidated
Fund (Vote of Credit) Bill, Mr. Gladstone said the
issue raised by the amendment of which Lord George
Hamilton had given notice was an unreal one. Under
the circumstances, it was not fair to ask the House to
commit itself on the Budget proposals until the time,
now rapidly advancing, when it would have at its
command the means of forming a more correct judg-
ment.

Lord G. Hamilton then submitted his amendment,
declaring that, before proceeding with the bill, the
House was entitled to receive adequate information as
to the present policy of Ministers in respect of the pur-
poses to which the money granted by the recent Vote
of Credit was to be applied. He contended that no
Supply would be sufficient for the defence of the Empire
so long as the present Government had the direction of
its policy. The information which had been given was
unsatisfactory and inadequate.
Mr. Chamberlain replied that if the Government
were untrustworthy, the proper course for the Oppo-
sition was to stop the Supplies. The papers about to
be published would convince the House that any
change in the policy of the Government had been com-
pelled by the change of circumstances.
_ _ _ _ _

- In the subsequetit discussions Mr. J. Morley claimed
for the Government the gratitude of the country for
recognising that they had taken a false step in respect
to the Soudan, and having the moral courage to retrace
it.

Lord R. Churchill claimed that the Opposition were
the real Peace Party. Immeasurable peril to our Indian
Empire and a pusillanimous surrender to Russia marged
the daily life of the Government.
Lord Hartington doubted if the Leaders of the Oppo-
sition would support that view of the amendment. The
recital was utterly inconsistent with the contention
that it was the duty of the Opposition to refuse Sup-
' plies as long as the present Government remained in
office, and he concluded that the Leaders of the Oppo-
sition were not prepared to declare that the Government
had surrendered to Russia, until at least they had had
the opportunity of examining the papers on the subject.
He ;justified the policy of the Government in the
Soudan by the change of circumstances; and as to the
Ato,ohan Frontier negotiations he asked how it was pos-
sible to call them a surrender until the House had the
papers before it?
Sir S. Northcote said the particular object of the
Amendment was to demand from the Government
information with regArd to their " present " policy,
seeing that their policy had undergone such frequent
changes.
Mr. Gladstone closed the debate, and upon a division
the Amendment was negatived b/ 290 against 260.
The Consolidated Fund (Vote of Credit) Bill was