The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-07-13 00:00:00

6 "
T
TI,IIPE RI AL PARL F NT,

Ii
the lIOUSE OF LORDS, July 8, the Lord Chancellor, an-
-swenng a question put by Load Selborne, said that it would
be inpossible at this period of the session to pass a measure
.of sten tumznitude aid importance as the Criminal Code
(Indbtable Offences) Bill, and therefore, it wou d be revised,
towards the end of the year, by a .R.yal Commission, const-t-
-lug if Lord Justice Blackburn, Mr. Justice Lush, and Sir
James Fitzjauirs Stephen.
Lo'd Granville inquired whether it was true that a defen-
sive Treaty had been concluded by this country with
Turley, and that the Island of Cyprus had been transferred
to igland.
Tie Duke of Richmond and Gordon replied,—My
In tie view of the retention by Russia of a portion of the
Asiatic territories of the Porte, a Conditional Convention
'was on the 4th of June last, entered into between Iler
110 sty and the Sultan to the following effect :
"If Batoum, Ardahan, Kars, or any of them, shall be re
tubed by Russia, and if attempt shall be made at any
Intre time by Russia to take possession of any further
Teton of the Asiatic territories of the Sultan, as
d by the definitive Treaty of Peace, England engages
skijoin the Sultan in defending them by force cf arms.
ii return, the .Sultan promises to England to intro-
thee necassary reforms (to be agreed upon between the
tto Powers) into the Government of the Christians
aid other subjects of the Porte In those territories;
aid, in order to enable England to make necessary pro-
viion for executing her engagement, the Sultan further
easenta to assign the island of Cyprus to be occupied and
aeninistered by England. If the Government of Russia
abuld at any time surrender to the Porte the territory it
ha acquired in Asia by the recent war, the stipulations in
th convention will cease to operate and the island will be
eircuated."
'Eider this Convention the condition on which it is
fosided htaving now arisen—a firman has been issued by the
Pole aw.horizing the transfer of Cyprus to England, and
tbpmsaession of the island will be at once taken and the
goer..ment administered on behalf of liar Majeity. Her
Mar-sty has been pleased to appoint Sir G. Wolseley to ad-
IsiLisier the government of the Wand.

n reply to Lord Re!more, the Duke of Richmond and
Cirdonsaid he hoped that in the course of two or three days
th report of the Dublin Iluivasity Cemmissioners would be
lat on the table of the House.
'he Statute Law Revision Bill and the Supreme Court of
Jtlicature (Ireland) 1877. Amendment But were read a
*mond time.

6veral Bills were advanced a stage and their Lordships
adourned.

'a the 13.0136/4 OF COMMONS, the Marquis of Hartington
asl d wb'ethvr there was truth in the rumour th..t a
deensive treaty bad been concluded with the Porte, by
whch the Asiatic dominions of the Sultan were guaranteed
by 12, British Government, and the island of Cyprus handed
Inle to this country.

Jr. Cross in the absence of the Chancellor of the Exche-
vir, said that in view of the retention by Russia of por-
ting of Asiatic Turkey, a Conditional Convention was
enered into on the 4th of June between Her Majesty and
th Sultan, to the effect that if Batoum, Ardalaan, Kars, or
an of them were retained by Russia, or if any attempt
shield be made at any future time by Russia to take posses-
sin of any further portion of the Asiatic territories of the
&tau as settled by the detinitive Treaty of Peace, England
egages to join the Sultan in defending them by twee of
ans. In return the Sultan promises to England to introduce
in) the Government of the Christian and other subjects of
th. Porte in these territories necessary reforms, to be agreed
eabetween the two Powers. And in order to enable England
tbonake neces ary provision for executing her engagements,
th. Sultan consents to assign the island of Cyprus to be oc-
scuied and administered by England. if the Government of
Assisi should at any time surrender to the Porte the terri-
toy acquired in Asia by the recent war, the stipulations of
th Convention will cease to operate, and the island
wll be evacuated. The condition on which the Con-
vetion was founded having-arisen, a Firman has been issued
suhorizing the transfer of Cyprus to England, and possession
of he island. will at once be taken to be administered .on
of Her .Majesty, Rho has appointed Sir Garnet
Wtseley as administrator. Mr. Cross added that Papers
:felting to the question would at once be laid on the table.

brd Hartington having inquired whether the Convention
ha been already communicated to the Congress of the
Paiers, Mr. Cross said he would answer the question to-
ils; if the noble Marquis would place it on the paper.
Ir. Gladstone observed that the first part of the document
spee of the consent and engagement of the Sultan that
Cyrus should be occupied and administered by England.
Thse words he did not understand to imply the " transfer "
of the sovereignty; but in the latter part of the dm:il-
l:nett the expression "transfer of the island" was used. He
wiaed to know vahether there was a traisfer of the
sovreignty, or whether the existing sovereignty would re-
run in force.

Ar. Cross answered that the right hon. gentleman would
see)y the papers exactly how that stood. There could be no
damt about it.

Ir. Fawcett gave notice that on going into committee on
theindian Budget he will mi,ve a Resolntion Affirming the
necssity of establishing further guarantees beyond those
conained in the Government of India Act for protecting
Inds against being compelled to maintain a larger force
thmis necessary.

01 the motion for going into committee on the Cattle
Disases Bill, Mr. M.'Cullagh Torrens moved a resolution
declring that, having regara to the greatly enhanced price
of aimal food, this House is not prepared to adopt any
meaure which may tend further to diminish the supply of
cattl from abroad.

Mr Charley, in seconding the Bill, admitted that the Bill
Was ;good one in some respects, but pronounced it to be un-
acoeitable, and he hoped the Government would make some
secoession.

Shit Seiwin-lbbetson' in opposing the amendment, re-
peatd his argument that the supply of food would not be
dimidshed by the Bill, pointing out that the great towns
werenot dependent on the foreign supply, except from
Ameica, Spain, and Portugal. With regard to concessions,
althugh the Govenimeut still saw great objections
to take exceptions to the general rule, they had
consilered the opinions advanced on both sides,
and they were willing to consent to amendments
whic:, while retaining compulsory slaughter as the prevail-
ing rle, would allow the Privy Council discretion to suspend
it in le case of Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden and
Norsiy, when it was shown that disease did not exist there.
and Bat regulations had been adopted there which would be
a guaaetee against the importation of disease. It was also
thougit that the same provision should apply to store cattle,
with i few exceptions.
Mr. W. E. Forster congratulated the Government on its
prognss towards sound views, and remarked that though,
perhaps, the concession was as much as could be expected
beton going. into committee, if it were not carried further •
it wodd leave the Bill in an illogical and absurd position.
He dielt specially on the inconsistency of thus limiting the
directors of the Privy Council so as to prevent it admitting
othercountries which might be able to show a clean bill of
healtl, and discussing at length the home regulation he con-
tendei that they were at once obstructive and ineffectual.

A hng discussion ensued, in which several members took
part, in d , at the instance of Lord Hartington, the amend-
. menewas withdrawn.

The House went into Committee, and at once resumed.

Mr. Cross moved the Second Reading of the Bishoprics
Bill, b which Mr. Dillwyn objected, and after some remarks
om iir A. Lusk, a division being taken, the second reading
as curled by 188 to 60.
Sons other business was then disposed of, and the House
adjourned.

In tie Houn OF LORDS, July 9, Lord Granville aslted the
Duke d Richmond and Gord,in whether the Convention be-
tween England and Turkey had been communicated to the
other ?owera of Europe.

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon replied that the
Goveranent had not received any formal or official report
of the -,'onvention having been communicated to the other
Powers represented at Berlin.
Lord Granville wished to know whether any unofficial in-
formatbn to that effect had been received.

The luke of Richmond and Gordon declined to give any
answerto that question.

The Public Health (Ireland) Bill passed through Com-
mittee.

The Parliamentary and Municipal Registration (Con.
solidatid) Bill, the Telegraphs Bill, and the General Police
and ltiprovement (Scotland) Act, 1862, Amendment Bill
Were a read a third time and passed.
On tie motion of Lord Henniker, the Innkeepers Bill,
which, he said, had passed through the House of Commons
withoit opposition, was read a second time.

Thet lordships then adjourned.
At tNe Morning Sitting of the COMMONS, Mr. Forster, in
the absence of Lord Hartington, put to the Government the
question of which the noble Marquis gave notice on the
previsms day—Whether the conditional Convention between
the Governments of Great Britain and Turkey had yfl been
ratifiec, and the Convention communicated to the Co, gross
at Ber:in or to the European Powers separately.

Mr. Bourke replied that the English ratification of the
Convettion was sent to Constantinople by special messenger
some t.me ago, and that Sir A. Las ard had reported on the
Bth ultimo that ever 3 thing was settled, and that Mr. Baring
bad kit Constantinople with the Firma!) of the Porte. No
official information had yet been received of the Convention
having been formally notified to the representatives ot the
Other lowers at Berlin
The /toads and Bridges (Scotland) Bill waa read a third
time aid passed after a shsrt conversation, in which Mr.
Anderson reiterated his complaint of the injustice done to
Glaegcw. . . •-

The rest of the sitting was E pent in Committee on the
Ilighstays Bill, which was completed, with the exception of
several new clauses to be proposed by private members.

The Truro Chapter Bill was passed through Committee,
and the County of Hertford Bill and the Freshwater Fish
I"rotection Bill were read a third time.

At tie Evening Sitting, Mr. Errington called attention to
tie wtrking of the Land Act of k7O, which, he insi,ted, had
ievealed in it numerous defects and shortcomings. For
Inatome, it had failed to check capricious evic-
tions, and it had not prevented the exaction of
tents which amounted to a practical confiscation of
tenanti' improvements. Under bath these heads he quoted
Actual instances of hardship, and enlarging on the distrust
and dissatisfaction created by the faiinre of the Act, he
Moved for a Commission to it quire what steps should be
taken to render it more effective.

Mr. -King-Harman supported the motion from the Con-
servatve side believing that inquiry would clear the land-
lords d the charges made against them.
Atte? a debate, in which several hon. members took part,
On a d vision, the motion was negatived by 134 10.67.
Som9 other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
journs].

In tie HousE ov COMMONS, July 10, Mr. T. B. Potter, in
Inovim the second reading of tin' Item Estate Intestacy Bill,
exploited that, as the law now stood, if a man died intestate
the wbole of his real property went to his eldest son, and no
Other member of the family was considered. Such being the
law vhich supported and covered custom, he maintained
that tie interests of the country at the present time did not
requid-3 its maintenance. It might have been a very good
law in feudal times, but it did not exist in Anglo-Saxon days,
and itought not to exist now.
Mr. Leatham, in seconding the motion, pointed out that
the lay of primogeniture stripped every child but one abso-
lutely naked for the benefit of that one, and was, in fact, a
law to! making paupers of the younger children of small
landik proprietors. Such a law, be maintained, was unjust
nd inmoral, and ought to be got rid of, and he pointed out
that tie present Bill would deal only with small unentailed
„Mr. 3regory moved the rejection of the Bill, urging that
"Paatd it would have a tendency to unsettle the law of
Prlmo4enlture. and it would involve largely increased legal
,_exlaenies, for the family of the unfortunate intestate would
have to pay very heavy administration duties on succeeding
to the property. Ile denied further that the Bill would do
Inly rail good.
Mr. Beresford-Hope seconded the amendment, and in reply
to Mr Leatham, contended that the present Bill would,
if Patted, have similar results, and the evils, as in France,
Would be increased by progression as families increased and
flub dsion went on. Finally, he opposed the Bill as petty,
trlvolais, and vexations, ,as likely to be dangerous in its
GDeration, and as a first step to something which would in-
e_vltally be very different and wider in the future.
Ur. 3axter warmly supported the Bill, and taunted its
?„I?Ponfuts with a change of front, for they had given up all
44eir ad arguments and taken to fresh ones.
liart,,n supported the amendment and pointed out
"everic objections of a more or less technical character to its
MoDtion.
_ _

-
Mr. Wheelhouse opposed, urging that the Bill would
upset every relation that now existed between the owners of
441Prverty and those who would naturally succeed to it.
Mr. raweett supported the Bill, depyiug that tlkepbiect of
"4 ad'ocates was either to abolish primogeniture' or to
ostablith the compulsory partition of real property.
Afte: a debate, in which Mr. Hermon, Mr. Lefevre, Sir
woorsi J3owyers sad Mr. Osborne Morgan took part,

The Solicitor General opposed the Bill, and denied that it
was a practical measure, or that the feeling of the country
; was in its favour.
The H o-e then divided—For the second reading, 157;
against, 193 ; majority, 3.
The Bill was therefore lost, and the House adjourned.