The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-01-29 00:00:00

parlianwntarg Itiromebings.

On Monday, in the House of Lords, in reply to the
Marquis of Ripon, the Duke of Richmond, said the
report of the Select Committee on Conservancy
Boards was under the consideration of the Govern-
ment.—ln the House of Commons, the Irish Sunday
Closing Bill, introduced by the O'Conor Don, was
similar to that of Mr. Smyth last session. Several
members expressed their' dissent from the measure,
and intimated their intention of opposing it at &future
stage, but it was read a second time without a divi-
sion.
On Tuesday, in the House of Lords, Earl
Beauchamp, the Lord Steward, brought up Her
Majesty's reply to the Address voted in answer to the
Royal Speech—ln the Commaos, in answer to Mr-
Childers, the Chancellor of the Riche -per maid that
communtattions did pies in July between Her
Majesty's Government and the Neutral Powers and
Russia as to the possible terms of pearl on the side of
Russia, but they were of a confidential character, and
could not be laid before Parliament. He also said
that the communication recently sent by Her Majesty
to the Emperor of Russia was forwarded by the advice
of Her Ministers, and that, as the reply was of a
private and personal character, he could not detail the
terms of it, without the expire« permission of the
Queen. A Select Committee, on the motion ot Lard
G. Hamilton, was appointed to empire into and report
as to the expediency of constrocting public works in
India, both as regards financial results and the pre-
vention of famines. .

On Wednesday, the Hours of Commons got through
its business with unexpected celerity. Of the six
orders on the paper two were for Committee of Supply
and were matters of form. Of the others the Public ,
Parks (Scotland Bill), pawed its second reeding. The
House went into Co' mmittee on the Irish Sunday Bill;
but The O'Conor Don, in the absence of many
members interested in the subject, agreed at once to
report progress The Parliamentary Elections
(Metropolis) Bill, on the cocain. of Sir Charles Dilke,
paned through Committee without amendment.
On Thursday, in the House of Lords, • brief
discuadon armee between the Duke of Argyll and the
Earl of Beaconsfield as to wEether her Malady's
Government had any communication to make with
regard to the supplementary vote for supplies The
Premier surmised that the Duke of Argyll could not
feel that the course which bar Majesty's Government
might think it their duty to take was to depend upon
the will of a foreign GovenmenS Not having been
made acquainted with the terms of peace, it was for
her Majesty's Government to take that( course which
they thought it their duty to their Sovereign and
their country to pursue. This statement was received
with cheers from the Ministerial Benches, and the
house adjourned. —ln the Commons, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer informed the House that the terms of
peace to be proposed by Russia had not as yet been
communicated to her Majesty's Government, and that
in consequence of "a very considerable and rapid
advance of the Muscovite forces, it would be his
, duty to propose on Monday a supplementary estimate
for naval and military purpose in order that the
country might be prepared for any circumstances that
might *rime. Sir Stafford subsecuently moved the
anpointment of a Select Committee on the public
business of the House, and, several amendments tieing
proposed, a lengthy debate ensued.
In the House of Lords Friday night, Lord Beacons-
field said the Beet had bees ordered to the Dardanelles,
and then to Constantinople, but the order had been
countermanded as far as the latter part was concerned,
since receiving the preliminary conditions of peace.
Earl Carnarvon stated his reason for resigning office
was that be considered sending the fleet to the
Dardanelles a departure from neutrality but Earl
Beaconsfield said he thought no sufficient reason had
been given for the course taken. Replying to Earl
Granville, the Premier said the Government had no
knowledge of the terms- of the armistice. They had
received a private communication which they were
not at liberty to make known. He objected to state
whether there was any truth in the rumoured
resignation of another minister. The House then
adjourned.
In the House of Commons Sir Stafford Northcote stated
that the Government had received from the Russian am-
6/ardor certain hues of peace, but no information of an
approaching signature of umiak*. The fleet had been
ordered to the north of the Dardanelles to await further
orders, and six millions would be the sum s.kqd for by the
Government. In reply to the Mame of
that who
put • series of queetiona, tamer at the time had
arrived to speak frankly, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
said he was not at liberty to speak freely without the
consent of other government.. Though some of Lord
Hartington's questions ought not to have been saked, he
thought it would be certainly believed the Governmett
would not have made an announcement like that of Tburr
day, had they been aware that the terms of pace bad been
communicat vi to the Porte. He was linable ectually
to say that terms had now arrived,, and were known to
the Government. That morning Lord Derby received
a communication from the Russian ambassador, with the
beads of bases of poem, but the communication was
private, and the Russian ambassador must be cogwelted
before the communication could be made public. With
, respect to the British Beet, it had been ordered to the
mouth of the Dardanelles, and instructed to keep open
water and preserve life and prevent tumult in Constanti-
nople (Ministerial cheers), and to await further orders.
He was not authorieed to Snake any communication with
regard to Ministerial resignations.—The Marquis of Harl-
ington pointed out that it "mull he an infraction of the
Treaty for the fleet to go to the Dardanelles—This
Chancellor of the accbequer 'aid that matter had better
be postponed until Monday. The news that had arrived
t bad made no change in the policy of the Govern.
meat, or difference in the v.ge for which they would ask,
though It bad made) a difference in the movernent• of the
nest

MONDAY (Tax* Day).
In the Hones of Commons to-day, at the request of
Lord Haansurom in the debet• upon the conclusion
of his statement respecting the money vote, the
Cnistcitton of the Eicanson then moved in born.
mittee of Supply tor a vote of credit. Re said this
was by far the most important motion that had been
made in that House in hie time.