The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

In the House of Lords Feb. 14, Lord Ilesehorough brought
Up the following reply to the addrees —"1: thank you for
your loyal and dutiful snares.. I rely on your assurance
that the Important memory, which will be submitted to
you will receive y, .11r attentive consideration "
the E srl of carnarvoi rose to call the attention of the
Rae to the present relations of the colonies with this
ountry, arid to move for copies of correspondence between
His Government and the Governoefieneral of Canada, and
the governors of the Australian colonies, on the reduction of
the military forces stationed in those colonies. 'rhe noble
eon .01.1 that, excepting Ireland, no suhJect had for
ionic months oc..tipled the public mind more than the
colonies. the public mind hail been much agitated on the
Inject of State aid to emigration, arid he was therefore our.
prised to And that there was no mention of the stolen in the
Speech Ile desired principally to call attention to
the relations which existed between England and her great
anthem n colonies. England alone, of all nations, had built
up n great colonial empire, ami though much of It had been
lost, there were still magnificent colonise of which I.:viand
might be proud, and he trusted that English statesmen would
always cherish them. Ile strongly deprecated the withdrawal
of the whole of the Imperial troop. from Amitrgii• and
1.111.1.1 on the ground that the troop. formed a nucleus
noon which the Cob di'al forces might gather, and were a
standing school of Instruction. Die regular army were,
moreover, the symbol and visible presence of the Empire,
and their entire withdrawal would be coutrued Into the
ahantmment our Empire.
. _ . . .

laird liranville said that Lord Carnarvon had given him
private notice that he 11l not intend to refer to-night either
to the subject 1 state emigration to the (ii nice not
that of New 7..uslanil. geoueating that these subjects
might be poatponed until anther occasion, when
they could he more fully iliscusaed, he complained
of the difficulty of repelling an attack upon some
&opposed tolley of the C.•lontal., tit c hich policy
Lord earns:von haul omitted to define. Ile disputed
and drilled the noble Earl's Main proposition --- that
ull•stitiect,r7 relations existed between the Colonial-office
and the I ionies. Ile denied that • single melt governing
Colony had at the present moment a grievance against the
line (1 cornmeal. As to the great Canadian Dominion, it
was imp usinie for any Colonial Minister to be in more
cordial relations with a l'rown dependency.
Lord tyttelton said that with the exception of New Zea-
land, he did not lidieve that Irritation or discontent prevailed
In
*any, erlf-gf.venirdsol.2ny of the Crown. .

L.Lr'd %Ini7chthonght that the true policy mu gradually to
prepare our great colonies for independence, so that when
the moment for spar lion arrived it could be accomplished
without angry feeling.
The Earl of Derby, who addressed their Lordships for the
first time, congratulated Lord Carnarvon up it having ac-
complished the ohject he had In view by eliciting • de-
claration from the Colonial Secretary that nothing should
he done by him to lessen our obligation to take part in
the defence of our Colonies in case of hostile attack. Al
the some time, he agreed with Lord Granville that the
relation* now existing between the Mother Country and
her great Colootes were not unsatisfactory for a time of
peace A state of peue hoeever, could not always continue,
aud the real dift•ulty would arise whenever we became in-
volved in • serious naval war. If the commerce of Australia,
for example, were intereented. the In and injury would be
so great that • party niight arise who would expatiate on the
advantage* of independence and neutrality. For such an
emergency it would be well to be prepared.
-

-
I. ,rd Ls veden defended the absence of any allusion to the
Colonist. In the Speech from the Throne as being, under the
circurnetances, unusual ar.,l uncalled for. so far from
agreeing with Lord Carnarvon, he never remembered • time
when there wag less controversy between the Colonial-office
said the colonies.
. .

Lord Carnarvon's resolution for coplesof correspondence
with the iiovernors of Canada and Australia was not pressed,
and their lordships aftereard• adjourned.
In the House of C inimons, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, in answer to Mr. Candlish, declined to fix a day
for the Budget, though he hoped to get it over before
Easter.

--kir".—Fawcett moved an addrese to the Queen, praying that
the rights of the Crown over Epping Forest may he defended
Sc that it may be preserved AS an open space for the recrea-
tion of the people, which was seconded by Mr. C Buxton.
After remarks from Mr. Beresford Hope, Mr. Cowper-
Temple. Mr. &monis, Mr. A Klunaird, and Mr Goldney,
the solicitor General, agreeing heartily with the object In
view, explained to the House the objections to the resolution
arising out of the legal aspect of the question. Ins learned
disquisition on the ancient Forest Lion he showed that the
forestal rights of the Crones over Epping Forest are of the
most shadowy character; that they are confined to the
Crown alone, the subject having no share In them; and that
they are extremely difficult to be enforced. The resolution,
therefore, committed the Government to • course which
would not accomplish the desired object of keeping the
forest open.
Mr. Gladstone did not believe the assertion of the Crown's
rights would prevent the enclosure of the forett, but he ad-
mitted it was the duty of the G ivernment to carry oat
the often expressed opinion of the Booth on this sub-
ject, and to do everything p ssible to preserve for
the people of London whatever of this kind cauld
be preserved. Ile suggested an amendment in the form
of the motion, which would leave the Government more at
liberty sa to the means to be employed—that, instead of
asking the Queen "to defend her forestal rights," she should
be asked •' to take such measures as she may deem most ex-
pedient for the preservation o: the forest."
Mr. Fawcett assented to this, and the moUon, al amended,
wits. agreed to.
. . .

--3-41711nr-dna.stie obtained leave to bring in a bill to repeal
the Minority Clause of the last Reform Act.
Mr. Leatham moved for leave to bring in a ill to provide
that the poll be taken at Parliamentary and municipal elec-
tions by the ballot ,• and after remarks from several hon.
members, Mr. Leatham agreed to defer the second reading
for a month, until the Select Committee on Elections bad

reported.
Mr Shaw-Ltfevre next explained the general provisions of
two Mlle introduced by the Board of Trade—one, consisting
of SOO clauses, to amend the laws relating to Merchant ship-
ping. and the second to abolish Compulsory Pilotage. In the
discussion which followed a general approval was expressed
of the bills by Mr. Cave and others but Mr. Norwood, Mr.
Steveason. and Mr. Gourley regretted that the light due.
were not abolished; while Mr. Graves, Sir J. Hay, and Mr.
R. N. Yowler were opposed to the abolition of compulsory
pilotage, and recommended the consideration of the subject
by a Select Committee.
Bills were brought in by Mr. Rallies, to protect the property
of married women; by Mr. Penman, to amend the Evidence
Act of last year; and by Mr. W. Johnston, to repeal the
Party Processions Act,

Mr Crsufuril obtained a committee to consider the opera-
tion of the Scotch Poor Law and, on the motion of Mr.
Otway, a select Committee was appointed to inquire into
the constitution of the Diplomatic and Consular Services,
and the House afterwards adjourned.

In the Home of Lord., Feb LS, Lord Kinnard announced
his intention of presem.inu shill baaed on the recommenda-
tions of a Cornminion which reported • few years ago on the
protection of life in miner, aml he moved that their report he
reprinter.
• • • " " • " •• •

This wa4 agreed to, and their lordships adjourned.
In the House of Commons, there was a large attendance of
members...W/1i considerable excitement prevailed in anticipa-
tion ••f Mr. Glisdatone's unfolding the Irish Land scheme of
the Government.
..

About forty private bills were read a second time and
passed.

Tllll IRI,H LAND BILL.

Mr. Gladstone, who was received with loud cheers from
the Liberal benches. said "Twelve months have not elapsed
since it was my duty to submit to the House • measure of
the greatest consequence and difficulty. We were told from
ninny quarters that it was not the subject which rea ly
involved the happiness of the Irish people, or which
lay cloaca to the root of the Irish difficulty, nor did
we at the time deity the truth of that representation. We
were sensible that behind our heavy labour there remained
for us a heavier one still and one in which we could
not egpect to have the advantege of that definite guidance
and support which we considered we derived from the
clearly established convictions of a majority of the Irish
people. I refer to the subject now in the hope that those
who then truly speke will now approach the consideration of
the Irish Label tenure full of the feelings that they then ex-
pressed, will bring home to themselves the vast importance
of the subject which touches the material, domestic, and
daily condition directly, perhaps, of a majority, and in
directly of the whole of the people. We must not dis-
guise from ourselves that the difficulties of the
question have been vastly aggravated by delay. It
is Indeed but too true that not only in connec-
tion with the British Enipire, but with the whole
world, and everything which affects the operation of the
human race in any quarter of the globe, shortcomings must
some time or other be found. We have undertaken more than
has ever been done in the history of the world. It is no
wonder, therefore, that under these circumstances Parliament
ha, been over-taxed, and that over-taxation has become
visible in the shape of legislative neglect. It was in 1+33 that
Mr Sherman Crauford first called the attention of Parliament
to the grieve as condition of the occupiers of theca in Ireland,
and when in 1643 he repeated that representation, so struck
was Sir It Peel's Goverment with the force of what he
said, that they appointed a wisely constituted com-
mittee to inquire Into the eubject of the occupation of
land in Ireland, and in the year 1645 that committee not
only reported, but had analysed an immense amount of
valuable evidence, and had their. • recommendations been
carried out, there would probably at this moment be no
Trish Land Qoestion at all to he discussed. Undoubtedly
It would have removed so many difficulties that It
would have been easy to deal with the remainder. Among
the chief of thee who recommended an immediate com-
pliance with the recommendations of that committi e was
Mr. Stanley, afterwards Laid Derby, and the leader of the
Consetvetive-party, and in &speech delivered by him in 1645
was to be found the chief repertory of the facts and argu-
ment. to show the necessity for legislating on the subject of
the occupation of land Ia Ireland. I hope we shall now
!Dimly resolve te open and seal up this great question, which
affected the happiness and welfare of the whole body of
the people." The hon. gentleman went on to say, that no
doubt its difficulties had been increased by delay, but it
carried with it this consolation, that all fair-minded and
moderate nice on to th sides were sensible of the necessities
of the cage, and were anxious to close and seal up the con-
troversy. Bearing testimony also to the help civen to the
elucidation of the problem by recent literature he went on
to dissipate some of the nilsapprehensions which preyed as
to the condition of Ireland—such as the notion that the Irish
are a Celtic race, prone to disorder : that the land laws are
the same in Ireland as in England, and ir iht to produce
the same results in both countries; that eland has been
prospering for the last twenty years, alld that the people
have no occasion to exhibit feelings of discontent. Under
this last, head he showed that, on the contrary, the rate
of wager heal not risen within the last ten years, the
number persons receiving poor relief had increased,
the clot of- subsistence had risen, and some of the most
Imprudent and violent interferences with the fixed usages of
the country had occurred. lie showed, too, that the course
of legialatiou for the last half century, though intended, no
doubt, in a beneficial spirit, had possibly been detrimental
to the Interests of the occupiers. The Acts of 1793 and 1829,
for instance, had encouraged excessive inibd ivision of land,
and the Encumbered Estates Act, by not protecting the lm.
provements of the tenante, had operated as an extensive con-
fiscation. Parliament, too, within the same period of half a
century, had completely changed the conditions of eviction
against the tenant and, speaking broadly, he asserted that
alter we had been legislating for a century in favour of
Ireland it was a matter of doubt whether, as far as the law
was concerned, the condition of the occupier was better than
before the repeal nt the Penal Laws. Premising next that
the bill would reverse the presumption of law in favour of
yearly tenancies, anti would not leave owners and occupiers
101 l freedom of contract, he laid it down that the great evil to
be dealt with wastrisecurity of tenure, as pointed out long ago
by the-Devon Commission, which paralyzed the occupier's in-
dustry and vitiated his relations with his landlord, with the
State, and with society at large. Discussing the various
remedies which had been suggested, Mr. Gladstone pro-
nounced emphatically againet "perpetuity of tenure." To
convert the landlords into mere recipients of rent-charge, to
divorce them from their responsibilities, and to relieve
them of their duties would not he for the public good,
would °ramp the development of the agricultural resources
of Ireland, and mist ultimately reproduce the evils now
complained of. Insecurity of ti nure manifested Itself
In four nodes in the withdrawal of privileges
hitherto enjoyed by the tenant, in the lavish Mid piti-
less use of notices to quit, in evictions, and in the
raising. of rents where the increased value of farms had
been caused by the tenants' improvements. Anil for these
evils Mr. Gladstone maintained that a remedy might be
extracted from the experience of Ulster without any shock
to the foundations of property. In proof of this he showed
in debate that while the rent of England and Scotland, where
there was more security of tenure, had tripled and sextupled
in the last no years, In Ireland it had only doubled ; and,
whibi ht I-14er it hail tripled, in the other provinces it had
not doubled Passiug, then, to the provisions of the hill, he
divided them under two hea+—the acquisition and the occu-
pation of land. With regard to the first. Irelend, of course,
moult corno under the eperation of the two hills to be intro-
duced for facilitating the transfer of land and the distri-
bution of the real estate of intestates, but all the provisions
specially affecting Ireland were contained in this bill. It
proposed to increase the power el limited owners with
regard to the sale and lease of land, and asOstauce would be
given by Treasury loans, through the Irish Board of ‘Vorke, to
tenants desiring to purchase the cultivated lands they now
occupy, either by private contract or through the machinery
of the Landed Estates Court. As a general rule this assist-
ance would only be given to tenants purchasing their
min holding., hut where a landlord would only sell In
Kruse, and the tenants combined to buy four fifths, assistance
Would be given to persons outside the estate to purchase the

other 111th. There were &hie provisions for loans for the
reclamation and lurch roe of waste lands, and for assisting
lantUords to pay csnopensaUtiu to tenants giving up their
holdings of their own free will. Dealing next with the pro-
I visions as to the occupation of land, he explained first IL,
r judicial machinery for carrying them IMt, which would be of
s two kin.da—eith, a Court of Atbitratiou or the Civil Bill
t Court,—from which last there would he an appeal to
the Judges of Assize • and under a datum which he de-
scribed as" the equities clause," the Courts would be able
i to take into consideration Oct merely the legal aspects of each
. I.use, but all the circumstances hearins euuitably mom It.
The 'unlit provisions of the bill fell under four heads, cones-
' pond mg to the four descriptions of Irish holdings—viz , (hoar
held under the Ulster custont, those held under analogous
customs in other parts of the country not having the lame
traditionary authority, yearly tenancies which enjoyed no
kind of protection from custom, and tenancies under lease.
With regard to the Ulster custom, the hill would take It as
It existed, and give It at once the force of law, and it would
legalise the other customs subject to these restrictions,—
that the tenant should only claim when disturbed by the act
I,f his landlord, but that he should not benefit If evicted for
non-payment of rent or for sub-letting ; that all arrears of
rent and damages might be pleaded as a set-off by the land-
lord, and that the custom might be barred by a lease for thirty
one 'van. With r,.g.sril to tenants at will, the bit established
a reale of damages which the courts—subject to tlet sante
conditions as Ist tenancies under custom— would lie able to
award to evicted tenants—viz., in holdings under £lO a
sum not exceeding seven years' rent ; in holdings between ,
£lO and Cie, • mins not exceeding live years' rent ; be-
tween £5O and £lOO, not exceeding thrte year.' rent; and
over £lOO, two years' rent. This scale tiiii riot include com-
pensation for reclamation of land and pernoment build-
ings, which would be awarded separately. la hold-
-1111.5 over £5O, the laiollord might exempt himself from
this scale by giving • lease of thirty-one years, and in hold-
ings over £lOO, the Parties inight contract themselves out
of it. Tn. Judi.. 1•0111t1 he required In applying this scale to
have regard to the injury d. no to the tenant by evictiou and
the improvements he had el•beted. Before describing the
1 provislim relating to improvements, Mr. Gladstone caused •
genso.al laugh by staking, "What is an improvenent ? '—a
question which, he sal-f, had given the Government much
trouble, and the definition he gave seemed to nieet with
general approval —that it shall add to the letUng value of the
land, and met be suitable to the holding. The bill would
reverse the present presumption of law; it would presume all
improvemen• • to be the property of the tenant, and it would be
for the landlord to prove the contrary. Hstroapective Improve-
ments would be included, but only so tar back as D.,
years, escept in the case of permanent buildings and re-
clamationa of land,; but no claim could be nsade by •
tenant contrary to the terms of his lease. The Courts
would take into consideration the length of time the
talmt had alloyed the improvement; and, further, no
claim cluld be advanced for tenants' improvements mole
for a valuable consideration, or where the landlord hail
contracted to perform them and had not failed in liis
agreentent. With regard to the fourth division—holdings
under lease, w.y owner might exempt his lands from the
custom, always excepting the Ulster custom, which would
be I, tallied, and from the scale of damages, by giving to hla
1 tenant a loose for al yews. pro•ided that the lease were
approved by the court and gave the tenant at the close of it
• right to compensation for manures, permanent buildings,
and reclamation of laud. Filially, Mr. Gladstone explained
several miscellaneous and auhordtnate but important provi-
sions. Eviction for non-payment of rent as a general rule
would not be deemed a disturbance by the landlord ; but
where It followed an inability to pay an excessive and flag-
rantly unjust rent the Court would be allowed to take that cir-
cumstance Into consideration. Notices to quit hereaf ternmst
be for twelve months dating from the last gale day hi the
current year, and, to make them a more expesisive amese-
moot, they must all hear a hall-csown stamp In every new
tenancy over .£4 the county eess would be divided between
owner and occupier, the occupier below that amount being
relieved altogether. With the full knowledge that the
measure was far from perfect, he invited suggestions for its
amendment from all skim and after summarizing the
benedt• which it would confer on owners. occepiers, and
labourers, and the reason why he expected It to be accepted
by all three classes, he concluded a speech of three hours in
• powerful and loudly applauded peroration by expressing
a fervent conviction that carried not as a party or class
triumph, but as • common act of justice and patriotism,
' the measure would spread throughout Ireland the blessings
Of peace, order and sattiel and cheerful industry.
Mr. Hardy (in the absence of Mr. Disraeli) gave expression
to the wish of the opposition to deal with the bill in a can-
did and conciliatory spirit, and with an intense desire to
realise all those blessings which Mr. Gladstone had antici-
pated from it. Its deprecated a desultory arid imperfect
discussion of its provisions at the present nv.inent ; and,
anticipatieg that the material discussion would be in com-
mittee, he asked whets the second reading would be taken.
Mr. tilailst, ne proposed the 7th of March for the second
reading, In the hope of getting into Committee on the 01st,
and of getting through the occupation clauses before E..ter.
After some remarks from Mr. Newdegate, the bill was
brought In and read a first time.
Mr. Cardwell brought in a hill for the partial reorganiza-
tion of the War-Other, by reviving the old office of Clerk of
the Ordnance, and creating a new office of Financial ceder.
Secretary of the War Department, in order that the supply
and financial departments of the War Office might be more
efficiently represented in Parliament.
.. .... . . .. . .. . .. .

tin the motion of Sir J. Paktngton, the papers relating to
the dismissal of Colonel Boner were ordered, and, after the
Dissolved Districts and Unions Bill had been read a second
time, the House adjouraed.
In the House of Commons, Feb. 16, in reply to Mr. Carter,
Mr. Secretary Bruce said he was unable to name a day for
the introduction of the Licensing Amendment 11111.
On the motion of Mr. T. Chambers the Marriage with a
Deceased Wife's S ster Bill was read a second time.
Mr. IPLaren stated that when the house went into rim-
mltlee on the bill he should move the omission of any words
it might contain meting it applicable to •colland.
The Provisional Orders ,Committees, Bill was read asecond
time.

.....
Mr. Jacob Bright Introduced a bill to remove the electoral
disabilities of women. lie stated that the object of the
measure was to enable women who were householders to
vote for member, of parliament, should they be qualified to
do m in accordance with the terms of the Act of Parlia-
ment.
The bill was read sliest time.

. -
icount Enfield obtained leave to bring in shill to amend
the laws relating to the qualifications, summoning, attend..
thee, and remuneration of special and corn ,non juries.
The bill was read a first time, and the House adjourned.