The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-06-02 00:00:00

A FIGHT WITH INDIANS.

The Buenos Ayres Standard of April 25 publishes
the following :—" Lincoln, 23rd, 635 p.m.—Yester-
day, at
.some distance outside Trenque Lauquen,
several German and other estancieros who were driv-
ing cattle out to a large new estancia on tbe frontier
were suddenly attacked by 50 Indians. A fight ensued.
The Indians were well led and fought courageously,
wounding 15 and killing others of their opponents.
They then rode off with over 3,1)00 cows to the desert.
The loss of the Indians is not known, as they rode off
at. full speed. Commissary Sustayta, of Fort Lavalle,
with the rural police and some neighbours, started at
midnight in pursuit of the raiders; but it is not
thought they can overtake them, the distance being so
great and horses so scarce."

The arrivals of live cattle and fresh meat at Liver-
pool during the past week from the United States and
Canada were not so large as those of the preceding
week, and the totals show a decrease of 355 cattle,
3,370 quarters of beef, and 138 carcases of mutton.
The number of sheep landed last week was an increase
over the previous week of 2,292 sheep. The totals
were 1,707 cattle, 2,762 sheep, 4,126 quarters of beef,
and 450 carcases of mutton, against a total of 2,062
cattle, 470 sheep, 7,499 quarters of beef, and 588
carcases of mutton for the previous week.

I

IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE
LIBERAL PARTY.
On Tuesday a meeting of the members of the Liberal
Party in the House of Commons was held in the Cons
ference-room of the Foreign Office, for the purpose of
hearing from the Prime Minister a statement as to the
present position of business in Parliament, and the
intentions of the Government with regard to the
Measures now before Parliament, and what means the
Government intend to propose in order to expedite
public business. There was a very full attendance of
members, about 300 being present.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Lord Richard
Grosvenor, Mr. Herbert Gladstone, Mr. Hamilton,
and others of his secretaries, walked over from his
official residenze in Downing-street at . about ten
minutes after eleven o'clock, and was loudly cheered
by a considerable crowd athered outside.
Mr. Gladstone said he had not called his followers
together because there was any disunion or signs of
disunion in the rarty. Neither was he anxious for their
dvice as to any new policy. He had called them together
simply to consider how best the work which the coun-
try expected of them might be done. (Hear, hear.) The
circumstances of the Session had been exceedingly un-
favourable in several respects. There was first of all the
debate on the Address. They would all remember the
time spent on the Address. In former times this was
disposed of in one sitting; but this Session the Address
occupied ten days. This surpassed occasions when
measures of great and critical importance had been in-
cluded in the Speech from the Throne. This loss of time
was simply irretrievable. Then, as to the Affirmation
Bill, the Government felt the necessity of introducing
that measure, not from party motives, but from a deep
sense- of the necessity of maintaining the order and
dignity of the House of Commons. (Hear, hear.)
The next point was the time spent on Supply. There
had arisen recently a system of introducing all kinds
of topics of a general nature, and the result of this
was that in the twelve nights already devoted to
Supply only twenty-eight votes out of 190 had been
taken. He did not wish to touch on delicate and
possibly dangerous ground as between the Government
and their opponents; but he could not help noticing
the growing tendency to prolong debate in Supply.
Under these circumstances it was the duty of the Go-
vernment now to survey the situation and to consider
the prospects of the work of the Session. Circumstances
were favourable for looking into the Parliamentary
future. It was their duty to make reasonable demands
on the House of Commons and then to spare no effort
to carry those demands into execution. (Cheers.) He
could rely on the harmonious, patient, and energetic
support of his followers in this matter. They
could not expect a very brilliant Session, but
with assiduity they might expect a fairly good and
not a discreditable Session. The Bills mentioned in
the Speech from the Throne might be divided into
two classes. First, there were the four Bills referred
to the Grand Committees—the Bankruptcy and
Patent Bills, and the Criminal Appeal and Code
Bills. They hoped to deal with the Bills which came
back from the Grand Committees. The second grou
or class consisted of the Tenants' Compensation Bill,
the Corrupt Practices Bill, and the Municipal Go-
vernment of London Bill. The Government would
adhere to the first two of these Bills ; but he
must say with regret that considering the vastness
of the question, he had no hopes of being able
to deal with the London Bill this Session. This
Bill was very important. It affected five millions of
people; but the Tenants' Bill affected a still larger
area. As to the Corrupt Practices Bill, he was sure
they were resolved to carry that Bill. (Hear, hear.)
It was of paramount importance. (Cheers.) He
glanced at several smaller Bills, which, he said, stood
apart from the two classes he had mentioned, and
' said that the Government believed they would show
the country a fairly good harvest of legislation. His
object was to take measures which it would not be
necessary later on to throw over. He expressed his
deep sense of gratitude for the self-denial of many of
his supporters in aiding the Government by withdraw-
ing their own projects, and characterized this self-
denial as extremely generous and cer:ninly not uni-
form in Parliamentary experience. In conclusion the
right hon. gentleman intimated that it was proposed
to take morning sittings on Tuesdays and Fridays on
and after Friday in next week. He cautioned his fol-
lowers that the returns of the Bills from the
Grand Committees would supply a tempting oppor-
tunity for obstruction. Their best efforts would be
required to prevent the whole thing having to be gone
over again. He hoped, however, that if there should
be any attempt in this direction the House would know
how to deal with it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. W. B. Forster in a few words expressed his
approval of what had fallen from the Prime Minister,
and Mr. Whitbread also expressed his support.
Sir John Lubbock said that, as no other metro-
politan member had risen, he would do so. There
could be no doubt that it was necessary to drop some-
thing, and he acquiesced in the proposal as to the
London Government Bill, but it was with the hope
that it would only be dropped temporarily, and would
come on main next Session as a measure of first im-
portance. •
Mr. Firth made a few remarks in the same direction,
and was followed by Mr, Samuel Morley.
Mr. Dillwyn, Sir Sydney Waterlow, and Sir George
Campbell having addressed the meeting, which ap-
peared generally unanimous, Sir Joseph Pease said
that, so far as he was concerned, he was prepared to
put aside all his own measures and assist the Govern-
ment in every way, because he believed that, unless
the Government were able to carry their measures
this Session, not only would the present Parliament,
but Parliamentary institutions generally, be brought
into disrepute.
The meeting, which was very unanimous in its
character, lasted about an hour and a quarter.