The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-26 00:00:00

IMPE AL PARLIAMENT.

In the Mouse of Lords, Feb. 21, there was no business of
public Interest.
In the House of Common., Mr. Bruce, in answer to Mr.
Carter, fixed the 14th of March for the introduction of his
Peanting Arnendmint Bill.
Mr. tiladYtifue in nifty to Mr. Ilarconrt, declined to iii a
day for the lotrodoction off the Untversity *FeAts ,Vaditlot
Bill until ha taw a prospect of proceeding with the later
stages of
Mr. Bruce moved the second reading of his Mine. Begets-
Mut and Inspection nun, •hion, in addition to con.olidatiug
the existing Acta, introduces numerous ameudnients. The
most important of these he explained, after a brief review of
previous legislalios, which heshowed had been attended with
Flinch 61ree5.4 in reducing the number of accidents. After a
short discu non, the hill was read a second time, and the
Com miffee Sized for March It
Mc Go.ceen, in moving for the sprointment of • Select
Committee on Lord l Taxation, took the opportunity of
explaining what the Govcroment has done In the recess
to carry out Sir Gladstone's ['ledge last year to deal with
the question. They had been endeavouring to obtain ac-
curate Information as to the amount of local ttsation
and espendif we, which, as for as he could judge, did not fall
far shot of £3fi,ooti.isei a year, and they were also adleet-
Mg information from foreign Governments; as to the
amount and incidence of itnperial and local burdens
The Government WU also about to bring in two bilis--
one reftrrieg to the collection of rates, and the other
to extend tt.e incidence of rating to Government property
miller, dm Vniirely apart, then, from the main rhoestirni
if local taxation, there would be left two subsidiary
plias to be dealt with—whether rates should he divided
boat-MI imilers and occupiers, and what change@ in the
con•traVon of teal bodies administering loyal taxation
should follow snit division Ia discusting the vexed Imes-
•• Who ron the rate !" Mr. Gosehen indicated so
opinion that inn ease of leases new taxes and addiVons to old
c.ses wire ram try the occupiers, and that a direct division
of the burden is just and reasonal.le. Ile hinted too, that it
Might, among other thiogs, consider whether local endow-
nim•ts might not be broiglit together and utilised, like the
surplus funds of the Irish Church, for the relief of unavoid-
able distress

Sir M Lopes met the motion with an amendment that the
committee to postponed until the Governnient has laid its
whole plan of dealing with local taxation before the House
Mr flllolatuee Accede 1 to this 111110114i011•11t, but, in answer
to Sir M. Loots, maintained that the Government was dealing
With the Wife- eat points comiected with the question in
their natural order, and assured him that the Committee
would pledge nobody on the mapposed grievance of real pro-
perty lint he warned hint that when that question was
ranted the exemiriou front imperial taxation enjoyed by real
Pr.Poltr, in return for bearing the Whole burden Of local
ultt have to be ennsblefed then.
Ultimately, Sir M. Lopes withdrew his amendment anti the
Committee was appointed, with an instruction, moved by
Mr. corrance, to inquire into the proper classideation of
rates.

',eke brought in a bill to amend the Smoke Nuisances
Acts, so far as they relate to bakehouses, and the House
afterwards adjourned.
In the House of Lords, Feb. 22, Lord Chelmsford, in
moving the setmnd rending of the Sunday Trading Bit,
recalled to their lordships recollection the various circum-
stances connected with Sunday trading, which seem to call for
legislation. Ills lordship also briefly explained the provisions
of the law of Charles II , and alleged that in recent times the
Act had been openly and flagrantly violated, while the law
bad been found perfectly powerless to vindicate its authority.
The penalty ef So. WU so insignificant compared with the pro-
fits derived from Sunday trading, and tradesmen frequently
spoke jeeringly to policemen, and offered to pay the Ss down,
or even in advance. Not fewer than KWh ships were open ill
the mein ,polls and Ps salmi+, n•ery Sunday, in which not only
perishable emote, but also every description of miscellaneous
articles were cold which might as well be purchased on any
other day in the week Thousands of people met in what he
must call t' the infected districts," and create.' all the con-
fusion of a fair or market. Committee, of both House, had re-
ported in favour of the introduction of a measure since 1447.
Ile disclaimed, on the part of the promoters of the bill, any
intention to force men to beeome religion. by Act of Parlia-
nient. Thousands of tradesmen hod come to Parliament
with long petitions, all earnestly entreating Parliament to
interfere in this nuttier, and protect them from rival traders.
lie asked their lordships to pass the bill before Easter, so
that It might have some chance of being considered in the
Rouse of commons.

The Mahon of London, In the absence of the Archbishop of
Canterbury, exprevied his th inks to Lord Chelmsford for
bringine for.w,irit tins I'M.

Lo-rd Motley did not, on the pert of the Goverunteut, ob-
ject to the bill,

After remarks from the Duke of Somerset and the Bishop
of Gloneegter and Bristol,

The Lord ChancellorWpressed a fear that the bill would
weaken the force of moral snastin in this matter by giving
occasion to unfonn.led contrasts between legislation for the
poor and legislation for the rich. He promised, however, to
give it his candid c maldera.tion.

Ttie see old reading was then *agreed to, and their lordships
afterwards adjournvd.
In the Home of Commons, Mr. Sly,n, Lefevre informed
Mr Ilanbury Tracy that it was not Intended by the Govern-
ment to lettislate for the modification of Lord Campbell'e
Railway Acriderve Act ,9 and 10 Vic., c 93.
Mr. Candltsh 93ili that he intended on that day fortnight
to move that it WAS expedient t maka some provision to
wards reducing the National Debt, that it Is expedient that
the national expenditure shall be largely reduded, and, al-
though the pre,ent modes of raising the national revenue
should be altered, the amount of revenue should not be re-
duced below its present amount.
" " ' " • ' • • '

•
Mr. Niuntz MC-limited thst on Reim{ into committee on the
Army Estimstrs, he would move that the system of pm,
ehsring commissions is injurious to the service, and an un-
rerso noble tax upon the officers, and that it is desirable that
measures should be adopted to ensure its gradual discpre•
tinnance.

In answer to Mr. R. A. Crosse. Mr. W. E. Forster replied
that no direct reb-rence was nride it. the Education Bill of
the mode of granting sch.e.lm uteri' certificates, but no
doubt that wtarld be, no of the matters which would have to
come under the notice of the Government. No reference
was made either to the training schools in the bill.

In reply to thr John Packmaton, Mr E Forster said
that alter lull cot adoration the Government had deter-
mined not to bring forward the second part ot the Endowed
Behool• Bill dunnu this year.
•-" '•" ' • ' " '

Mr Cross brongil, in X ill to render void the next presen-
tation to benefices. Disth guiehing between the right to
present oral the sale of that right, he argued that the right
was a nubile truet, to o dischsrged for the public good, and
involvi g serous re,p,nsibility, which the patrons ought
ant to be allolved to pgss off to other people's shoulders or to
use for their OWI3 p.rofft
"- .

After u few word, from Mr. Made Palmer, leave was given
to la irg if I the Itill
Sir Men k moved for a select Committee to inquire as to
electoral re4trsb ts and nitabilities affecting Civil servants
in the Revetne Department.
Mr S IL Graves seceded the motlon, which was opposed
by Sir. Gladstone, and ultimately was withdrawn.
Mr. Cowper- temple having obtained le•i,ve to bring in a
hin to make hettrr provision for the n slan,.ment and pro-
tection of suldirbm commons and waits in, de,
. . .

Mr. Peek next moved a rioodntion In favour of the aboli-
tion of the tel on CM:Dee-bridge, lut on a division the
motion was rejected by 162 to It.
Mr. Ejkyri obtained leave to bring In a bill for the appoint-
ment of a public prosecutor; and bills which have already
been before the Home were reintroduced by Mr. C.oldney to
amend the law relating to the election of Coroner.; by Mr.
Dodds to facilitate toe execution of Deeds by Married
Women; and by Mr. Muntz to extend the Adulteration of
rood Act to drugs, and the louse afterwards adjourned.

In the Mouse of Commons, ?eh 53, Mr. S. Cave, in moving
the second reading of the Life Asfflurance Companies' Bill,
explained the pita:Spies on which life assurance companies
should be founded, and gave a history of the life assurance
system as raffled out during the last few years. Of late
years the stability of various assurance companies had been
considerably shaken, aid many of those companies had ceased
to exist as individual companies and had be. n absorbed into
other ccmpenies. Oros company had absorbed no less than
85 others. and the Albert Company in its tall carrie I down
24 others. At one time it used to be said that there was no
Instance on record of the non-payment of a policy when it
fell due ; but that could be said no longer, and the policy-
holders were placed in a very unfortunate position some-
times, insomuch as they had no power of combination among
themselves, could not call for a settlement or for accounts,
and were not placed on the same footing as the .hare-
holders of a company. The policyholder had no means of
finding out the state of the office in which he was Insured,
and he had no remedy when that office failed. The various
assurance Conl3aute• of the kingdom were the trustees of
£430,000,000. and he thought a miles, facie case lad been
made out for exciting some amount of distrast against them
In the minds of the policy-holders. In dealing with this
subject perfect freedom and publicity should be the motto
of the legislature. The present bill provided that all the
life assurance companies should make simple nni form state-
ments of account every year, which with the actuarial report
to be drawn up a, longer intervals, would enable the public
to aompare one office with another, and to judge the solvency
of any Particular office.
Mr. Lefevre.. n behalf of the government, gave:his warm
anent to the bill. .

Mr. Barnet expressed his approval of the bill.
Mr. Shaw also supported the bill, and suggested that
there should be a compulsory audit of all such companies.
Mr. 0. Gregory in expressing his approval of the bill, sug-
gested that proprietary life assurance companies should be
compelled to call an annual meeting, not only of the share-
holders but of the policy holders, before whom a full state-
ment of the accounts of the company ought to be laid.
Mr. Bowring supported the bill and offered a member of
saggestions on matters of detail by which the measure might
be improved in committee.
Mr. T. Cave said the hill was defective In one particular.
It contained no means for securing the surrender value of a
policy. The bill should provide that a surrender value should
be compulsory on the company, and that it should he a uni-
form surrender value. The measure was also deficient in its
provision for an audit, There was nothing like a good and
effective audit in any public company that he was acquainted
with in London. .

iii.r:ii:ES;en-sald that the bill would give very great satis-
faction in Scotland. Uo objected, however, to the appoint-
silent if an auditor by the government, as it was getting
that done by government which ought to be done by the
people concerned themselves.
Mr Anderson also supnorted the bill, but thought that the
provisions for auditing the accounts ought to be considerably
amended. .

-111-e-ill;ancellor of the iCychequer approved of the measure
so far as it went, but he wished to point out that even this
bill, carefully prepared as it was, would not be really an ade-
quate remedy for the mischief complained of. The businesa
of insurance f Mess differed entirely from all other kinds of
business. All other businesses began with the outlay, and got
the profit afterwards; but insurance companies began with
the pri.fits, and the outlay came afterwards; and the tempta-
tion to make away with the money which came in seemed to
ha too strong.
After some other observations the bill was read a second

The Afton, ys' and Solicitors' Remuneration Rill was read
second time.
Ur. Wheelhouse Introduced a hill to provide for the educa-
tion of blind and deaf and dumb children, which wee read a
Mat time, and the Rouse adjourned.