The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-06-17 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

In the HOrSE OF COMMONS, June 12, Sir W. Fraser called
attention to a letter sent by the secretary of the Political
Committee of the Reform Club to Mr. Ripley, the hon.
member for Bradford, respecting his votes in divisions, and
an animated discussion ensued. Acting on the suggestion of
the Premier, the motion for calling the secretary of the com-
mittee to the bar of the House was withdrawn.

Mr. Disraeli, n moving the Second Reading of the Appellate
Jurisdiction Bill which has come down from the Lords, pre-
faced his explanation of its provisions by a narrative of the
progress of the question from the first introduction of Lard
netherley's Bill in 1872 atrd the Select Committee which sat
on it. With regard to this Bill, he pointed out that in
1873, when Lord Selborne brought in his Judicature Bill,
Lord Cairns was opposed *to the abolition cf the Appellate
Jurisdiction of the Lords, but sacrificed his opinion in
order not to imperil an important reform of our Judica-
ture. So, also, when the present Government introduced its
131113 In 1874 and 1675, it 6rew them on the lines of the
Judicature Act of 1873 ; but a great charge in public,opinion
had occurred in the interval audit was found impos4ible to
Press them. This Bill proceeded on four principles—that the
Ultimate Court of Appeal should be identical for the three
1(logdoms, that it should be an adequate Court of Appeal,
that it should be continuous and economical. The. Apellate
functions of the House of Lords would be exercised by the
Lord Chancellor, the ex-Lord Chancellors, Peas who had
held high judicial office, with two salaried Lords Ordinary of
Anneal with the rank of Baron. These two Lords world be
increased to four gradually as the present salaried Judges of
the Judicial Committee died; and they would sit both in
the House of Lords and the Privy Council. There would
also be two Judges added to the Intermediate Court of
Appeal. He recommended the Bill to the House not as a
compromise, but as a result of the conviction of men of all
Parties, that in this manner an efficient administration of
Justice could best be combined with that traditional influ-
ence and dignity so essential to a Court of Ultimate AppeaL
In the short discussion which preceded the Second Reading,
Sir Et. James and Sir W. Harcourt expatiated in sarcastic
terms on the inconsistency of Lord Cairns and the Govern-
ment generally, and insisted that, after all, the House of
Lords was only retained in name.
Mr. Marten and Mr. Charley. on the other hand, con-
tended that the Government had acted straightforwardly all
through.
Sir G. Bowyer admired the Bill generally, but criticized
some of the details, while Sir G. Campbell advised the ilia.
mediate transfer to the Court of Appeal of two of the Judges
of the Privy Council; after which the Bill was read a second
time.

Mr. Hardy moved the second reading a the Oxford Univer-
sity Bill, which has also come down from the Lords, the main
Object of which, he explained, was to enable the rich Colleges
to assist the poor University to take all necessary steps for
the promotion of learning, not by destro3 tog their in-
dependence, but by connecting them more closely with the
University. Mr. Hardy touched on many of the controversies
Which have been raised by the Bill, and urged that a safe
solution of them might be expected from the discretion and
good sense of the Commissioners.

Mr. 0. Morgan, on the other hand, objected to the large
legialative powers intrusted to the Commissioners, and
reeved a Resolution complaining that the Bill does not tufa.
ciently define the principle and scope of the changes which
they are empowered to make in the University and Colleges.
Lord F. Hervey contended that no case had been made out
for transferring the funds of the Colleges to the University,
and Mr. Clifford (a Fellow of All S 3018), describing himself
RI one of the greatest abuses of a College which was sup-
Dosed to be behind the age, supported the princiele, and
Urged the Government to strengtben the hands of the Corn-
raissionere. Mr. Bristowe also made some remarks.
Mr. Lowe asked for some more satisfactory reasons than
had Yet been given why the great experiment of 1854 should
be interrupted, when, as everybody knew, it was working
auccessfully. He objected, too, to giving such extraordinary
Dowers to a Commission, which he describ3d us extremely
rhrulent in its composition, and he canvassed each of
e names amid considerable laughter, finding some
fatal
objection to every one of them. As to the main object
Of the Bel—the-endowment of the University at the Expenae
of the "idle Fellowships"—Mr. Lowe declared that every
14411111 R transferred from the Colleges to the University
the be diverted from the encouragement of learning for
sue benefit of laziness.
After a slight pause, the Speaker was about to put the
geestion, when Mr. Grant Duff moved the adjournment
04the Debate. Mr. Hardy obj..cted to adjourn at so early
g..(ll°llr—a quarter past eleven o'clock-,and Mr. Gosehen
Le. the adjournment was moved because no answer
"ad been given to Mr. Lowe. To this the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer replied that Me Lovre's
B_oDe ech answered itself, and it was not the present
"1- vernment which was responsiele for disturbing the ex-
Derinaent of 1854, but the late Government, which had
!PPointed a Commission to inquire into the revenues, dec., of
2ee_ Universities, Moreover, Mr. Gladstone had mentioned
ll
iversity reform in his programme of 1571.
Ultimately on the suggestion of Lord Hartington, it was
ranged that the further debate, if necessary, should be
len on the Cambridge University Bill, which was fixed for
xt Monday, and the Bill was thenread a second time.
lA.° Army Corps Training Bill and the Supreme Court of
e
uelicature (Ireland) Bill were read a Second time.
Several
other Bills were forwarded a stage, and the House
aoiourned at ten minutes past two o'clock.
•

The ROUSE or LORIS re-a:ambled on Tuesday, June 13,
after the Whitsun Vacatten
On the motion of Lord Aberdare the Trades Union Act,
1811, Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Salmon Fisheries Bill was also read a third time and
Passed, and some other business having been disposed of,
their Lordships adjourned.
The ROUSE or COMMONS had a Morning Sitting, chiefly
for the purpose of forwardinv the English Poor Law
Amendment Bill and the Scotch Poor Law Bill through Cool-
Inittee • but the English Bill consumed so much time that
the Satitch Bill did not come on and was postponed.
The clauses of tho Poor Law Amendment Bill were can
vassed with much minuteness, but the discussion of most
importance arose on Clause 23, which among other things,
Proposes that paupers barn in Ireland' may acquire a settle-
ment here by three years' residence. Mr. Pell moved to
omit the words "born in Ireland," so as to give the clause a
general application. Mr. &later-Booth at first objected,
but in the end gave way to a general fceling in f .avour of
the amendment, and held out a hope that at a convehient
time he Would bring in a Bill dealing with the Law of Sattle-
tent.
The five following clauses relating to birth settlements
were Struck out. Several new clau.es were added to the
and a proposal by Mr. Sergeant Simon to prohibit the
seDaration of man and wife in workhouses was negatived by
205 to 59.

Ogress was made with the Army Corps Training Bill
ha to Clause 10, and sever al other Bills were forwarded a
-
Itage.
At the Evening Sitting, Lord Elcho moved two Resolutions
the subject of Local Municipal Government—first, that
!pe reform of the Government of the Metropoli, is a quea-
linn which deserves the early attention of her Majesty's Ct,-
yeriament ; and, secondly, that such a reform should be
a 5
e 5 on the establishment of one municipal adminis-
IT.,ation for the Whole Metropolis. On the tirst head, L.r.l
410 dwelt on the shortcomings of the present confused
irdein of administration—the deficient *drainage, the
!la*- 4keeqtlisa, teiszcsu By
of water and gas, the want of
unity of administration waste, he
Flned, would be prevented and efficielicy promoted. At
least half a million might be saved if the gas and water
'4pply were managed by the local authority instead of
Drivate companies. He proposed to create a new Munict-
Pita, tY for the metropolis by extending the boundaries of the
sa as to include the "Greater London Without ; " and
,e showed by numerous quotations that that had been the
"aiiis of all projects of Municipal Reform since 1830.
ci After remarks from Mr. N3wdegate, Sir J. Hogg, and SI
BoWyer, Mr.. Lowe remarked that the question to be die'
Vmed was not the dignity of the Corporation of Landon,
Why the 3.600 000 people outside the City area should be
mealved of the advantages of Municipal Government, en-
tied by the other large towns of the kingdom. At present
Adon was governed in a most wasteful and inefficient
L'4liner, because it was governed by a number of sma,l Vec-
ries, elected nobody knew holy, and often consisting of fussy,
'ncrcpetent, and improper persoes, and by the Board which
they.„ elected. This want of organization, Mr. Lowe insisted, ex-
rhsed the. inhabitants of London to grievous sufferings,
`lpeelally in the rhatters of gas and water, of which he drew
'forcible and humopicture.The remedy for this state
3,1 Urolls
things was a Municipality embracing the whole •of the
„etr Polls, and he urged the Corporation to place itself at
iue head of the movement. Otherwise Parliament sooner
,later mnat be induced to undertake the task of Municipal
tip•°1111 without consulting the donvenienco or the wishes of
the Corporation
nail% Cross admitted that Londoners had good cause for
rbiing in the condition of their local Goveniment,
ari the consequent defects of their water suviv, gas,
Ze ;i. But he did not admit that uuity of adminis.
on would provide a remedy for such a wide area; the
great requisites—community of interests and
t e local knowledge—would be wanting. Moreover,
the present Corporation over the whole Metropolis
ti,!acl destroy its characler, and might introduce into it the
Ca
l and party elements now happily wanting. Tte
k`aerhtnent had no intention of following the example of its
Dredecessors—introducing a Bill and then withdrawing

wietiter some observations from Mr. Charley, Lord E:eho
thdrew his resolutions.
It:31 the adj)urned debate on Vie exclusion of Strangers
'oo.lll,stt_ on being further adjourned, Mr. Leah endeavoured
Dolit'lc. some remarks on what he callt-A the anomalotl3
na,ker.
,en of the question, t
and was called to order by the
on 11 ot Lae "Toole.
Which Sir .D. Woolf movel the adjmunment
.I... The motion be,ng agreed to, the House adi)urn ed at
a
4arter t 0 one o'clock.

......________.
jn the HOUSE OF CO3IMONS, June 14, Mr. Hunt, in rep'eeto
ell'. Itelands, stated that the cost of repeiring the Lord Wars?, u i
voted be £4000: of the Reyel Alfred, R,SLCO) ; the Lord
„C.,lede, £26,t 0) ; the Urgent, £17,000 ; and the Liffey, £17,00.
Allis was exclusive of eAabliehment cherges.
_The second reading el the Permissive 8111 baying been
glioved by Sir W. Lewsen.
„Mr. Wheelhouse ro:e to move its rejection, and denounced
i4oril'eessure as to ter impracticable that it would create a
throughout the country. It was a measure fraught
With coercion in its worst form, end must result in a system
(,),1 tileiln3 to those brought under its operation. So far as
he ewe._ - -
NI., "ei.tood the lion baronet, he would not only give twa?,-,
' wi of the ratepayers the right to close every single pl .
herott:t) drink wee sold, but weuld give no person a Thence
of obtaining what he (Clr. Weeelhouse) considered was
'tit necessary article of humeri maintenance. Oae of
oe first great 'leaders of teetotalism. Joseph S weley,
ngly disapproved this Measure. He had received
!lighik letter from 'a teetotaler showing that any person
t be counected with the Alliance without being
7! teetotaler. TritY•hael been tAd that the people of this
'oltetry wanted the measure? What evidence was there of
e There had boon Coiled along the ft or, And pretented In
L'ere Itches petitiona in favour ot this Bill, but no petitions
e," nOw forthaoming .in favour of the measure. He
"NI not
sorry. for that, because Le thought it was the
cause, t 0f a wiser coureo of action oe the
eecemen •
r4rt of the Alliance, and that' they ere spending their
s'peQohds, in a cliff:lent
.way. Ile sug Were
that instead Of
In these agitations they should follow
pal e -ang money
ranapie which had oeen set them by other societies and
hi ‘ll it was alleged they'hae, V(4.the plethora of money,
w
that4l.lde lug asylum& for their poor. ([leer, heap) • Ile dented
teeetne_, Increase of drunkenness. which it was stated had
elettialy-ace in England had been causerdegbpyontshibelelifcuernsietd;
but , era, or that they were in tiny way
wavier) went further, and contended that drunkenneas
1,11 i• ot really on the,increase at all, atidlitl.tiactonitdme'masneleditutiinie-
-4,.11g Under the spread of ecluca,t,-0_
Act fjParliameet, and initi-
ptittitto of making men eober by —c,
t of
the population toward i
4,opLe tystem of tyranny 1 y one
lt tsTer• Parliameet must be nipuacrhowev:
tt, ee,s..waii the only way in which the -
tk,ehretshosinthhee emu pa
majority
et I.!gerd to the liquor traffic could be carriee ri oil.
letitue ai Jetties ruled ou'd be found that the le So
long
V:, %y
Erg-
would
...never follow the lead of the promoterst oallowo h
f the
I€l"ive iiill. This was, in fact, an, attemP, I,ll,,_trite to rule the majority. lie asked how the districts
ti4e4 the Act were tuba define 1, and con',elreld that elec-
t:eat. Would be added to Chose they aimed)", I"ude,atndrtohie
by 4Dalities would be kept in a state of continued auil
ett lart additien to their electoral duties.
mr.W..: Lewson said thefts would be no elect-ions. ions.
atet th neelhouse said that voting papera would he sent out,
I,:ealle ?'.iltnler
his Howie the Bill all that constituted an elect-ton would
etlll "lee place. ' T Hoe had no more right to pass a
hie jt'ot this land than to interfere with hie stables, or eny of
refeesPeatic scerangemente; and, therefore, he mored the
kr.' Of the Meaeere.
ble,eititte4l. °rioY supported, and Mr. A. Mills opposed the
'An Ise:, end after Fermi obtereations from Dr. Konealy,
1,11.
I"er, and Mr. E Noel,
illg of -tacc'h Brie.,ht said he would vote for the sec )nd read-
reste, his Bill us he had done on former occasions, but con-
fiat he eho la lieve preferred a more complete
gt'o44;e-r.aee. eeP. aa'aliTne.-.1.1‘ had. done nothing to check in-
t Government had alm:at
eeeitediastek
o'n'l ;a.% prelim:l
The lethargy which
tile On the b' quest
'was; due to the fact that
1441teest°rklokclasses" i" brought very little into
fee t ee,,, were -eermeticstu the evil. The club question had been
Y referred to In the course of the discussion, and