The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-24 00:00:00

GROUND GAME.

Mr. Barclay asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Deparment whether his attention had been called to the
decision of the Supreme Court in Scotland as to the trapping
of rabbits under the Ground Game Act; and whether the
Government would introduce a Bill to amend the Act, so as
to give farmers full liberty to trap rabbits.
Sir W. Harcourt said in reply—l am informed there has
been a decision, which has astonished a good many people,
including the promoters of the Bill, to the effect that a hole
made by a rabbit is not a rabbit hole. (Loud laughter.) I
do not know whether that is the correct view of the Act, or
'whether it is the view of those who promoted it; but if it
should turn out to be the case I will do all I can to assist
my hon. friend in amending the Act. (Hear, hear.)
IRISH AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS.

--- -
Sir Ck. Campbell asked the Secretary of State for War
Whether, having regard to the return of Irish migratory
agricultural labourers lately issued, Her Majesty's Govern-
Merit would cause inquiry to be made in the districts of the
south of Scotland and north of England, where those people
had usually been employed, in order to ascertain whether
,the recent decrease in their numbers was due to decrease of
'demand for their services, or decrease of supply, and if the
Ammer, whether the decrease of demand was likely to be
Permanent or temporary; and whether it was necessary or
desirable artificially to stimulate the emigration of that class
01 people.
Trevelyan replied—As the Irish Office is the only de-
Partmoot which hitherto has made inquiry into this matter,
perhaps s•ny hon. friend will allow me to answer this question.
"'he Irish Covernment has made careful inquiry lately, and is
Satisfied tha't the proportion of migratory agricultural
labourers from a district is a proof of the poverty of the dis-
trict and the inability of the holdings, from their small size or
.other oircumstanceg, to support the people. I do not quite catch
the meaning of the last paragraph ; but the information obtained
bas only confirmed the Irish Government in their belief that
they are right in assisting people to emigrate who are unable
to live in comfort in Ireland. I fancy the Local Government
Board is the department which would have the greatest
facility for conducting the inquiry which the hon. member
suggests; but the view of the Irish Government with regard
to the duty of assisting emigration could not be altered by
anything which that inquiry could produce.
In reply to a further question by Sir G. Campbell,
Trevelyan said he would make inquiries of the Local
Government Board upon the subject.

THE DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS.
The arliourned debate on the Address was resumed by
Sir W. barttelot, who expressed regret that there was
00 mention in the Queen's Speech of the topic of
agricultural distress, which, he contended, was on the
increase. The tenants had already lost more than
one-third of their capital, and were threatened with
another bad year. Among other causes of complaint
Ile mentioned the danger of foreign diseases by the
administration of the Cattle Diseases Act, and he also found
fault with the Government because they had treated with
Contempt all the recommendations of the Royal Commission
except the compensation for unexhausted improvements.
Eie hoped, however, that they would bring in a good Bill on
thiS subject, and would not attempt to make party capital
Otit of it.
Mr. W. Fowler discussed the recommendations of the
loyal Commission and the defects of the Settled Laid
Act.
~Sir M. Lopes remarked with regard to the subventions of
440 late Government that they were only granted in pur-
suance of a vote of the House of Commons which their pre-
_desessors had passed ever altogether, and the piesent Go-
Lerament had imposed new taxes on the farmers equal to
'me subventions. What the farmers required from Parlisa
Mont was fair taxation.

Mx% .T. Howard doubted whether any perceptible relief
could be given by the reduction of local taxation, and dwelt
oil the difficulty of taxing personal property.
4_4lfter some remarks from Colonel Harcoutt, impressing on
Government the necessity of taking measures for the
;,1340 of agriculture, Mr. Inderwick expressed a hope that
.1.46 aorernment would turn their attention to the subject of
7e 14,xtraordinary Tithe, and would effect a settlement a it.
iS was possible now, for the sum was small, and the
quarrels over it had been fought out with good temper, but
~..
would be bred by further delay.
The discussion was continued by Mr. Gregory, and Mr.
Duckham, who insisted that relief must be given to the
agriculturists by a readjustment of local taxation; Mr.
litiarnm, who predicted that Unless something was done for
their relief the small tenant farmers of Ireland would soon
be extinguished as a class; and by Mr. Illingworth, who re-
marked that any relief that could be given to local taxation
Would be infinitesimal, and that the real remedy for the de.
Pressieu would be found in freeing the land of existing
Testrictions, and in a large reduction of the national expendl-
tUre.

Idr. Biddell advocated a reform of local taxation, and
Drornined a fair and impartial consideration to the Bill which
the Government had undertaken to introduce.

Mr. Arnold regretted that the establishment of a uniform
basis for local and imperial taxation had not been included
le the government programme.
,Mr. S. Hill urged that a differential tariff should be
oopted against aloe countries which imposed prohibitoi7
▪ titles upon British goods.
lar• I. Barclay recomreended the total abolition of the
'aw of distraint, and obserred that no measure would be
satisfactory which did not sectUe to the tenant full corn-
Deneation for his interest in his holding.
Rh' W. Hart-Dyke would support any 13111 for securing to
the tenant the capital which he had invested !n the land;
bull if the Government measure went further, and I3XoPosed
to baud over to the tenant farmer, at the expense 61 Ns
endlord, a tenant-right for which he had paid nothing,
Would meet with strong opposition. With regard to local
tax, ation he and his friends were determined to keep " pog-
tug away" at this question of the readjustment of local
urdena until they obtained some relief.
M. Goschen thought that the Government had given
Practical evidence of their sympathy with the distressed
Nriculburists by the promise of a Tenants' Compensation
111. He trusted that time might soon be found to deal
With the important question of county government on broad
°carid Dermanent lines, and that then the whole question of
l taxation might be taken up, not on the false lines of
°len Government subventions, but in a much broader way.

lir. Chaplin could not regard a measure for giving tenants
LraPensation for unexhausted improvements as a remedy
any material degree for the existing depression. He ,
assured the Government that until the claims of the Agri..
calturiste were met in the manner to which they were
tuitlY entitled the representatives of that great industry
°1441, continue to press them in season and out of
Ileum
dlr. Mandell& vindicated the administration by the
Z.,"ernment of the Cattle Diseases Acts, and contended that
require all foreign cattle imported into this country to be
nghtered at the port of embarkation, as some hon. gentle-
desired, would raise meat to famine prices.
'Mt 3'. Lowther agreed that if the business ef agriculture
laasturage could not be conducted at a reasonable profit
.this country recourse must be had to those remedies,
tither new nor fantastic, which had been tried successfully
n ether countries for the protection of agriculture as well
as Of the other threatened industries of this country.
the motion of Mr. Gout, the debate was again
adiourned.
THE AFFIRMATION BILL.
The House then went into Committee of the whole House,
and the debate on the introduction of the Affirmation Bill
aS resumed by Sir H. Wolff, who congratulated the Govern-
on having come to its senses at last as to the proper
e of dealing with the question.
~..81r S. Northeote, in the same strain, 'aid he thought it
I'lnst ',dignified" to aUow the Bill to be introduced and to
038erve opposition for future stages.
b 811' R. Cross and Mr. Newdegate were of a similar opinion,
Ut Mr. Chaplin Red Captain Aylmer protested that they
Wellid oppose the Bill at every opportunity.
A, the end, the introduction of the Bill, was sanctioned by
t to 63, and it was subsequently brought in and read a first
,AB.erne other business was disposed of, and the House
•'"burned at 10 minutes past 1 o'clock.

„In the Hortsg Or LORDS, Feb. 20, Lord Kimberley, in
t,?17, to Lord Cranbrook, stated that there was no objection
t- 'lle Production of the correspondence relating to the
ocal Government and the Criminal Procedure schemes
Aotrodueed by the Government of India.
sotrdGranville, answering Lord De La Warr, said he was
aware of any proposal for the abolition of the Capitula-
fir, in the Regency of Tunis. In reply to an application
jsi n' the French Government, he had stated that Her
aiesty's Government would give a favourable consideration
),I.tey alteration in the modes of judicature in the Regency
sin,c,ll would be satisfactory to all nationalities and continue
`b`ine rights and privileges now enjoyed there by British
Jects. Papers on the subject would be produced.
Lordships adjourned at a quarter to five o'clock.
In t
In h-e HOUSE or COMMONS, the Marquis of Hartington,
t, he
to a question from 151 r. Newdegate, said that
5,;(34,g h the Oaths Bill was put down for Moeday, there was
1.1."_ Intention of taking it then, and, in answer to Sir S.
„oartht it eote, he admitted that it would only be reasonable
Should be the first order of the day.

DISTILLERS AND THEIR SERVANTS.
F..!eidou asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, 1
;u3 er the Excise regulations, distillers were permitted to
<I44IPIY ,Pbits to their employes without payment of any
and, if so, what quantity of spirits could be thus sup-
ITV to each person ; whether there was any restriction as
atee'ages of persons to whom such spirits could be sup-
or any rule which prevented new whiskey being sup-
there was any objection to give a return of
anettantitY of spirits supplied under such a regulation;
'whether a similar privilege was granted to other mann-
Iturers of intoxicating liquors.
Ir. Courtney replied; Any distiller is allowed at his re-
ilnUt to give his workmen a dram once or twice a day—(a
tr.2lo—in the lock-up spirit atore without restriction as to
th; ago of the persons so supplied, or as to the quality of
the aPirits. The Excise authorities have no knowledge of
amount so consumed as it is included in the waste, for
otri a statutory allowance of duty is made. In the case
aar e" no such privilege is granted, because it is not neces-
beer not being locked up during its manufacture. The
priVl oi Inland Revenue would be glad to withdraw this
liege from distillers, were it not for fear that a worse
00"iit might arise in the fora; of thefts of spirits while in
rao of manufacture.
Wi hir• Meld on gave notice that on t Ging into Supply, he
I.UQ call attention to that subject.