The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-17 00:00:00

THE
OPENING OF ,PARLIAMENT

THE QUEEN'S SPEECH;

HOUSE OF LORDS.-•-.THURSDAY .

The fourth session of the-tenth Parliament of the
Queen was opened by Royal Commision at two
o'clock yesterday aft,nnoon, the Royal Commis-
sioners being the Lord Chancellor, Earl:Sydney, the
Earl of Cork, L )d Carlington, and Lord Monson.
Their lordships then adjourned until a quarter to
four, when the Lord Chancellor took the oaths and
his seat as the Earl of Selborne. and General
Lord VVolseley also to:ok the oaths and his seat on
his elevation to the peerage as Lord Wolseley of
Cairo.

The Lord Chancellor took his sat on the wool-
sack at a quarter-past four, and formally read the
Queen's Speech from the woolz:ack

MY LURDS AND GENTLEMAN,

I have summoned you at a date somewhat later
than is usual, on account of the advanced period to
which the labours of the last Session were pro-
tracted.

I have the satisfaction of maintaining with all
forcign Powers rdations of friendship and good-
will

At. the dose of the last Session I had the pleasure
of recording my gratitude to my sea and lend
for.'es fo,r suppressing will rapdity an' cum-
pletenes. a fortnidable rebelli‘:)n in Rrypt. Since
then trauquility has been restored to th it country,
clemency h:s been shown by its Ruler to the
leaders of the rebellion, and the Arith :rawal of the
British troops is proce..,diag NS expeditously as a
prudent cuusiderw ion of the cireums;ance+ will
admit,

The reco-stitrition of Elie G,)vernrnent of Egypt
and the reorganisation of its affairs under the
authnrity o the Khedive have in part been accom-
plished, and wirt continue to receive my earnest
attention. It will be my en tea.vour to s,cure that.
full p.:ovi-ion shall be made for the exigencies of
order, for a just representation of the wants and
wish,rs V the population, and for the observance of
international obligation.
I have alr,ra.rly been abl.i to fulfil the promise
mad • by we to the Sultan and ,o the Great PoNv rs
of Europe, tat I would submit to their friendly
consideration the arran4ements which appeared to
me to be the best fitted to insure the s ability of the
Khrdive's Government, the prosperity and happi-
ness of the Elf,yptian people, the security of the
Suez Canal, arid the peace of Europe in the East,
To those objec amy policy has been direined in
The past, and oil, be adure•-s -d in the future; and I
continue ,o rely with confid.,nce on its just appre-
ciation by other countries.
A. Conference of the Great Powers has assembled
in London to consider measures frrr better s2curing
the freedom of navigation on the Danube, which is
plriced under gua,•antee, and forms • part of the
pubiic law of Eu. ope.
The condition of Zululand and the possibility of
renewed disturbanc,s there have engaged my most
serious attention. With a view to the preservation
of peace and order, I have caused the former
ruler of that country to be replaced in possession
ot the greater part of the territories held by him
before the war. • I earnestiy hope that this may
lead to the eAablisinuoht of a More stable govern-
ment and to the maintenance •,f goo:I relations be-

tween h • Zatu nation and the adjoining Colony of
Natal.

Pap,n.s on these subjects will be presented to you,
GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMM ,NS
Th 2 Esfiin des tor tee se vices of the coming
year are in a forward state of preparation, and will
e speedily laid before 17011.
MY 'LORDS AND GENTLEMEN—
I 'on happy to st .te that the improvement in the
social oordition of Ireland, to wlicla I referred in
December, continuos, Agrarian crime was
ly .iiininis:.- I. and the law ha z been every-
wi,ere upheld. At toe same time, the existence of
dangerous secret societies in Dublin and other
parts of the country calls for unremitting „energy
and vigilance on the part of the Executive.
Measures will be pr•,mptly submit d to yon for
the Coclitica ion of Criminal Law, for the, e-tablish
.iient of a C out f Cri tkinal App al, and for the
amendment and c ,nsolidati it of Vie laws relating
to Bank, uptcy and Paten's. There will al,o be
nrolight to .o.tr ear.y n ,tic-, bAla for prevent-ng
Cori .pt Practices at. elections, and for peepetuating
and am,uding the Ballot Act.
Ih iv oil previous occa-ions -ererred to VI.;
iii-
portauce of effecting reforms in the Local GoVelll—
of the United Kingdom. Porposal: for tho
better government of the metropolis will in the
first place be submitted to you, and, if time should
permit will be followed by .other measures relating
to reform of Lof•al Government
Your attention will be c-died to bids dealing
With the Conservancy of Rivers and the Preven-
tion of Floods ; with t;.e Police in Scotland ; with
the Universiti sin that part of the United Kng-
dorn ; and with Education in Wales
You will also be invited to consi i r a proposal
r which will more effectually secure to tenanla in
England and Scotland compensa ion for agri-
cultural i up e ,ven
You have pr,vided in recent yeais, by a liberal
devotion of your time, for the most urgent among
the needs ot Ireland. The claims both of general
legislation and ot other portions of the United
TC.ingdom will now demand from you a just regard.
I trust, however, that you will be able to deal
during the present year with some of the legisla-
live wants ot Ireland for waich provision has not
yet been made.
I rely upon your proceeding with energy and
prudence, and I beseech Almighty God now, as
heretofore, to bless your labours.