The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-18 00:00:00

'nisi BILL.

An animated discussion followed a motion by Lord
Spencer that the Tramways (Ireland) Provisional Order
(No. 2) Bill be committed to a committee of the whole
House. The motion was opposed by Lord Itedesdale
and other noble lords, on the ground that there was a
standing order of their lordships' House requiring all
such schemes to be treated as private bills, and, if
opposed, to be sent before a Select Committee. Lord
Fitzgerald, Lord Selborne, and the Lord Chancellor
expressed the most decided opinion that by an Act
passed for Ireland in 1,-60 bills like the one before
their lordships were directed to be treated in all
respects as public measures. It was shown during
the discussion that in conformity with the provi-
sions of that Act and an Act of 1883, which amended
it, the bill had already undergone a full examination by
a Grand Jury, and had been approved by the Lord
Lieutenant and the Irish Privy Council, and that the
effect of treating it as a private measure would be to
subject it to an expensive investigation by both Houses
of Parliament. Lord Selborne, having regard to those
circumstances, stated his belief that their lordships had
not had before them for some time so important a
question as the one which they were then called upon
to decide. _ .

In the result Lord Spencer's motion was carried by
95 to 20.
The Poor Law Guardians (Ireland) Bill passed
through Committee, and was reported with amend-
ments.

Lord Castletown asked whether her Majesty's
Government would take any steps to force the Irish
Land Commission to utilize its powers, or, in the alter-
native, would appoint a Commission with plenary
powers to carry out the provisions of the purchase
clauses of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881, in a
liberal and expeditious manner.
Lord Waterford said it was evident from their own
proposals on the subject that the late Government
were not s itisfied with the working of the purchase
clauses of the Act of 1881, but he thought it better
not to enter further into the subject till the Purchase
Bill which the present Government proposed to intro-
duce was before their lordships.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The East India Loan (L 10,000,000 Bill passed
through Committee and was reported without amend-
ments. _ _

Lord Bramwell, on his now familiar grounds of pro-
perty defence, moved that the petiticn of the metro-
politan watt r companies be referred to the Select Com-
mittee on the Waterworks Clauses Act (1847) Amend-
ment Bill, with leave to the petitioners to be heard
against the bill.
Lord Brownlow called their lordships' notiGe to the
fact that the same motion, supported by the same
arguments, was moved by Lord Bramwell last week,
and on that occasion the noble and learned lord failed
to induce their lordships to adopt his view.
Lord Enfield observed that if Lord Bramwell, on the
motion for the second reading, had moved that the bill
be read a second time that day three months, such a
course would have been a manly one; but the course
which the noble and learned lord had taken was one
which would indirectly get rid of the bill. The under-
standing come to in their lordships' House last week
was that the water companies might appear before the
committee by thelr agents, but not by counsel. The
noble and learned lord's motion would let in counsel
for those rich companies, while the ratepayers would
have no such professional assistance to defend their
rights.
Lord Selborne did not think that justice required the
adoption of Lord Bramwell's prcposal.
The motion was negatived without a division, and
Their lordships rose at ten minutes to eight o'clock.

MEMORIAL TO GENERAL GORDON.

In the HOUSE o-F CommoNs, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, answering a question from the Lord Mayor,
said the Government believed that it would be in ac-
cordance with the general feeling in the House and
the country that a memorial should be erected to
General Gordon, and when they had considered its po-
sition and character they would be prepared to propose
a vote.

QUESTIONS.
In answer to Mr. Buchanan, Lord It. Churchill said
he was not aware of any intention to construct any
military roads, &c., on the north-west frontier of India
besides those mentioned in the despatch of September,
1884, and the Bolan Railway; and asked as to the re-
ported cantonment at Candabar, he replied that the
hon, member seemed to forget that Afghanistan was an
independent country.
Answering a question from Mr. Ilouldsworth, Lord
J. Manners said the Government would give the late
Postmaster-General facilities for taking the next stage
of the Telegraphs Bill, and in Committee he would
move an amendment which would place the whole case
before the louse, Mr. Shaw-Lefevre said this arrange-
ment would be most convenient.

In answer to Mr. Brodrick, Mr. Bourke said the
Foreign Office had heard a rumour that the Mandi was
dead, but nothing definite.

THE ARMY ESTIMATE.

The House then went into Committee of Supply,
and was engaged until a late hour on the Army Esti-
mates. _ _ _

On the Supplementary Estimate for 35,000 men a
long and discursive conversation arase, and Mr. W. H.
Smith, in moving the vote, said that though it was not
intended to call up any more men to the colours beyond
2.11,000 IV s.d.u.tA uu, catty pittiell,l4 was
not thoughtatight to reduce the demand which had been
made by his predecessor, and which formed part of the
vote of credit. Lord Hartington asked whether any
additional demand would be necessary in consequence
of a suspension of the evacuation of the Soudan at a
point further south than had been fixed by the late
Government, and argued energetically against the
demand which had been made for an inquiry into the
cehdeet of the stcond Souakim expedition. Sir W.
Barttelot suggested that some substantial reward
should be given to the forces employed in the march to
the Nile. Mr. Rylands, who desired to see the country
protected by a small but well appointed army, moved
the reduction of the vote to 12,000 men. Colonel Nolan
complained if the small number of promotions from
the ranks, and Sir F. Fitzwygram strongly advocated
the increased employment of mounted infantry.
Lord E. Cecil, Colonel Colthurst,Sir R. Loyd-Lindsay,
Mr. Bulwer, Sir H. Verney, Mr. Causton, Mr. filing-
worth, and Mr. Gourley also spoke, and Lord HarVngton
having deprecated a reduction of the vote on the
ground that it might raise false hopes as to the security
of the country, Mr. W. H. Smith, briefly replying to
the suggestions which had been made, paid a high
tribute to the gallantry of the forces engaged in the
Soudan, which he said he hoped to add to on a future
occasion.
On a division the amendment was negatived by 98 to
12, and the vote was agreed to.
The votes for the Volunteer Corps and Army Reserve
pay and allowances were agreed to, and on the vote for
the Cornmissariat and Transport Department, Dr.
Cameron renewed his attack upon the department,
and, having quoted numerous instances of failure in
the late campaign in the Soudan, moved the reduction
of the vote by £lOOO.
Mr. Dawnay supported the vote, and bore testimony
to the efficient manner in which the army in the Soudan
had been supplied with stores. Mr. Brand also defended
the department, and after a lo3g discussion the amend-
ment was negatived on a division by 121 to 43.
The vote for Provisions, &c., was also agreed to.
The Post Office Sites Bill passed througn Committee.

HOBART PASHA.

On the report of Supply, Mr. Shaw-Lefevre gave the
promised explanation on behalf of the late Government
of the reinstatement of Hobart Pasha in the British
Navy. The step he showed was quite in accordance
with numerous precedents, and Hobart Pasha had him-
self been reinstated in 1874, but the main reason which
had actuated the Governmen't was that at a time when
war was probable the information possessed by Hobart
Pasha would be of great service.
Mr. Bryce expressed dissatisfaction with the ex-
planation, and maintained that Hobart Pasha having
been guilty of an offence against the neutrality laws,
which might have seriously compromised this country,
ought not to have been reinstated.
Mr. M'Coan and Mr. Labouchere justified the late
Government, while Sir R. Peel maintained that the
reinstatement of Hobart Pasha was directly opposed to
the regulations of the Admiralty.
Mr. Rylands and Mr. Illingworth also condemned
Hobart Pasha's reinstatement, while Mr. A. Egerton
approved of it, and, after a few words from Dr.
Cameron Mr. Cropper, and Lord G. Hamilton, the re-
duction Of the vote was negatived on a division by 107
to 55.