The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-06-01 00:00:00

-

On the motion of Lord Midleton the Metropolis Manage-
ment and Building Acts Amendment Bill was read a second
time.

---
Lord Selborne moved the second reading of the Bills of
Sale Bill, and explained that its object is to consolidate and
amend the law relating to bills of sale.

The Bill was read a second time.
The Acknowledgment of Deeds by Married Women Bill
passed through Committee.
The report of the amendments to the Contagious Diseases
(Animals) Bill was received.

Lord Bury, replying to a question of Lord Stratheden and
Campbell as to whether it was proposed by the G.,verninent
to render the militia available for service abroad, com-
plained that the subject had been before the House five
times already that session, adding that the militia had from
time immemorial been enlisted for service within the United
Kingdom, and it was not intended to propose any alteration
in their constitution. In February last there were 102,877
militia efficients, 10,736 yeomanry, and 193,026 volunteers,
making a total of 306,639.
Their Lordships then adjourned until Friday.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. W. E. Forster asked the
Chancellor of the Exchequer when it was proposed to take
the second reading of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Bill.
Tho Chancellor of the Exchequer replied that, as Supply
was the immediate and pressing business of the House, it
would be impossible to consider the Bill referred to before
Whitsuntide.

Mr. linatchbull-Hugessen asked when the County Govern-
ment Bill would be proceeded with.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer repeated the necessity of
making progress with Supply, and stated that besides going
into Committee of Supply on Thursday he should also pro-
pose a morning sitting on Friday for that purpose.
Major :Nolan moved the adjournment of tho House
in order to enter his protest against the Government
taking Friday, which by right of the Ballot belonged
to The O'Conor Don for his motion on Irish University
Education. The O'Conor Don also appealed to the Govern-
ment not to put aside a discussion in which the Irish
people took so much interest; and Mr. Henry protested
against the whole body of Irish members being punished
for the sins of a few. The Chancellor of the Exchequer,
in reply, disclaimed any wish to do this, and maintained
that if it happened it would not be the fault of the Govern-
ment, inasmuch as it was absolutely necessary for the ser-
vice of the country that the business of Supply should
be pushed on. For that purpose the Government had been
obliged to postpone important Bills of its own ; but qwing to
the manner in which the Estimates had been dealt with it
was now necessary to ask for a second Vote of Credit. If
proper progress were made with the Estimates on Thursday,
a Morning-Sitting on Friday would be unnecessary, but he
thought it right to give this warning in anticipation of what
might occur. Mr. O'Shaughnessy threatened if there were
a Morning Sitting that it should be taken up with a dis-
cussion of his motion on Intermediate Education in
Ireland, unless the First Secretary undertook at once
to bring in the Government Bill on that subject ; and
Mr. Parnell in a similar tone ventured to predict that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer—whom he compared to Henry
VIII., walking into the House and demanding "Your money
or your heads ! "—would get no Supply at his Morning Sit-
ting. Mr. Chaplin protested against these imputations on
the undeviating courtesy of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
and appealed to both sides of the House to support the
Government in resisting the obstruction to public business.
The conversation was brought to a close by Mr. Biggar
remarking that he did not consider the length at which the
Estimates had been discussed at all unfair.

Mr. Pease called attention to the manner in which the
Education Department were taking action in reference to
clause 98 of the Elementary Education Act, and to the
code of 1878, and moved that an address be presented praying
her Majesty to omit that portion of the code referred to.
If the department found there was accommodation
already provided in any educational district by denomi-
national bodies, board schools could not be put on the list
for a national grant. The practical effect of this arrange-
ment was to favour existing Church of England schools in a
manner never intended by the Act of 1870. If cenipulsory
education were to be enforced, a very large discretion must
be vested in the parent, as to the school in which children
should be sent, and that discretion would be very much
limited by such a refusal of annual grants.
After a discussion, in which the motion was supported by
Mr. W. E Forster, L.,rd F. Hervey, and other hon. gentle-
men, Lord G. Hamilton contended that the Education
Department must have a discretion in making these grants,
and suggested that after the discussion the motion should
be withdrawn. Mr. Pease, by leave of the House, adopted
this course.

On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a
select committee was appointed to consider the question of
Parliamentary Reporting. Sir H. Selwyn-Ibbetson intro-
duced a Bill which proposed to hand Epping Forest over to
the Corporation of the City of London in trust for the public
for ever.

While Mr. Vans Agnew was speaking on the motion for
the second reading of the Bypothec (Scotland) Bill, the
House was counted out at 25 minutes to eight o'clock.

In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 29, Mr. Meldon moved that
the second reading of the County Infirmaries, Bz;c. (Ireland),
Bill, which stood as the first order. on the paper, be post-
poned to the 19th June.
Mr. O'Sullivan having moved, as an amendment, that the
order for the second reading be discharged, the Speaker
pointed out to the hon. member that as it was the constant
practice of the House for members in charge of Bills to be
allowed to postpone the different stages of these Bills, as un-
opposed motions, he hoped the hon. member would not
press his amendment ; and after a few remarks from Mr. J.
Mlienna, Mr. Meldon, and M. O'Sullivan, the motion for
postponement of the second reading to the 19th of June was
agreed to.
The House then went into Committee on the Irish Sunday
Closing Bill and a long debate ensued.
Some other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
journed shortly before six o'clock.