The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-11 00:00:00

LIISCELLANEOUS.

The Regent's Canal, City, and Docks Railway fill
was read a second time after a long discussion upon a
proposal by Lord Ravemsworth to suspend the stand-
ing order which prohibits the payment of inteiest out
of capital during construction, which was carried on a
division by 44 to 37. The Friendly Societies Act
(1875) Amendment Bill passed through committee,
and their lordships rose at ten minutes past siF o'clock.

ITRW WRIT.

In the HOVSE op COMMONS, on the motion of Lord R.
Grosvenor, a new writ was ordered for the election of
a member for Aylesbury, in the room of Sir N. M. de
Rothschild, called to the House of Lords.

SIXPENNY TELEGRAMS.

Lord John Manners stated, in answer to Dr. Cameron,
that the Government were of opinion that it would be
inexpedient to proceed further with the measure for
the introduction of sixpenny telegrams during the
present session
SIR H. D. WOLFF'S APPOINTMENT.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer informed Mr.
lll‘Laren that Sir 11. D. Wolff had been appointed to
fulfil a special mission to Egypt, but the precise
arrangements of the mission had not yet been deter-
mined upon. The government had seen nothing in
Sir H. D. Wolff's public action to debar him from use-
fully performing the duties of such a mission; on the
contrary, they had reason to believe his appointment
would be acceptable at the Khedive's Court. Mr.
M`Laren intimated that he should move a resolution
condemnatory of the appointment

ORDER OF DUSINESS.

In moving that Government orders should have pre-
cedence on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the re-
mainder of the Session the Chancellor of the Exchequer
pointed out that the motion would not deprive private
members of anything more than they had at the same
period in former years voluntarily surrendered to the
Government then in power. It was desirable to com-
plete the necessary business of the Session at the
earliest possible moment, and the main business to be
transacted was that of Supply and Ways and Means.
He did not think it would be of advantage to the
country that the present House of Commons should
undertake legislation except upon subjects which were
urgently necessary to be dealt with, or measures which
were of a non-contentious character. It was intended
to proceed with the Federal Council of Australasia,
the East India Loan, the Labourers (Ireland),
the Educational Endowments (Ireland), and the
Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers)
Bills, and some other measures of a purely
departmental character. It was hoped that the Secre-
tary for Scotland Bill might also be passed into law,
and the Government were extremely anxious to lay
their proposals for n Irish Land Purchase Bill before
the House, in the hope that it might be possible to deal
with them this Session. It was not intended to pro-
pose the renewal of any of the provisions of the Crimes
Act in Ireland, the Government having good reason to
believe that it would be possible to maintain law and
order by a firm and vigorous administration of the
ordinary law. He could hold out no expectation that
the Crofters Bill or the Welsh Intermediate Education
Bill would be proceeded with; but, on the other hand,
the Government were in favour of the Medical Relief
Disqualification Bill introduced by Mr. Jesse Collings,
and would afford facilities for its passing; and they
would endeavour to promote the enactment of certain
of the provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Bill.

Mr. 'Gladstone, after expressing his cordial concur-
rence in the motion, proceeded to comment upon the
statements made on behalf of the Government in that
House and elsewhere. With regard to foreign affairs
he entirely agreed that Russia was under a lindieg
promise that the Zulfikar Pass should be given up to
the Ameer of Afghanistan. and that after fulfilling our
engagements to the Ameer the main and primary
interest of this country in the matter was the security
of India and the defence of our Indian empire. The
request of the Government for time to obtain the fullest
and best advice with regard to the Egyptian question
was perfectly reasonable, and noting the fact that they
had formed no intention which would lead them into
necessaryconflict with the views the late Government had
endeavoured to act upon in the Soudan, he offered them
his best wishes in their prosecution of objects which
were of the deepest importance to the well-being of this
country. With respect to the administration of Ireland
he warned the Government that they were incurring a
heavy responsibility in allowing all the provisions of
the Crimes Act to lapse. He hoped events might prove
that they were right, and wished them Godspeed in
their endeavour to do without exceptional legislation.
At the same time he hen that the primary want of Ire-
land was the extension upon a large scale of local self-
government in that country. He regretted that the
Welsh Intermediate Education Bill and the Crofters
Bill were to be dropped, but confessed that the Govern-
ment had met the .questions of the Medical Relief Bill
and the Criminal Law Amendment Bill in a spirit as
liberal as he could possibly have expected.
Lord R. Churchill thanked the hon. gentleman for
the considerate treatment which he had given to the
proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. His
statement with regard to the Afghan frontier question
could not but have a marked effect upon the negotia-
tions which were going on, and of which there was no
reason to anticipate other than a satisfactory termina-
tion. With regard to Egypt and the Soudan, it must
not be assumed that the present Government approved
of the evacuation of the province of Dongola, but it
was now too late to reverse that policy. The improved
circumstances of Ireland warranted the Government in
endeavouring to rule that country by the ordinary law,
reverting to the constitutional doctrine that excep-
tional legislation should only be applied in times of
great emergency.
After some further discussion, Sir W. Laws= moved,
as an amendment, that the House, having no confidence
in her Majesty's present advisers, declined to entrust
them witn the disposal of the time of the House.
Mr. Labouchere having strongly supported the amend-
ment,
Mr. C. Lewis reproached the Government for not
proposing the re-enactment of the administrative pro-
visions of the Irish Crimes Act, while Mr. King-Harman
expressed his belief that repressive legislation was no
longer needed.
Sir W. Hart Dyke declared that after making
careful inquiry in Ireland he was satisfied that the
state of the country was such as to render exceptional
legislation unnecessary, and after a few words from Sir
F. Herschell, the amendment was negatived, on a
division, by 151 against 2, the resolution being then
agreed to.