The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-03-18 00:00:00

SATURDAY, MAR. 18, 1876.

After a few words in reply from Lord Halifax, the discus-
sion terminated, and their Lordships adjourned.
In the Hot= OF COMMONS, Sir William Harcourt asked
whether the policy of changing the style and title of the
Crown, in the manner recommended by her Majesty's
Government, had been submitted for consideration and ad-
vice to the Governor-General of India in Council or to the
Council of India, so far as such change may affect both the
subjects within Her Majesty's territories in India, and also
the rights, 'dignity, and honour of the Native Princes of
India as guaranteed to them by the Proclamation of the Ist

Mr. Disraeli replied that-what he preferred to describe as
the addition to, not the changeof, the Royal Titles had n t
been submitted to the Viceroy nor to the Council of India 4s
suggested, because the Government did not believe t I
'll Would'ailibe the iiiiblects wtthidHé-MajekTY's 'territori
nor the rights, dignity, and honour of the Native 'Per'
'Subsequently, Sir William Harcourt gave notice that he wou
move tone list of toe Native Fences with whom Her Majea y
has Treaties now in force. • .
Mr. Read called attention to the Report of the Committ e
which sat in 1873 on the Contagious Diseases; (Aninutls) A
He reviewed at length the measures adopted by the Fri
Council to check the spread of disease, which he showed
be ineffectual, and censured the -course taken by the Ve -
riflery Department as vacillating and contradictory.' Amo
other-complaints, .he urged that the country ought-not to
subjected to experiments for the repression .of intern
disease unless proper precautions were taken, for in
~ventihg, the introduction_ of diseases from abroad,
he ihoired 'that the regulations recommended by
Committee had peter been carried into tiled.
disclaimed the hostility to the Irish Farmers whit
had been • imputed to •him. Protection he regarded
. dead as Queen Anne, .and the cotton-spinner was more likely
than the clodhopper, to be the first to repudiate Free Trade.
The Farmers had no dislike to Australian Beef, unless thy
i were Asked , to eat 't, and in meat, milk,. and butter they
, were ready to contend with the world. Finally, seconded iiy_
Mr. Beach (the -Chairman of the Associated' Chambers
Agriculture), he moved a Resolution declaring that tile
general orders and regulations for the stoppage of dist) :.
should cease to be varying, or permissive, and ,should ,
uniform throughout Great Britain and Ireland.
,
Mr. °Toni:or, who was_,secouded by Mr. J'. Barclay, spo

Electo.

a d
the

chiefly on the-Foot•and-Mouth Disease, and nioveil. a's a
Aniendmenf that it is further desirable that the recommez
dations of the Select Committee of 1873 in relation to Fool
and-Mouth Disease should be carried into effect.

Mr. Forster explained at some length the course he .had
himself taken on this very important subject of Cattle
Diseases when Vice-President of the Council, and said the
changes which had been made by the present Government
could not be maintained. He intended to support both the
Resolution and the Amendment. As to Foot-and-Mouth
Disease, there was no alternative between abolishing all
restrictions and sending all animals to Deptford Market.
A. discussion ensued, in which Mr. Kavanagh, Colonel
Kingscote, Mr. Newdegate, Mr. Colman, Sir J. H. Scourfield,
Mr. M. Stewart, and Mr. W. Egerton took part,
Mr. Tumor recommended that local authorities should
have greater powers and that Inspectors should be sent
through all Fairs and Markets, and these Inspectors should
be responsible to the Privy Council, and their salaries paid,
in whole or in part, out of Imperial funds. If these two
precautions were adopted, we should go far to stamp out
the foot-and-mouth disease in this country.

Captain Nolan complained that the interests of Ireland
were about to be sacrificed by the measures suggested, but

Sir. W. Barttelot maintained that the interests of the three
kingdoms were identical; and that, as England could not
dispense with the supply of Irish cattle, her great interest
was that the supply should be uncontaminated and unin-
fected. He was for stringent inspection at the point of em-
barcation.
Mr. Pell did not think any measure short of killing infected
animals would effectually check the spread of disease.
Reference had been made to the strict measures taken by the
Government with regard to the disorder, but nobody had
stated what those strict measures were. Nobody had stated
what would be the only real remedy. Care ought, at all
events, to be taken that the poor animals should be moved
about as little as possible while suffering, and that they
should have water during their long and painful journeys.
Colonel Leigh said the object which should be aimed at
was to keep meat cheap, but the policy which had been
adopted was to make it dear. The foot-and-mouth disease
seemed to be poop-poohed, but the more cattle that died
the more our resources were crippled and the greater cer-
tainty was there of high prices.
Lord Robert Montagu maintained that universal regulations
would not apply. Air. Bruen spoke in favour of the Amend-
ment, and Mr. Storer surported the Motion.
Lord Sandown, in referring to Mr. Read's speech, took the
occasion to express the regret of the Government for his loss
as a colleague, and also gave expressios to the sympathy of
the Government with the Farmers in the great losses which
they had sustained. The Government thoroughly agreed
that uniformity of regulation was an object to be aimed at ;
they had already taken several important steps to attain it,
and when the Irish Bill now before the House was
passed a great advance would have been made. Among
other measures adopted for this object, Lord Bandon
mentioned the appointment of Travelling Inspectors,
the Inspection of Ships, &c. Seeing that there was con-
siderable difference of opinion as to the treatment of Foot-
and-Mouth Disease, he asked that before the Government
was pressed to do more it should be allowed to watch care-
fully the operation of the measures it had already taken, and
he urged the inexpediency of interfering unnecessarily with
the supply of meat and the Farmers' Trade.
Mr. Read said that as the Government agreed to the
principle of uniformity he did not wish to press his motion,
but he remarked that all the changes mentioned by the
Vice-President had been made since last November (when
Mr. Read resigned).
The Motion and the Amendment were then both with-
drawn.
Mr. Arrington called attention to certain abuses in the
treatment of Coolies in the island of St. Vincent, and moved
for papers relating to them. Mr. T. Lowther, in acceding to
the Motion on behalf of the Government, while he dwelt on
the importance et Coolie Labour to those islands, admitted
the necessity of strictly watching the system. Lord F.
Cavendish also made some remarks in the same sense.

The Lord Advocate brought in a Bill to amend the law re-
lating to Ecclesiastical Assessments in Scotland.
Some other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
journed at half-past twelve o'clock.

In the HOUSE CF COMMONS, March 15, Sir Charles Mike
rose and said: I wish, Sir, by your leave, to make an expta-
nation of a passage in a recent speech of mine in the El ouzie.
Some of the many statements made by me with regard to
nearly one-third of the boroughs I named have been attacked
by members of the corporations. All those statements,
after most careful examination, I am prepared t )
ma•n:ain or even strengthen, except one of those which
referred to the borough of Lostwithiel. I said that
" the present vicar was appointed only for six years.'
Having received further and more authoritative in-
formation on this point I have become satisfied that no
arrangement was made or suggested between the vicar and
an alderman referred to by me, that the vicar should re-
sign at any time on behalf of any one. My statement in the
matter was not lightly made. It was made on the authority
of evidence drawn from many very different quarters, and
was supported by circumstances which appeared to confirm
It, but i am now convinced that, although apparently per-
fectly corroborated, it was in fact erroneous, and I think it
my duty to say this much In the House.
Sir W. Anstruther moved the second reading of the
Burghs and Populous Places (Scotland) Gas Supply Bill, and
explained that its object was to empower municipal autho-
rities in Scotland to manufacture and supply gas for public
and private purposes. This they could not do at present
without coming to Parliament and obtaining a Bill appli-
cable to each locality, at a co t ranging from £5OO to £6OO.
Every extsting interest would be protected.
Sir G. Balfour hoped the Bill would be referred to a strong
committee, as the principle of the measure might, without
great care were taken, be applied to the prejudice of persons
interested.
Sir E. Colebrooke took a s'milar view.

Mr. Raikes said the Bill would remove the jurisdiction of
this House to the neighbourhood affected. If the measure
were passed as regarded Scotland it would become necessary
to consider what should be done in similar cases in Ireland
and this country. It ought, therefore, to be considered by
a select committee of this House.

After some observations from Mr. Newdegate, the Bill was
read a second time: and, on the motion ot Mr. Raikes, re-
ferred to a select committee.

Mr. M`Laren then moved the second reading of the Church
Rates Abolition (Scotland) Bill, the object of which is to
assimilate the law relating to church rates in Scotland to
that of England, and do away with the compulsory pay-
ment of church rates in North Britain. He complained
that the expenses of the maintenance and repair
of church buildings and manses now charged upon
church rates pressed very heavily upon the people.
In one case in Orkney they had reached be. in the
pound, and they were frequently 2s. 6d.., is. 6d., and is.
in the pound. The Bill was modelled in all respects, or at
least as far as the difference in legal phraseology between
the two countries would allow upon the English Act
abolishing Church rates. By that Act Church rates were
not abolished in so many words, but they were not to re-
main compulsory. Ile could see no reason why what had
been considered right for England should not be applied to
Scotland. _

-----
Sir W. Cuninghame moved the rejection of the Bill,
and contended that the rate was not an impost in the
sense in which rates usually were, but that it was a
permanent burden upon the land; and a man who
took land did so with the full knowledge of the exist-
ence of this burden being upon it. Ile was very glad
that the Lord Advocate had brought in a Bill to
deal with the question so far as it related to small cot-
tagers and fellers, for the relief of whom something might
be said, but he doubted whether the proposition would
work successfully. In the case of Scotland, he argued that
the rate was paid by the laud, while in Engiand it was never
mire than a voluntary arrangement in the parish itself.
This was a measure both of clisestabliiihment and disendc w-
ment—dieendowment as far as the money was concerned, and
disestablishment so far as it broke one tie that connected the
Church with the lend.

Mr Baxter trusted that the Lord Advocate's Bill would
remo,e what was an undoubted grievance in Scotland, in
which case he should be glad to assist the learned lord
in p As*iug the measure, If, however, the second reading of
the Bill were pressed to a division he should vote for it.
Mr. Kinnaird took a simihr view to that of the previous
speaker
Mr Anderson believed that if English Church rates had,
like the Scotch, been a burden upon the land, their abolition
would never have been agreed to, as the House would never
have agreed to hand over to the owners of the soil the amount
of those rates. On this ground he opposed the Bill, and while
admitting that there was a grievance, inasmuch as a man
who built upon land held by him had to pay upon both the
house and the land, he thought that grievance would be
remedied by the Lord Advocate's Bill. De hoped the present
measure would be withdrawn in favour of that of the Lord
Advocate,
Mr. Laing and Mr. It. W. Duff supported, and Mr. Dal-
rymple, and Sir G. Montgomery opposed the Bill.
After some observations from several other hon. members.
the Lord Advocate remarked that there was a Bill before the
House introduced by the Government, which hon. members
had not yet had an opportunity to consider. He, therefore,
suggested that the Bill of Mr. McLaren should be suspended
for a time, until time had been afforded to consider the
Government measure, and, if it were found unsatisfactory,
the former could be proceeded with.

Mr. McLaren briefly replied.
Mr Cross said that he was bound to answer the question,asp
to whether the Government would go on with the Bill, aid
would say that if that had not been their intention, he shotild I
never have given his assent to its being introduced. ,
The House then divided :—For the second reading, 10;
against, 210; majority, 55. The Bill was therefore rejected.
fr Wilbraham Egerton moved the second reading of the
Divine Worship Facilities Bill, and explained that its object
was to enable private persons to build mission churches and
to get them licensed for the performance of divine worship.
Mr Birley seconded the motion.
Mr. S. Lloyd objected to the Bill, becante• he thought it
would improperly increase the irresponsible powers now
possessed by the bishops. He farther opposed it because
It made a serious inroad upon the parochial system.
details of the measure were also, he thought, extreme
objectionable.
Mr Astheton also opposed the Bill, and WAS speaking
quarter to six, when, in accordance with the rules of
House, the debate stood adjourned. "
The other orders were disposed of, and the House
journed.
,71 ,E,

r) 1
LAUGHTER HOLDING ONE OF HMI SIDES-1:(A
,
proposal before the Senate at Cambridge, to repeal
statute relating to Sir Thomas Browne's medal for th(
best Greek and Latin epigrams, was the occasion of
witty speech from Professor Selwyn. The propolei
clause declares that candidates shall not be required, t(
deliver two exercises, one in Greek and the other; h
Latin, but that the medal be given alternately, in Onl
' year for the best Greek, in the next for the best Lath
epigram. Upon this the professor' observed that Si
Thomas Browne, as a physician, knew the value of
good laugh in a sanitary point of view, and when lb
had ne in Greek, he wished for another in Latirk—
; whereas, ,by th
"I`yrLo
paousgehdt e r
statute,h holding g
it
wouldbo thhisbesiid,Lsaughter
holding
on
of his aides."

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