The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
Tn the House of Commons, April C. litir J. ,Trylitinfy
,111,3 !lolloe that he would to-morrow more th 4 Ah• Mousy
be "called' on the 22nil April for the secodd ',siding of the
Contagions biscuits BILL
Mr Mork dated that on the second readinfr cr the Vacci-
nation Acts Amendment Bill he would utora that the LEI be
read a second time that day six months.

Mr. Cubitt asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether.
to his financial statement, be mentioned that the red.:then
of the national debt between April, 1809, nini ...mil, 1872,
Wet £12.780.000 ; whether in this sum he inclibled the Stocks
of the Bankruptcy and Chancery Ettnds which were can-
celled and converted Mtn hook debts within that period ;
what was the amount of alveks no cancelled ; anti what
would he the amount (4 the debt actilally paid off without
taking into account the stocks no cancelled ;aol whether, by
reason of this tramaction, certain contingebt liabilities do
not rest on the Exchequer.
Mr. Lowe replied that he did say in his financial state-
ment that the reduction of National Debt for the last three
years was 012.740,000. He did include intltat Mint the stocka
of the liankreptsy *ha (Marian, futufs, whinh were cancelled
and converted .nto b :ok debts within that period. the amount
of the ttce, AO cancelled was a:5.879,882 ; deducting that
ara"nnt. 'the reductim of debt would be al 880,000. Thei e were
cer'alli contingent liabilities incurred in the Exchequer under
trai mention viz. , that they were bound, it the receiptz fell
abort of the expenditure, to make up the deficiency, but as
the receipts were rather on the increase, there was a bal-
ance, and their expenditure could only be on the balance,
and not on the capital sent, and they did not anticipate an
material difference.

Mr. Neville-Grenville asked the Attorney•Cieneral whether
It is a fact that six learned counsel are retained to pros, cute
sprisoLer slow in Newgate charged with perjury ; if so,
Whether It is necessary nr usual to empty so many lawyers
In a criminal ea.°. And, further, whether it lithe intention
of the Goverment to maintain the system of disallow lug the
expensee of prosecutions in the provinces.
The Attorney. General soil it was true that six counsel had
been retained and would be etnployed in the prosecution of
the various cases which would arise out of the several Indict-
ments preferred against the person who lstely claimed the
estates at the Tichlumie family, if the hills containing those
indictment s should be found to be trite bills by the grand jury
at the Old Bailey, this week. As regarded the qucstion whether
it was necessary to employ so many lawyers is a criminal
fume, tln proper anewer would ha that it was dependent
upon the nature of the case, mai that a c mrse which WAS
extremely proper to pursue in one ruse might be extremely
Improper in another. lie could not say a hither such a
course was usual in criminal eases, it, cause he did not
know of any c,450 resembling this, or sue which could
o any way ho tracts into a preeirlent tor it. It was
not the difficulty of the case, because he thought
It was an extremely simple one, and that the
claim was an ,usault upon the consmon sense of
mankind ; it was the enormous mass of evidence and the
amount of detail involvml, of which no one who bad not
been engaged in the case could have the slighttut notion.
lie thought that in this case It was necessary that these
counsel should be retained and employed. They had been
retained on his responsibility aunt under his direction.
Be had ac .epted the duty of undertaking the pr.ireimtion,
and he should iikeharge It to the hest of his ability,
and take whatever steps he thought it right to take
for discharging that duty, becaum he believed that in its
proper discharge society at large v-as deeply interested.
With regard to the lust part of the question, the mutter wits
tinder the consideration of the Government, and it had
nothing whatever to do with this particular matter.

The House then went Into Committee on the Ballot Bill.
Clause 2, which prescribes the manner in which the poll shall
be taken, was c monenced, and on the first line of it more than
two hours was occupied in discussing a variety of suggestions
for extending the hours of polling. Sir C. Mike moved the: .1-
NertMit of words fixing the hours from 8 am. to 8 p.m , and
Mr. Forster, on the part of the GolPernment, declined
to accept the amendment, on the ground that to carry
on the polling after dark would favour persotiation
and disturbance. Mr. Torrens retorted that it was incon-
sistent in the Coveroment to apprehend darkuesa, because
the Ballot itself was secret, anal the propusal was euppa ted
by Mr. Rath' lone, Mr Dixon, Mr. Gollisruid, Mr. C. Ba utiack,
and Mr. T. Hughes, and opposed by Mr, Hardy, Mr. Powell,
31r. Hope, Mr. Kay-Shuttiewerth, and others. Sir J.
Elphinstone was of opinion that to open the pall at
six am. would be more convenient for the working
men, and moved an amendment to that effect. Mr.
Whitbread suegested that sims,t should he the limit of
the polling hours, mid Mr. Forster, after some con-
sideration. accepted this, and promised on the re-
port to bring up words carra ing out the idea that the poll
shall close as nearly as passible at sunset, but never before 4
or later than Op in Sir James Elt!iiinst one and Lord Echo
piloted out the discrepancies winch would follow from the
different geographical pianism of diflerent constituencies,
and strong objectione to the " sliding scale' were urged lay
other members. Alters long cooversab on, in which very Ws-
eordant opinious were expre,seil. three Vivi ~, . were taken. In
he nest place Oar John Elphinsione's midi,'nn to begin &Loa na.
was negatived by 212 to nil Mr Collins then proposed that
the pal shall close at 5 p.m., and on a DIViFi .11 the
hour of 8 pm. proposed by Sir C. Dilke was situ in out
of his amendment lay 206 to 98, but the Committee
refused by 15; to 93 to flit up the blank with 5 pm. Mr.
Monk then proposed S pm , hot nitimately Sir Charles
Dilke relinquished altogether his attempt to extend the
houra and left the tion..sii an in the hands of the Govertiment
to move a sliding scale on the Report. Sir. florsman wound
up the conversation by expressing a hope that when Mr.
Forster had made up his mind to another proposal he would
stand by it.
After this Mr. J. Lowther amin submitted to the Com-
mittee an elaborate scheme for taking the poll by voting
papers, which Mr. Forster vain met by the objection that
it would defeat the intention of the bill, awl that the House,
having passed the Second Readitez, would stultify itself lay
accepting this scheme.
On a division the amendment was negatived by Site 35.
Mr. C. Beutinek then moved the first of series of amend-
ments designed to alter the In ru of the Ballot. so as to make
it a more open Ballot, which, after a short discussion, was
rejected by 143 to 09: and a account amendment ..1 the
same series was negatived by 199 to 104. Lord Maio.o
then renewed the proposal to 'provide for a scrutiny
by requiring that eaeh Ballot paper shall bear a num-
ber corresponding to the number on the counterfoil
from which it is torn. Ile gave way, however. In favour
of Mr. Gregory, who proposed to obtain the aarne end by
requiring the Returning Officer to inscribe on the Ballot
paper the voter's number on the register. This W. debated
for sortie time, the arguments in favour of a scrutiny, and
the impossibility of preventing personation without it,
being nrged by Colonel liarttalot, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Cross,
and Mr. Collins. Mr. M'Cullagh Torrens also spoke
on the same side from the Liberal benches, pro-
testing egainst the notion that Parliament should legislate
for the craven minority, and appealing to the authority of
Mr. Bright. On the other hand, the Solicitor-General and
Mr. Forster argued that the absolute secrecy which is the
essence of the bill was inconsistent with a scrutiny, and that
ample securities were taken in otha r ways for the prevention
of personation. Oa a divlaion Mr. Gregory's amendment
was negatived by 106 to 31. The farther progress of the
bill was then adjourned until Thursday.
- -

The Select Committee on the Game Lsws was nominated.
The Marine Mutiny Bill was read a second time, and the
Mutiny Bill a third time and passed.

The other business was disposed cf, au.l the House ad-
learned at one o'clock.

In the House of Lords, April 9, Earl !Stanhope gave notice
that on Friday next he would more for copies of any com-
munications there had been between her Majesty's Govern-
ment and the Government of France on the subject of the
reimposition of passports on that country.

- -
The Earl of 31almesbary asked the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs whether he would lay on the table those papers whioh
Ms colleague hail already promised to the ?louse of Com-
mons. lie wished to point out that nothing had tended
more to the good feeling between this cour.try and France
than the passport system having been abolialird by the
Imperial Governtuent, and he believed that in the last
year of the Empire not fewer than GOO.OOO per ,ons mussed
from this country to France. They spent a large sum
of money, not in the way of trade hut in pleasure, and
he was surprised that when the French Government
111114 in want of money they should adopt a system which
must prevent foreigners going to the country and spending
money In Paris. The passport syatern, ton, had already been
shown to be useless for its intended objet, and he hops d
to hear that the present vexatious regulation would be aban-
doned, Ile also wished to ask the noble Earl whether there
had been any correspondence relative to Cominunist pri-
soners being sent to this country, and if so, whether it would
be produced?
Earl Granville said there was some correspondence relative
to the Communists, and there could be no objection to pro-
duce it. Ile hoped it would be found satisfactory to the
noble earl, That relative to the passports would be laid on
the table.

earl atanhope thereupon withdrew hie notice of motion,
and related his experiences last autumn when on the Con-
tinent.

Some other business was disposed of, and their lordships
adjourned.

In the Manse of Commune, Sir J. Hay gave notice that on
the 17th May he would move for a sAect committee to in-
quire into the subject of collisions at sea.

Mr. A. Herbert stated that on that day month he would
eall attention to the powers possessed by the University of
Oxford to alter their own statutes, and would moves resolu-
tion.

The Solicitor-General gave notice that on Friday he would
move for leave to bring ill a bill to amend the law relating to
juries.
Colonel Beresford called attention to the unfair and ruinous
competition with which the mat trade has to conte,ml in con-
sequence of the extensive employment of convict labour
In the manufacture lie complained el., of the application
Of steam power in Wei,efield Prison to the trade, and of the
prices at which the product of convict labour is void, and he
moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the subject.
Mr. Kennawny proposed to give a wider scope to the in-
quiry by referring to the Committee the whole question of
Prison Labour in our gaols.
After remarks from several other hon. members,
Mr. Bruce, speaking of the convict prisons under the con-
trol ..f the Government, said there were only Iwo in whic
mat-making was pro-Lived, and explained that the general
rule in large prise. WAS to teach as many trades as pissitile.
No doubt there was a run on mat-making, and almost neces-
sully, because it was easily taught to prisoners confined on
the separate system, and for short periods ; but he
denied that there was any desire to tinder-ell, or that there
was any reality in the grievance. The limited inquiry, there-
fore, uked by Colonel Beresford was unnecessary and he
objected also to the larger inquiry of Mr. Kennaway, con-
tending, with copious extracts from the criminal statistics,
that crime has diminished, and that there is no need for
apprehending the finlure of our system of prison discipline.
The motion and amendment were then withdrawn.

Mr. W. Yowler next moved a resolution condemning the
F
state of the law of entail and strict settlement of
land ag a discouragement ti the investment of capital in the
dev.• nit of agriculture. In support of it be drew first g
for - Lore of the position of the limited own, or
to cod this led him Into a kngthy digression on
th, - • ' ',vision of agricoltural cottages and the
m of the agricultural lab.,urer. Ail
, . .
. 4series colored by this este& he
. . . .. ' 'we, which, by checking the
" • ' ,aml, prevented high agricuL
"if, he complainel, was too
MU,
• 4 luxury or no an instrm
ll he desired to see it
more sou, . 4 1/4e money out of it.
Deprecat i fig , .
,tatea or of intro-
ducing the Fro . . • f•r of having a
• much larger nu.. , p. , the land,
and this he though,. ... . .
reniov-
Ins all trammels on the • . . 'per-
fect freedom, and by leave: , of
Itself. Mr. Fowler also touch, ' . ..
system, such as the temptatn
part of the young heir, the draw,.
arid ale° on the cumbrous procesici in .•., • r0...t !:l:. I
Mr. Brand, in seconding the motion, 1,. •1 ..ed that
life tenancies the laud might he made to yioi cosmic thly
more than at present, awl pleaded strongly for a ogo ~, in
our Land Laws, which would give landlords full line ty t.,
deal with their estatca.

The discussion was continued by other hon. menit,ers,
after which,

Mr. Disraeli, referring to a case cited by Mr. Fowler in
Illustration it lab argument about labourers' cottages, ii,.
formed him that the row of cottages in question—the con-
dition of which it was impossible to condemn too
strongly—belonged to no landlord and to no estate. They
were built same years ago on the waste by a trades.
man from a neighbouring town —a leading Liberal,
by the way,—and they ha aothivi.; to do, thel •tore,
with the Law of Entail. On the general qusstioo, Mr.
Disraeli was of opinion that it would require consider-
ation as a whole, though the time was not ripe for
paining any such Resolution as that before the Rouse
and he repeated his oi.inion that the condition of the
agricultural labourer is slowly hot surely improving.
- - -

- ---
Mr. Gladstone agreed with Mr. D:sraelt that the question
had not been sufficiently discussed for an opinion to he pro-
nounced upon IL and wh•le the Government woe under pledges
to deal with the Transfer of Land and the Succession to In-
testate }totes they would not be wl.. to take on them-
'etre. this further question of Entails. The abolition
of the present ay aein, hi Mr Gladatone's opinion,
would not effect the illatrilintion of e;tatea in this country,
which depended more on social and economical causes, taken

In connection with the limited axes of the soil. But when-
ever the Government came to deal with the question It would
be better that they should not be fettered by an abstract
Resolution, and he asked Mr. Fowler, therefore, not to press
his motion.

Mr. Fowler declined, and suggested to Mr. Gladstone that
if he was not prepared to give an opinion it was very easy for
him to walk out witheut voting.
On a division, the lt-solution was negatived by 103 to 81,
and the re3ult was greeted wills loud cheers from below the
Vikniefay.

Mr. Stapleton moved for a committee to inquire into the
subject of Ststutory Deelstatious, nut nut finding a seconder,
his motion fell to the ground.
- -

Mr. Charley obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the
Bastardy Lana; and the ?louse adjourned at tun minutes to
one o'clock.

In the House Of Commons, April, 10, Mr. Guilford Onslow
presented a petition from 001 persons in the parish of rich-
hot no and other parishes in Ilanipshin.., awl moved that it
be read by the clerk at the table. The petition was accord-
ingly road by the clock. It art forth ttiat the petitioners
wcre Informed th tt it Was the *IA! ti di of the G 'cerement
to proaecute the claimant to the Vehborne estates for
perjury, at the public expense thdt they still believed
In the credibiiity of the elate], which belief was shared to a
large extent by the public at large, and as the claimant was
without means they urged that if public alone y was applied
to hi, prosecutien it ought also to be provided for his de-
fence, because this was a case in which very different
Opinions existed as to the right of the claimant to the eitates.
They therefore asked the Rowse to refuse to apply public
money to the prosecution of the claimant.
- - -

Mr. Arthur Guest presented a petition from the Inhabi-
tants of the town of Poole, upon the same subject. This
petition was also read by the clerk at the table. It set forth
that near to the town of Poole was the estate of Coombe,
formerly belonging to Sir Edward Doughty, and that Roger
Charles Doughty I ichhome resided there is the lifetime of
Sir E. Doughty ; that the prisoner now in ewgate had been
recognised by many person., some of whom ha 4 sworn to
his identity, whilst others were prepared to testify to his
identity. The testimony of these witnesses, who were
respectable and credible persons, led the petitioners to the
conclusion that the prisoner in Isiewstate was Identical with
the Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne who formerly resided
at Coombe. The petitiontrs were apprehensive that the
prisoner being without means, the true facts of the case
inight not be proved, and they therefore prayed stud, the
House would take title and proper precautions that no ad-
vantage should be afforded to the Crown prosecution In this
case which was not in like manner afforded to the prisoner,
and that he should not he crushed by the public means at
the instance of his inveterate enemies.

The m Cairns were laid on the tabte of the House.
The Sites for Places of Worship and Schools 13111 was read
second time.

The Poor Law (Scotland) Bill was also read a second time.
Mr. J. G. Talbot, in the absence of Sir T. Chamber.,
moved the second reading of the Sunday Trading (Metro-
polis)ll, which he said was identical with the measure
which had been on several previous occasions passed by a
large majority of the House. lie would only say with regard
to the opposition against the bill on the ground that it was
a restrie ion of liberty. that it was rally an extension of
the liberty now enjoyed, by recognising to a certain extent
necessary Sunday trading.
Mr. Peter Taylor moved the rejection of the bill
After some dim:l.skm, the Mouse divided : Sot the second
reading, 40; Against, 69; Majority, 29.
The till was therefore rejected.
The other orders were dispohd of, and the House ad-
journed.