The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-26 00:00:00

sTamiez SCENE IN THE COMMONS.

AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING.-THE CLOSURE

APPLIED.

The House of Commons eat all Monday night dis-
cussing the Estimates. At about half-past five on
Monday evening the House went into Committee of
Supply, and upon the Vote for clothing and victualling
of Sean.en and Marines, a further discussion of a
general and discursive character occurred upon the
Navy Estimates. Towards 11 o'clock a suggestion from
the First Lord of the Treasury that it was desirable
to close the debate upon the Naval Vote, in order to
proceed with the Vote on account of the Civil Service,
provoked an angry controversy, which continued
until half-past twelve, when a proposal to withdraw
the Naval Vote was formally refused. The discussion
was therefore resumed. Dr. Cameron (at 2.5 am.)
on Tuesday moved that the Chairman leave the chair
in order to enable the Government to state what they
intended to do. They could not seriously ask the
Committee to vote another three and a-half millions
at that late hour without the possibility of proper
discussion. After some remarks by Mr. Jackson and
Mr. Dillon, Mr. Labouchere said there were ninny
Irish, Scotch, and Welsh matters to discuss on the
Vote of the Account, and he would have to speak to
it about thirty times. Mr. Goschen said it was
evidently useless to postpone discussion. Mr.
A. O'Connor and Colonel Nolan continued the
discussion. Mr. Illingworth suggested that the Naval
Vote should now be taken, and the Vote on Account
be 'postponed. Dr. Clarke followed. Mr. Hunter
thought the Scotch members had special cause of
complaint against the Government, for it was their
duty to speak on several items on the Vote on Ac-
count. Dr. Tanner, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Deasy, and
Mr. E. Harrington spoke again3t proceeding with
the Vote on Account. After some remarks from Mr.
Lane, the Committee divided. For Dr. Cameron's
motion, 61; against, 199.
Colonel Nolan continued the discussion. He asked
for information as to submarine boats, and on other
points. Mr. J. O'Connor protested against the docks
at Haulbowline being left in their present condition.
He deprecated the action of the Government in
getting pork from abroad, when Ireland wss the
home of the pig. (Laughter.) Mr. Conybeare
thought it would be better to employ dockyard men
to break up old vessels instead of having work done
by contractors. Dr. Tanner said he would call at-
tention to three different sets of facts. First, as to
the naval medical service; but the Chairman ruled
that was irrelevant. Dr. Tanner remarked that if
that was out cf order he would simply go on to the
Haulbowline Dock. (A laugh.) While he was speak-
ing, at 4.37, Mr. W. H. Smith rose and moved,
"That the question be now put." The committee
divided:
For the Closure... ... 207
Against 54
The Chairman then put the Vote for Victuallin
and Clothing for Seamen and Marines:
For the Vote ...
Against ...
_

•••
•••

... 210
52

On the Tote for .£3,624,100,
.on account of the
Civil Services, Mr. Labouchere said that this was
not an hour to discuss such a Vote; and as he was
always anxious to throw oil on the troubled waters—
(laughter)—he would suggest that the Government
should take a Vote for a fortnight instead of for two
months. (" No, no.") He moved to report progress.
Mr. W. H. Smith eaid it was quite impossible to accept
the suggestion. It could hardly be seriously meant.
He must ask for the whole Vote at this sitting.
(Cheers.) Mr. Dillon suggested ;bat the continuous
item should be omitted from the Vote, the whole of
which would, he said, only be passed by brute force.
Mr. Sexton accused the Government of gross mis-
management of the business of the House. (Uproar.)
Captain Cotton said be heard Dr. Tanner say a
member was drunk The Chairman said that, to
apply such an expression to any member was most
offensive, and should be withdrawn. Dr. Tanner first
said he would withdraw it when the member was
pointed out to whom he applied the expression; but
when the Chairman said it must be withdrawn, Dr.
Tanner said he would withdraw it out of respect to the
Chair. Mr. Sexton went on to state that a large batch of
members was arriving from Ireland by the train which
would reach Euston at 6.30, and they would come
straight to the House of Commons. He suggested
that the vote should be postponed till Thursday. Mr.
Illingworth said the Government were upsetting the
business of the House. He opposed the Vote being
taken now. Mr. Raikes took the chair at a quarter
to six, in place of Mr. Courtney. Colonel Nolan
objected to so a large a Note being taken now. Mr.
Cosaham urged the Government not to urge the Vote
recklessly, and without due discussion. Dr. Wallace
followed. He was speaking about the grievances of
Scotland when the Chairman twice called him to
order for irrelevancy. Mr. E. Stanhope said the
Government were only asking for a Vote which had
been taken year after year without discussion.
Mr. Kenny blamed the Government for not bringing
forward the vote sooner. Mr. T. P. O'Connor dis-
puted the statement of the Government that it was
necessary to take the vote now. If the Vote was
taken on Thursday, the debate on it would not be
prolonged. Mr. Jackson said Thursday would be
too late. After some remarks from Mr. J. Stewart.
Mr. Molloy pointed out that the Vote included
£lOO,OOO for the Post Office. He objected to the
discussion of the Vote with the Postmaster-General in
the chair. Mr. Sexton urged the same objection.
Dr. Tanner said the Government were trying this on
in order to excite the people of Ireland. It was to
promote more bloodshed, assassination, and murder.
(013, Oh!) The Chairman said these words must be
withdrawn. Dr. Tanner, after some evasron, withdrew
the expression. Mr. Lane and Mr. Conybeare followed.
Mr. Goschen suggested that the Irish members should
now discuss the items of the Vote. Mr. Sexton said if

the Vote were put down for Tuesday evening the dis-
cussion would not be unduly prolonged so as to pre-
clude other business. Dr, Wallace, Mr. Picton, and
Mr. Lahouchere followed, and after some further dis-
cussion the committee divided on the motion to
report progress—For the motion, 57; against, 41. Mr.
Labouchere said the Tote must be fully discussed,
and after speaking against the charge for the main-
tevance of palaces, moved to reduce the Vote by
£5OOO, as a protest against that item. Mr. Plunkett
said these criticisms were the same as had been made

for tho last two or three years, and the answer was the
Fame. The committee divided—For the reduction,
; against, 121. Mr. Conybeare, in criticising the
expenditure on Marlborough House, said the
popularity of the Royal Family was rapidly waning.
The (Chairman) Sir J. Gorst) said he (Mr. Conybeare)
must speak respectfully of the Royal Family. Mr.
Onnybeare said he did not mean to speak disrespect-
fully, and would withdraw the words. Ho moved to
reduce the vote for Marlborough House by .E5OO.
The Committee divided—For the reduction, 49;
against, 115. Mr. Labouchere moved to reduce the
item of £17,000 for parks and other gardens by
£14,000. Mr. Conybeare supported the reduction.
Mr. Plunkett explained the action of the Government
with references to the expenses of the London parks,
and stated that no gamekeepers or the rangers of
Royal parks were paid for by the State. Mr. Stuart,
Mr. Molloy, and Dr. Tanner completed the dis-
cussion. Mr. Plunkett .understood that this detailed
examination of a Vote on Account was unparalleled,
and without precedent. He would endeavour to
make the public parks and gardens as convenient for
the enjoyment of the public as was consistent with
the proper care of them. Mr. Stuart, Mr. Sexton,
Mr. Chance, and Mr. Cosehara continued the dis-
cussion. The Committee divided—For the reduc-
tion, 54; against, 144.
Mr. Sexton complained that the Chief Secretary for
Ireland was not present to answer questions on the
Irish items in the vote. Mr. T. P. O'Connor moved
to report progress, but, after some discussion, with-
drew the motion. Mr. Labouchere moved to omit
the item of £l5OO for the Metropolitan Police-courts.
Mr. T. P. O'Connor urged that the Government
should reply to the objection taken. Mr. Plunkett
said his reply must be brief, because such detailed
criticism was unprecedented. He then explained the
nature of the charge for the police-courts. Mr.
Courtney entered the House at 9.40, and resumed
the Chair. After some remarks from Mr. Labou-
chere, the Committee divided—For the reduction,
51; against, 186.
Mr. Labouchere next stated that being anxious to
bring the proceedings to a close as soon as he could,
consistently with his duty, he would pass over a num-
ber of items, and would take the next two reductions
together. He went on to speak against the House of
Lords and the payment of more than £2OOO a year
to any Minister, declaring that there were exceeding
few clerks in the City who would not make as good
Ministers as the occupants of the Treasury Bench.
He moved to reduce the vote by .£lO,OOO. The Com-
mittee divided—For the reduction, 49; against, 204.
Mr. Sexton thought it time to enter a protest
against the absence of Mr. A. J. Balfour, after Minis-
ters had twice promised to send for him. Numerous
Irish questions would have to be discussed on the
Vote, and an answer was wanted to them. Mr.
Bartley, rising to order, said a gentleman opposite
had said to him that if be caught him outside he would
black his eye. The Chairman said that observation
was clearly out of order. Mr. J. O'Connor: I did
not use those words at all, sir. (Oh! oh!) The
Chairman " Order ! Order!" No name was
mentioned. (Much laughter.) Mr. W. 11.
Smith, after observing that the present pro-
ceedings were contrary to the practice of Parliament,
appealed to the House to permit the old practice. of
Parliament to be observed on the present occasion.
Colonel Nolan cast the responsibilitiee for the present
proceedings on the Government. He stated that the
Irish members bad offered the Government every
alternative except to band over three millions and a
half of money without debate. Dr. Wallace also