The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-03-26 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

I* the HousE oY LORDS, March 21, the Royal Assent was
itgn, by Commission, to the Peace Preservation (Ireland)

Lord Enfield stated that the revised figure of the estimated
expenditure for the Afghan war to the 31st of May, 1831,
Including the frontier railways, was £.19,574,000 The
noble lord then made a statement as to the handing
over of Candahar to the Ameer Abdurrahman. The Ameer
had expressed his gratitude to the British Government for
their action in this matter, and stated his desire to take
charge of Candahar at once. His Highness further in-
formed the Indian Government that his troops were all
ready, but carriage was his principal difficulty. He hoped,
however, that his forces would reach Candahar about the
time named by the Government of India, which was early
In April.
Lord Waveney thought Her Majesty's Government were
adopting a very dangerous course.
The Duke of Artyll denied this, but said that was not the
occasion for discussing the subject.
The orders of the day having been disposed of, their lord-
ships adjourned at twenty-five minutes to six o'clock.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. Gladstone, answering a
question from Mr. Baxter, made a short statement on the
course of business. In the first place, he said, if the necessary
business of Supply were concluded in the course of the
current sitting, Thursday would be given to Mr.
Stanhope for his motion on Candahar, and if it were
prolonged beyond one night, he hoped it would be
taken on Friday. The following week would be reserved
for the Mutiny Bills, the Budget would be taken on April 4,
and on Thursday, the 7th, he hoped to bring in the Irish
Land Bill. On the Bth he intended to mON E the adjourn-
ment tor the Easter holidays until Monday, the 25th, when
the second reading of the Land Bill would be moved.
In answer to Mr. Onslow, Lord Hartington said that when
It was decided not to remain permanently at Glandahar
communications were entered into with Abdurrahman with
a view to his taking possession of the city. An Afghan
Envoy was sent to Calcutta, who had several interviews with
the "Viceroy, and in the end the Ameer informed the Govern-
ment that he was prepared to take over Candahar. The
latest intelligence was that the Arneer's troops had started or
were ready to start for Candahar. Several of the most
powerful of the Candahar Sirdars had written to the Ameer
tendering their allegiance, and measures had been taken for
eur withdrawal The position of affairs, therefore, was
critical, and to attempt to enter into details might be mis-
chievous. Nor was he able to lay any papers on the table,
especially as many political papers, including the minutes
of the Indian Council, had not arrived, as was expected, by
the last nail and the last mail but one.
Mr. Bourke, Lord Elcho, Lord G. Hamilton, and Lord
J. Manners put further questions, and, in answer to them,
Lord Bartington said it was not intended to retain any
British troops at Candahar, and that it would be impossible
to forward the substance of the minutes by telegraph.
In answer to Sir M. Hicks-Beach, Mr. Gladstone said that
no new information of importance had been received from
the Transvaal during the day, probably because the rains
and floods had in a great measure impeded the movements
ef the principal parties concerned, and owing to the illness
of Kruger and another of the Boer leaders. is the supple-
mentary Estimates about to be laid before the House referred
only to the increase of our military power; and were distinct
entirely from our policy in the Transvaal, he hoped the
House would be content to postpone all discussien at the
present moment.
In answer to Sir S. Northcote, Mr. Childers said the Army
Betimates for the coming year contained items amounting to
£600,000 or £600,000 relating to the Transvaal.
In answer to Earl Percy, Mr. Gladstone said that he had
Deceived no application from Mr. Bradlaugh for the Chiltern
Hundreds; and, in answer to Viscount Folkestone, Mr.
Gorst said that as the appeal was being prosecuted, he did
not intend to go on at present with his motion with regard
to the Northampton seat.
In answer to Mr. Ritchie, Mr. Chamberlain fixed the
Thames River Bill for Tuesday week.
On the motion to go into Supply, Mr. O'Donnell brought
before the House for review the circumstances under which
he was suspended for a second time a fortnight ago, and
moved a resolution declaring that the Chairman was in
error in informing the House that Mr. O'Donnell was con-
travening his authority.
A discussion ensued, in which several hon. members took
Part, and which was terminated by Mr. Gladstone saying
that Mr. O'Donnell had shown that he had no intention to
challenge the authority of the Chair ; blithe could not agree
In a resolution which declared the Chairman to have acted
erroneously, as it was quite clear that if he had been misled
it was by Mr. O'Donnell. But if there was any mode by
Which Mr. O'Donnell could have it recorded that he did not
Intend to contravene the authority of the Chair and could be
relieved from the consequences, he should be glad to con-
sider it. Mr. O'Donnell then withdrew his motion.
The House having gene into Committee, Mr. Childers
Moved a Supplemental Army Estimate of £446,000, which,
be said, as far as could be ascertained, would cover the
Whole of the expenditure in connexion with the Transvaal
War which could rightly be brought into the accounts of the
Present financial year. But a sum of from £500,000 to
£600,000 would have to be asked for in the next year's esti-
mates, and if the war were prolonged for any considerable
lime a further vote still would be necessary.
Sir G. Campbell, Mr. Rylands, Sir G. Balfour, and Sir W.
Barttelot spoke, and, in answer to Lord Elcho, Mr. Glad-
stone said that Sir H. Robinson had been consulted by Lord
Kimberley in the recent transactions, and he would be one of
the Commissioners. He added also that a telegram had just
been received stating that conferences between Sir E. Wood
and the Boer leaders had been going on during the previous
day.

Mr. T. Sullivan, as a protest against the war, insisted on
taking a division, and the vote was carried by 109 to 6.
On the vote of £210,000 for the naval expenses in con-
liexion with the war Mr. Parnell took the same course, and,
after some observations from Mr. H. Fowler and Sir M.
Hicks-Beach, who said that at the proper time he should be
Perfectly prepared to defend the annexation, the vote was
carried by 82 to 10.
On the vote to complete the sum of £110,926 for the Royal
Parks and pleasure-gardens,
Mr. Bradlaugh said that last Session he ascertained by
Inquiries addressed to the then First Commissioner of
Works that there was more than one-fourth of the Rich-
mond-park that was enclosed, so that the public had no
access to the enclosures. He assumed that the enclosures
were connected with game preserving, because there were
gameksepers appointed ; and he desired to receive from the
Present First Commissioner an assurance that the matter
should be investigated with a view to some limit being put
to these enclosures. Since the passing of the Ground Game
Act there had been prosecutions in connection with the
rabbits reared in these enclosures.
Mr. Shaw-Lefevre said that since he entered upon Isis
Present office he had not received any complaint on the
subject nor was it one to which he had been able to give
Special attention. He would, however, look thoroughly
Into the facts before next year. He did not think the pro-
portion of enclosed land stated by the hon. member was
borne out by the figures. There was a total area of 2,400
acres; 240 acres were shut off as plantations; and 300
acres more were enclosed for the feeding of deer. The 240
acres were devoted to the preservation of timber and not of
game, and any preservation of game was merely incidental
to the main object. He would inquire more closely into the
Matter before this time next year.
Mr. Dillwyn said that undoubtedly the public were ex-
cluded from a large part of the park which might be opened
to them As far as he could see from the outside of the
• enclosure, there was no young timber for the preservation
of which the enclosure was necessary. while as a fact the
Public were excluded from the most beautiful of all the
Plantations in the park. As the plantations were old, he
certainly thought they were for the rearing of game rather
than the rearing of timber.
After some observations by Dr. Lyons, Lord Elcho, Mr.
Dliwyn, and Mr. Rogers,
Dr. Cameron protested against the expenditure upon the
parks being borne out of imperial funds, as they were kept
up for the convenience of the inhabitants of London.
Mr. Peddle joined in the protest of his hon. friend the
member for Glasgow. They received no help from the Ex-
chequer for the park in Edinburgh; Dublin received only
£6,000 or )37,000 a year for the Phcenix Park, while the Lon-
don parks cost the taxpayers of the country from £llO,OOO to
1E120,000 a year.
After a few words from Earl Percy, Mr. Rylands held that
there ought to be inquiry as to the extent to which the Lon-
d.cn narks should be kept up at the cost of the Imperial
innds, and also as to the actual cost, which, in his view, was
Much greater than was incurred in localities where the
Maintenance was charged upon the local rates.
Lord Eleho maintained that as London was the heart and
centre of the Empire, the metropolitan parks ought to be
kept up at the cost of the Empire.
Mr. Dillwyn pointed out that the Imperial funds were
teed, not for the maintenance only of what might be
called the metropolitan, or central, parks, but of parks in
the suburbs.
Mr. Shaw-Lefevre pointed out that the system to which
his hon. friend referred had ceased, and that now suburban
Parka had to be established and maintained at the cost and
under the control of the local authorities.
Mr. H. Fowler, as an English borough member, protested
against the keeping up of the London parks out of the funds
contributed by the whole country, mainly on the ground
that London VMS one of the most lightly rated towns in the
empire, and that the city was also possessed of large funds
which ought to be, but were not, devoted to the good anti
Improvement of the metropolis. He begged to move that
Pie vote be reduced by the sum of £lO,OOO.
Mr. Alderman Lawrence objected to the notion that the
parks ought to be paid for by the taxpayers of London. On a
flat) day the majority of the people to be seen in the parks
were not Londoners, but country people or foreigners. It
would be unfair, therefore, to throw the whole of the charge
Upon the metropolitan ratepayers. It should be remem-
bered, too, that these parks were Royal, and that there was
a time when most of them were not open to the public. He
Protested against the idea that the metropolis ought to be
treated like a provincial town (hear, hear), and he hoped the
amendment would be withdrawn, because it showed no
Principle whatever Laughter).
Mr. J. Collins consteered was a grievance that the
Inhabitants of provincial tows could have to keep up their
awn parks and also to contil owards keeping up the
Parks in Londos_ In his opsaion this vote could not be
defended. lie did not put the provinces behind the metro-
Pais On the contrary, he thought it would add to the
daefulness even of Parliament itself if they were to meet in
aente of the big provincial towns. (Laughter.) At Birming-
UM, for example, they would see an amount of public spirit
Which did not exiSt in London. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Anderson protested against London being petted at
the expense of the country. Not only were there millions of
topic in the country who never came to London at all, but
?se Who did come were made to pay dearly for what they

. Mr. Rogers observed that while the local taxation of
•uondon was very high, the owners of ground rents very un-
lairlY escaped scot free.
Lord R. Churchill reminded the hon. member for South-
Italic (lir. Rogers) that in proportion as rates were high
rents were low. so that the burden of local taxation did to
tene extent fall upon the land. (Cries tof " No.") As for
12 Parks, most of them, he rather thought, were Crown
'SQB, in which case the amendment before the Committee
Would involve a repudiation of the bargain which Parlia-
thent had made with the preseut Sovereign on her accession
to the Throne.
/fr. Padie remarked that Edinburgh, which had no grant,
Was visited by more strangers in proportion to its size than
London.
- - -•- - - -

--
81r J. Lubbock said the want of public spirit in London
WU owing to the number of People residing in it who came
bolt the country.
_, Several other hon. members havina taken part in the
uebate,
Mr. Shaw Lefe'r, 0‘
Orhetherthe- parks in observed that the real question was
London, Dublin, and Edinburgh ought
to be maintained by ti.e taxpayers. Lie thought that the
Vote was a fair one but admid that the principle it involved
l„!e
'should not be
carried, further. several parks were already
121abatained out of ratepayers' money :!tid doubtless the prac-
"lee would be extended in future. BeforE Sitting down he
'writhe
say emphatically that the Royal p'-:•40 wereiLot
VIA up for the special benefit of the wealthy classes. N te7
r',.l'utl: Park and Battersea Park were kept in quite as beautiful
'''' r as Hyde Park itself. (Hear, hear.)
t,,safeter some further discussion, a division was taken, when
...IT appeared—For the amendment, 34; against, 110:
..ajority, 1.16.
The vote was then agreed to.
Bever
sir, , al other votes were agreed to, and the report of
,rleve4 of March 18 was brought up and agreed to.
~ . ral orders of the day were advanced a stage, and the 'l-Ooze adjourned at a quarter-past one o'clock.

The other orders having been disposed of, their lordships
adjourned at ten minutes to seven o'clock.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. Gladstone, answering a
Question from Sir S. Northcote, said the intellftence was
correct that Sir E. Wood had come to a settlement with the
Boers, and they had substantially accepted the proposals of
the British Government. Mr. Gladstone then read the
terms.

Sir C. Dilke, replying to Mr. Birley, said the Government
had not only asked the French Government to prolong the
existing Commercial Treaty sufficiently to cover negotiations
now in progress for a renewal or modification of that treaty,
but also to send a competent person to London to discuss
with the Government details with which the French Am-
bassador could not be expected to be familiar.