The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-06-15 00:00:00

Imperial farliament.

In the House of Lords, on Monday, Lord CllMperdollll
called attention to the financial position of the island of
Cyprus. He did not believe we could raise so large a sum
as 1:100,000 without taxation of the most oppressive
description. Earl Granville said the accounts relating to
the revenue of the year had been duly verified, and the
annual payment found to be duo to the Porte was
11,131,931 piastres
la the House of Commons, questions were put to the
Government with respect to British policy in Afghanistan;
and the Marquis of Hartington, in reply, read •
memorandum on the subject which he had drawn Op.
The instructions furnished to Lord Ripon in the main
were—first, to bring the actual military operations to a
clam ; and then for the troops, when they retired, to leave
behind some prospect or's settled government. With
respect to the question of frontiers, the Treaty of Ganda.
mule having ceased to exist, L,rd Ripon would, after
obtaining the best military advice in his power, consider
the question on its merits, political and military, and act
independently of any considerations arising out of the
fact of certain positions having been occupied under the
Treaty.
Mr. Fawcett said that as soon as he entered into office
he took daps to obtain information with a view if possible
of establishing • cheaper rate of telegraphic communica-
tion in the metropolis and other parts of the country.
The Australian colonies had declined to join the Postal
Union_ —I n reply to Mr. Callan, the Attorney-General for
Ireland said his attention had been called ta some
language which the Rev. Isaac Nelson hail applied to the
Pope ; but as the words in question were uttered in the
course of a sermon, he did not think they could be made
the subject of • prosecution. Mr. Cowen elicited from
Mr. Gladstone that the Government intended to renew
the Ballot Act by • permanent measure during the Present
session. Mr. Gorst contended that the House was
entitled to an explicit and unconditional declaration that
next year the lash should be finally banished from the
two services. Mr. Shaw Lefevre intimated that the
Board of Admiralty hut decided that early in next
session they would proome to omit flogging from the list
of punishments authorised by the Navy Discipline Act.
As • matter of fact, flogging had almost ceased in the
Navy, there having been only four cases last veer-
In the House of Lards, on Tuesday, the Earl of Morley
said it had been decided not to allow • volunteer review
to be Ii 1.1 in Hyde-park, but the Government would give
every assistance for the holding the review elsewhere.
In the House of Commons, replying to Sir Stafford
Nerthcote, Mr. Gladstone stated that in Committee of
Ways and Means on Thursday night he would move
financial resolutions, and that the Hares and Rabbits Bill
would follow Replying to Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Mr. Grant
Du tf said it was not intended to ask the House to make
any vote to Sir Bartle Frees as High Commissioner, the
functions of High Commissioner having been transferred
to Sir George Colley. Earl Percy drew attention to the
hardship experienced by purchase officers in the army in
not lwing able to bequeath the value of their commissions
to their family, although liable to be forced into retire-
ment. A discussion ensued on the question of county
lunatic asylums, Sir Baldwin Leighton proposing a motion
condemnatory of the present system of classing pauper
lunatic*, and declaring that the cost of maintaining
lunatic asylums is an unfair burthen on the ratepayers.
Mr. Floyer delivered a speech, which appears under our
Dorchester head.
. . .

—iii7lTOCl;on, on behalf of the Government, contended
that any furthor movement in the direction of centralisa-
tion was uudesirable.

In -tire-111-ouse-01 -Commons, on Wednesday afternoon,
Mr. Hinde Palmer moved the second reading of the
Married Women's l'roperty Acts Consolidation Bill,
pointing out that under the existing state of the law
great Injustice was inflicted on married women with
regard to their separate personal property. Mr. Warton
contended that the Bill was absurd, preposterous, and
opposed both to divine and social laws. After some
further discussion, the Bill was read a second time. Lord
Kimberley has explained to Sir Bartle Frere the views of
her Majesty's Government as to the inexpediency of
further additions to the British dominions in South
Africa,
.. _

In the House of Lords on Thursday, Lord Carnarvon
stated that Sir Bartle received £:,000 • year as Governor of
the Cape, £l.OOO • year as High Commissioner, and £2,000
under the head of " personal and temporary allowance"
He contended that the reduct on of Sir Bartle Frere's
salary by the present Government had the appearance of
putting a money pressure upon him to resign, witich was
not handsome, creditable, or usual. Lord Kimberley, in
reply, said that all that had been done was to withdraw
an allowance made to Sir Bartle Frere for travelling to
distant parts of South Africa which were no longer under
his control: Lord Waveney complained that nothing was
known respecting the labours of the Agricultural Commis-
sion The Duke of Richmond replied that the inquiry was
proceeding with great care and patience
In the House of Commons, in reply to Mr. Chaplin,
Mr. Gladstone said he believed it was true that he said
at Midlothian that the Agricultural Commission was "a
great delusion," and that' the farmers had been deluded
not for the 99th, but for the legith time." (Ministerial
cheers.) His meaning was that the hopes it was intended
to foster were delusive and impracticable. Sir W.
Lawson gave notice that he would, on an early day,
move an address to the Cro• n for the recall of Sir
Bartle Frere ; and Mr. Bylands notified that in such an
event he would move the " previeus question." The
House then resolved itself into • Committee of Ways
and Means, and Mr. Gladstone introduced his Supple-
mentary Budget.
After stating that in the present condition of India it
was impossible to make any financial proposals with
regard to that country, Mr. Gladstone went on to refer to
the wine duties and the negotiations which had taken
place with France and Spain. The Government had
determined to reduce the duties : and this would entail •
loss to the revenue of nearly £210,000 • year. The right
hon. gentleman went on to speak of the malt tax, which
had long been a farmers' grievance. He had resolved to
adopt the plan by which a tax on beer would be substituted
for the duty on malt A charge of fit. 3d, would be made
on a barrel of beer, with • drawback of four per cent, for
waste. After remarking that this step would probably
tend to cheapen beer, Mr. Gladstone pointed out that the
commutation of a malt tax into a beer tax would cause an
estimated loss to the revenue of £1,109,000. lie proposed
to make good this deficiency by putting an extra penny on
the income-tax. He also proposed to alter and readjust
the licenses for the sale of alcoholic liquors, from which he
expected to realise an increase of .Mtl,OlKi The licenses
would be made uniform in the three kingdoms, and while
there would be a separate license for beer and wine, the
houses selling spirits, beer, and wine would in future sell
under a single license. From this change he expected in
future years to derive a sum of £3511,000. Summing up
the results of his proposals, the right hon. gentleman said
the intended remissions would swallow up • sum of
sum.noo, while the additions would produce a total of
of 1'.1.91(909, which would leave • surplus on the year of