The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-09 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

In the House of Lords, 3larch 4,levrd 13nRefin, replying to
Lord Clauriearde, gave explanations relating to Captain
Tyler's recent visit to Ireland, and the quetions he was per-
mitted, rather than authorized, to put as to the value of
Irish railway.

Lord Westbury, In ankle, :or splaustions from the Lord
Chancellor to hia girt. ter reforming the Appellate
Jurisdiction, picture of tin dziects of
she Hon,. of lords as au appete tribunal. Br
bore 'vestnittiMy to the diligence e, the Lord Chancellor
rvrilletng the *rears of Appeal cases, and the new I
JUdicial Committee had worked well In the same direc-
tion. The tom Courts were, however, eo crauate and
final, and it wart necessary to consolidose them into one tri-
bunal. tilanciug at the nature f the Appeals to the House
r,s Lords, he declared that the Exchequer Chamber, wheee tLo
opinion of three Judges sometimes overruled the opinion of
seven and upwards, might to be abobebta ai a Court of
Appeal ; he next described the appellate tribunals in Scot-
land Mt a condition of things which he declared to be
•• fri4ktful." The constitetion of the Judicial Committee in
dealing with tvelesiastieal causes should be ref Tined by
eliniinating the llishops as Judgis. The Leal Chancellor
might have large and statesmanlike clown; the danger Was
that his plans would be shipwrecked by a narrow rind dis-
creditable spirit of economy. The Judges of the great ap-
pellate tribunal must he in the full kigoUr of their faculties
the elite of the profesalor, suit they must receive a liberal
emuneration.

The Lord Chancellor, premising that he had taken great
Interest in the babied of appellate iurlsiliction for many
years, explained the measures he had brought in, their post-
ponement on account of the !tate r public business, and the
steps subsequently talc,n it perfect them by consultation
with the Judges. Herending himself by implication from
the charge et having done nothing as a Law Re-
former, he referred to the passing of the Bankruptcy Act,
Sod to the unus.'...ai !mount of care and legal preparation
Wioch ha''...eeeu demanded by the Acts relating to the Dish
treh Irish Land, and English Education. He fully
txpected to lay upon their lordships' table before Easter
the High Court of Justice Bill and the Appellate Jurisdiction

Their lordships then adjourned-
lu the House of Commons some time was spent in dis-
cussing the Metropolitan Streets Improvement Bill. I. Iti-
nlately it Wlts read a second time and referred to all ordinary
Select Committee, a motion by Mr. H. Calmer to refer it to
a Committee of 10 being defeated by 170 to 122.
In answer to Mr flooring, Mr. Gladstone said the Govern-
ment conceived themselves bound by the acts of their pre-
decessors to propo.e a vote of £4,123 to reimburse ea-Governor
ty re for his legal expenses, and accordingly iL would appear
Li the tistiniates.

The PostruiLsterOnetal, replying to Sir J. Pakington, said
that aptopoal had been made to the Indian authorities more
ChM a year ago sslth the view of placing India in the same
tosit lon as the other colonies with respect to money orders,
Ilut no official reply had been received, although he was in-
formed that it was likely that the proposal would be ac-
cepted.

Lord Pnileht, in answer to Mr. Davenport, said that ears-
ontinitaitione from the Foreign °dice had elicited that twenty
I.ointutinist prisoners had been despatched by steamer from
theppe to England, their passages being paid. Lord Lyons
had been instructed to make no immediate remonstrance to

the i'remit OuVerilment.

The 111111111 business of the evening was the Army Estimates,
Find air W. Lawson had a preliminary motion calling for.
material reduction in the number of the Land Forces. The
Speaker, however, held that the New Standing Order passed
last week for Monday Committees of Supply applied to it,
and that it could not be entertained ; the House, therefore,
went at once into Committee of Supply on the first vote for
133,n di men.

Mr. Holmes moved the reduction of the vote by 20,000
men, explaining that he did it by way of protest against Mr.
Cardwell's scheme of reorgaideation, in which he saw the
continuation of an antiquated and complicated military
system, and no security for efficiency and economy. Passing
to details, he ob;ceted to the perpetuation of the dual
system ef tectuiting for the Line and the 211ht1a, and con.
healed that there was no real localization in the scheme,
and that a reliable Reserve had been lost sight of. To the
,witlitia Mr. Hohnee attributed no value at rill ; they
I*.rere not worth what they cost, were of 110 value as
• Reserve, and were incapable of being welded with
the Line. Next he made various suzgestions of his own for
organising our forces, which he prefaced by an elaborate
resume of the reinstall system. He thought we ought to
have a regular Army enlisted for short service of 83,000 linen
at home and abroad, with a First Reserve of 60,000 men, and
a Second Reserve of 50,000 and the force at home ought to be
organized in five corp d'arnie. The pay of the soldiers of
the Line should be raised to 125. lid a week ; that of the men
of the First Reserve should be raised to Is. a clay, and the
Second Reserve men should be paid £3 a year. In this
way he Calculated we should have an efficient force of
193,000 men, at a cost of from 19 to 11 millions He criticized
also the extravagant cost of our Army administration, and
advocated a reduction in the number of officers and an en-
couragement of the Volunteer Force, which he believed
might be made a valuable auxiliary force. The Army Manu-
facturing establishments required complete revision, and
he was for employing private Manufacturers to a larger
tatent.

---
Sir. %lett secoeded the motion, though he admitted hs
UI not altogether concur In it. nor in Mr. Holmes' speech.
lle pechrttil a rejection of 10,000 Infantry, end his prin-
cipal nicgument in favour id it was the political condition of
tSitope, which made it highly improbable that we should be
bnraged in a war.
- .

The discussion was continued by Lord C. Cecil, Mr. Camp-
bell, Mr, Stanley, Major Walker, Colonel Gilpin, aud Captain
Nolan. alter which,
Sir W. Lawson endeavoured to turn the discussion back to
the topic of reduction, contending that no case had been
made out for so large a Land Force, since there was no
danger in Europe, and our fleet was a match for all the
world. Ile protested against being led away brthe cry of
absolute security" and "transition estimates," and twitted
certain members of the Government with their economical
zeal when on the Independent benches.
The discussion was continued Until a few minutes before
midnight, when Lord Eicho moved the adjournment of the
&hate. Mr. Cardwell at first objected, but on the motion
being backed by other members on both sides of the House
he gave we.q, and the debate was adjourned until Friday.
The Mines Regulation and the Metalliferous Mines Bills
Were toad a second time.

'he Poor Law Loans Bill was read a third time and passed,
The Marquis of flartiugton brought in a bill to amend the
law rulating to Grand Jury Presentments (Ireland), and the
llouse adluurned.

In the House of Lords, March 5, the Earl of Dufferin moved
the second reading of the Irish Church Act Amendment
hill, which is to provide for the filling up of (ho vacancy
In the Irish Church Temporalities Commission. Ex-
perience, he saki, had led the Government to believe
that the objects of the Irish Church Act would be
best attained by not appointing a third commis.
sioner to succeed the late Mr. Hamilton, but to give the two
remaining commissioners the power to call hi any member
of the Irish Privy Council whenever any appellant desired
to have his case heard before a till .rcurt. The noble earl i
concluded by expressing the loss which Ireland had sus-
tamed by the death of Mr. Hamilton.
The Earl of Longford thought it objectionable to abolish
the office of third cominissioner, but regarded the new trl.
bend of apptal as one which the Irish people might be
advised to accept. lie made no charge against the commis-
sioners, but there was an impression in Ireland that the
Work of their office was in arrear, and that a commissioner
Who had nothing else to do might facilitate the business.
lie desired the Governnient to consider the subject of the
tithe rent charges, as to which there was a bill now before
the House of Commons.
Viscount Nlonck said the time of the commissioners had
been much occupied with inquiries as to annuities, which
could now be commuted. Increasing the commissioners
. . .

would not get rid of the arrears that existed, hut they were
not of an extraordinary char :toter. Id the 6.?.31 applications
for commutation which has e been made, 3,4,3 had been
settled during last year, and that was not a had year's is urk.
(Hear, hear.
After a few words front Lord ('out-town with reference to
expediting the work of the Commissioners' office, the bill
Wes read a second time.

The Public Parks (Ireland) Bill was read a second time.
In reply to lord Rmlesdale, the Marquis of Lansdowne
said that the new OffiC¢9 In IMwillng-street, would probably
be completed about the spring of kit. The adjacent houses
would not be pulled down until the offices were in arly
completed. The Poternment had not any intention at present
of widening Parliament-street.
. •

Lord RedeadMe regretted the decision of the Government,
and stawested some further improvements.
Thtir lordships then adjourned,

In the House of Commons, a large number of petitions
against any alteration .4 the Momentary Education Act,
Is7o, were presented by Mr. It. A. Cross, Mr. Cowell, Lord It.
Montagu, and other members.
Bowring gave notice that in Committge of Supply on
the Civil Service Estimates he would move The omission of
the vote for repayment of the expenses of ex-Governor Eyre.
Mr. Mc Arthwe gave notice that on Thursday he would ask
whether the Government would also recommend that corm
pensation he made to Mrs. Gordon for the heavy loss she had
sustained hi consequence of the execution of her husband and
the destruction of her ptoperty.
Lord Enfield, replying to Mr. Graves, said that both before
and subsequent to the passing of the recent French Naviga.
thm Acts, imposing certain duties upon shipping, her
Majesty's Government had addressed communications to
the French Government, based upon the spirit and verbal
construction of the treaty, awl they lisd asked for an early
reply, as the subject was one ef urgent interest to the mer-
cantile community.
Mr. ICArthur asked whether it was still the intention of
the Government to erect the proposed convict prison in the
neighbourhood of Denmark-hill and lierne-hill.
• -•

Mr. Steretary Bruce said that after the representations
which had been made upon the subject the Government had
determined to relinquieh the project. • - •

Mr. (Mechem, replying to Sly Busse), Viiiian, said that
the papers showing the results of the experimento which
bad been made in three of the Indian troop shins with
Welsh and mixed coal would shortly be in the hands of
members. The trials showed that there 1114 bran
a great saving of both sorts of coal as com-
pared with previous averages. Inc broad results
were that the total comelmption of Welsh coal
on these three ships cut arid home was 3,3 is tons
hr 2,14 s hours, as compared with 3,724 tons at named
coal In 2.022 boors, showing a difference of 376 tons
In favour of Welsh coal, and of 132 hours hi favour
of mixed coal. The average showed a saving of 2,000
tons on 9,000 as ciimpareit with previous averages.
There was an economy in It elsh coal when used fresh,
and in mixed coals when used In hot climates.
All ships in future starting from Portsmouth and Devozipert
would be supplied with it coal, and the same rule would
apply to Clibraltar. Ships starting from Malta would re-
ceive two-thirds of Welsh and eon-third of North cemitry
col, whilst in vessels at Port Said and foreign stations
Ine present proportion of half and-half would be main-
tained.
Mr. Dixon brought forward his Vote of censure on the
Elementary Education Act. This was contained in six
Resolutions, of which two complained of the failure of the
Act to Moire the general election of School Boards
and compulsory attendance; two objected to the operu.
tion of the 25th seition, and two censored the use if
public nen.), for the teaching of denominational reli-
gion ; and he stated that while he himself dealt with
the first tepic, he hail allotted the second to Mr.
Leathant and the third to Mr. Richard. After repudiating
the charge that the League was by the present ROM-
tb el violating some compromise, he entered into all elabo-
rate comparison of a Denominational and a National
system, stating his objections to the first—that it gave
the control of Eilucatiou to irresponsible managers,
provided a 'mil ineilicient educatim at a great cost,
and left many children without any education at
all, Au. Without School Boards everywhere and uni-
versal compulsion, he maintained it would be impossible to
establish an adequate and satisfactory systeni of Education,
and it was on those who opposed compulsion and School
lioards—the Conservative party and the Church—that he
fixed the responsibility of hoped nig the spread of education.
Admitting that the Education League had now definitely
committed itself to the separation i.f religion and education,
he defended the action of that body, disclaiming all jealousy
of the Church, and assert Mg that its object was to raixo the
education of the working classes.
Mr. Richard, in seconding the motion, also spent sonic
thne in cemliattiug the suggestion that he and his friends
were violating a compromise. Ile objected not so much
to Leo existence of denominational teaching an to the en-
couragement of denominational schools by the State. This
led him into a sharp altaek mi Mr. Forster for the partiality
be had shown to the denominational schools even in
his administration of the Act as it stood, aa was shown
by his appointment of inspectors mid the proceedings I
of some of his officials Moreover, he objected to the i
quality of thee denominational teaching likely to be
given by some clergymen whose Protestantism was
ar.thlg very faint ; and in support of this Mx. Richard
quoted a passage irons a book, which he supposed to he
Issued by the Clmreh of England, but which turned out to be
a Rom. Catholic school-book. Nor did he believe that re-
Bain.% teaching could be secured by congaing it merely to
Schoolmasters. Fondly, Mr. Richard warned the Govern-
ment againet breaking op the Liberal party by alienating
and disgusting one of its lAigett tinctione.
Mr. Forster met the motiou by an amendment that a
patlident time hss not elapsed since the patwing of the Act
ig AIM jUdgfgalls balPg mood on itv poialiai %AIWA