The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-23 00:00:00

IMPERTAT, PARLIAMENT.

THE LATE GERMAN EMPEROR.

The Marquis of Salisbury, in the House of Lords on
June 18th, and Mr. W. H. Smith, in the House of
Commons, moved that addresses be presented to the
Queen and to the German Empress expressing the deep
condolence of the two Houses with their Majesties, on
the occasion of the death of the German Emperor.
Both in the House of Lords and the House of Commons
there was a very large attendance. In the Upper
House many peeresses and members of the
Diplomatic Corps were present ; and in the
Lower, members who could not find sitting
accommodation on the benches below crowded
the galleries upstairs. The speeches of the noble mar-
quis and the right hon. gentleman were listened to in
profound and solemn silence. Earl Granville seconded
the motion in the House of Lords and Mr. Gladstone
in the House of Commons, the latter speaking with
much difficulty in consequence of severe hoarseness.
The Marquis of Hartington, on behalf of those with
whom he had been in the habit of acting, expressed
concurrence in every word that had fallen from Mr.
Gladstone, and thanked him for the eloquent expres-
sion he had given to the thoughts and sentiments that
prevailed in every part of the
_House. The resolutions
were agreed to.

REFORM OF THE LOAM—GOVERNMENT BILL.
Lord Salisbury, in presenting a bill for the creation
of life peers, said it empowered her Majesty to create
in each year not more than three life peers, who must
be men who had been Judges of the Superior Courts
for two years, or who were Rear-Admirals or Major-
Generals, or who had been Ambassadors Extraordinary,
or members of the Civil service who had been created
Privy Councillors, or who had been for five years
Governor or Lieut.-Governor of a colony. Her
Majesty would also have power to appoint in
each year two persons having special qualifica-
tions which she would set forth in a message to
the House. This would give the Crown power to
appoint five life peers in each year; but the total num-
ber of life peers in existence at any time was not to
exceed 50. Other provisions of this bill dealt with
those who had been called the "black sheep" of the
House, and power would be given to the Crown to
cancel the writ of summons issued to a peer, on an
address from the House praying that that should be
done. The writ thus cancelled would remain can-
celled during the Parliament, and, unless the Queen
gave a special order to the contrary, it would remain
permanently cancelled. The bill was not meant to in-
troduce any organic change, but its object was to enable
the House to discharge its duties better than at
present.
Lord Rosebery thought the bill would do nothing to
meet the great difficulty—the want of sympathy
between the two Houses. Still, he would vote for the
bill, because if once the sluices of reform were opened
it would not be possible to close them.
The Duke of Argyll approved of a limited creation
of life peers, and promised the bill the most favourable
consideration.

Lord Selborne expressed approval of the measure,
but doubted if the number should be limited to 50.

Lord Granville thought it was premature to discuss
the bill, which was then read a first time.

LOCAL GOVE-RNMENT BILL.

The HonsE OF COMMONS resumed in committee the
consideration of the Local Government Bill. On clause
3, which transferred to the county councils the adminis-
trative business of quarter sessions, amendments were
moved to the effect that there should also be tians-
ferred to the county councils the right of visiting
prisons, of appointing the chief constables, of appoint-
ing and removing the clerk of the peace, and of deter-
mining the salary of the chief constable. The amend-
ments were either negatived or withdrawn, and clause 3
was then agreed to. Clauses 4 and 5, which related to
the transfer to the councils of certain powers of
justices out of sessions were agreed to. The 6th clause,
reserving to quarter sessions the power to visit pauper
lunatic asylums was struck out of the bill. On clause
7, which reserved to quarter sessions the appointment,
control, and dismissal of chief constables, a long dis-
cussion took place, and on a suggestion by the Marquis
of Hartington it was agreed that the committee should
decide in whose hands the control of the police should
be vested before deciding what body should have the
appointment of chief constable. Progress was then
reported.