The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-06-18 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

On the HoL,:: or LORDS re-assembling on June 13th after
the 'Whitsuntide recess, Lord Fife asked whether, consider-
ing the importance of Scotch affairs and the strong feeling
entertained on the subject in Scotland, the Government were
Willing to consider the desirability of appointing a Minister
Ind other than a law officer.
some discussion I,llowPd, in which the Duke of Ar.,-,-;,11,
Lord Rosebery, and other peers took part.
Replying to the inquiry of Lord Fife, Lord Granville ob-
served that he had always understood it was the general
opinion that Scotland was well governed, because the Scotch
businsiss was, as a rule, transacted by the Scotch representa-
tives. The evil complained of at the present moment was un-
doubtedly owing to the block of business in the Commons;
but the matter being one which it was the desire of
the Government to deal with in the most effective manner,
and not in haste or by piecemeal, he hoped the noble Earl
would be satisfied with the assurance that the Government
would give the fairest and fullest consideration to the whole
question.
- - - --- •

A number of Bills, including the Married Women's Pro-
perty (Scotland) Bill, which passed through Committee, were
advanced a stage.
Their lordships adjourned at a quarter to seven o'clock.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. Otway having made in-
quiries as to the authenticity of the decree transferring the
management of the foreign relations of Tunis to the French
Consul-General and as to its effects, Sir C. Dilke said it was
Perfectly true that such a decree had been issued, but it
'would make no difference in the treaty rights of British
:subjects, which had been fully recognised by the French
Government.
Mr. M. Guest asked whether the Government still regarded
Tuni as an integral part of the Turkish Empire, and if not
when they had changed their minds. On his pressing for an
ansiv•ir, Sir. C. Dilse reminded ham that Bosnia and Herze-
pvilla were administered by Austria and Cyprus by Great
yet all three were still parts of the Ottoman Empire.
Si.. IL Wolff asked whether Austria was not acting under
the 'treaty of Berlin, and Great Britain under a convention
Wit)' the Porte, and Sir C. Mike retorted with regard to the
latt,,r that all the Powers having capitulations had carefully
:that lined from recognizing the convention.
31r. O'Donnell asked whether the Government had re-
frai, .ed frim recognising the right of France to administer
the affairs of Tunis, to which the -Under-Secretary replied
that the policy of the Government was contained in the
:Parliamentary papers before the House.
In answer to a question from Sir R. Cross, Sir W. Harcourt
eaid he had no information from Liverpool confirming the
rumour of an attempt to rescue the Fenian prisoners.
lir. Forster, having returned from Ireland, was back in
his place in the House of Commons, and was loudly cheered
both on entering and on rising to reply to the first of a long
List of questions addressed to him with regard to Irish
affairs. Answering Mr. Cavendish Bentinck, he stated that
he had no legal proof that the Land League was affiliated
either to the Ribbon conspiracy or to the Fenian conspiracy.

- - _
In reply to Lord R. Churchill, who asked the Chief Secre-
tary whether he could give to the House a detailed account
Of the recent riots at Skibbereen, Skull, and Cork. and
could state what injuries were inflicted on individuals and
,?tt property owing to those riots; and whether lie would
saY upon the table the official reports of the magistrates and
constabulary officers,
Mr. Forster said : The disturbances in the south of Cork,
although serious, have been a good deal exaggerated. The
entire elisturbance is attributable to the unfounded rumour
that the ilev. Mr. Murphy, parish priest of Skull, was to be
arrested. On Monday, June 6, this rumour first spread.
Horns were sounded, men on horseback summoned the
People, and large crowds to the number of between 4,000
and 5,000 people, armed with spades, pitchforks, and other
weapons, rapidly collected at Skull, many of them coming
from a distance of ten or twelve miles. The police force was
Only sufficient for the defence of the barrack, and could
not leave it. About 9.30 in the evening a number of stones
were thrown at the police barrack. The Heaa Constable
called on the mob to desist, and threatened to fire ou-them.
'-'he mob then desisted, and subsequently some windows in
the barrack were broken by stones, thrown principally by
women. The mob also attacked the house of J. Sullivan,
breaking the windows and doors, and stealing £5O. His car
was also taken away and thrown into the sea, and the
windows of three other houses were broken. As regards
the amount of property injured, the injury estimated in
Skull is about £lO5. A scene of great disorder was kept
tiP until daylight. During the night and early on Tuesday
Morning telegraph poles between Ballydehob and Skibbereen
were torn down. Tuesday, the 70, was fair day at Bally.
dehob, a village about five miles nearer Skibbereen than
Skull. Large crowds had also collected there on the
Previous evening to prevent the arrest of the Hew, Ms.
Murphy, and had remained up all night, partaking freely of
Whisky. On the morning of the 7th stones were thrown at
the police barrack. Immediately application was made to
Mr. Warburton, the resident magistrate at Bantry, for
Military aid, who at once started from Bantry, with a force
of 44 Marines and two officers. They reached Ballydehob
at 5 p.m. On entering the town they were hooted, and
seine stones were thrown at them, principally by women in
houses. The Marines then fixed bayonets, and the stone-
throwing ceased for a tense. They then marched to the
conatabulary barrack, when more stones were thrown, and
th, e men then prepared to charge. They dia not do so,
Qewever, because in the front of the crowd were some dozen
men trying their best to keep the people quiet, and behind
them numbers of women, and these would have been the
sufferers, instead of the roughs who were throwing the
'atones from behind. The Catholic curate arrived at this
Period, and did his utineet to restore order. The resident
magistrate, seeing that the constabulary barrack was
Perfectly safe, decided to return. The crowd, finding that the
!ley. Mr. Murphy's arrest was not intended, exhibited most
;riendly feeling to the troops and repeatedly cheered them.
let laugh.) As regards the rioting at Skibbereete it appears
that Head Constable Drohan, when returning there on the
evening of the 7th, was surrounded by a violent mob awl
cut on the head with a stone. The mob proceeded at about
Hine P.m. to attack the house of Mr. Coppithorne (who had
resisted Boycotting, and had supplied the police with
cats). All the available police turned out, and the stone-
aro wing became so serious that the resident magistrate in
'-barge threatened to fire. The Rev. Mr. O'Brien came up,
-"Q by great efforts induced the rioters to disperse. ()Met
was restores, and the police withdrew. About midnight
another attack was made on Qoppithorne's house, which
was wrecked. The police chaigeu the mob several times
rith fixed swords, and drove them eway, several, it is
2elieved, being wounded. Quiet was again restored. In
riot several of the pollee were struck with stoiws, but,
Zoept in two cases, none were ceriously hurt. As regiteds
injury to property in Skibbereea, the amount was about
50- The latest reports I have received represent the
district as quiet, but there is still considerable latent ex-
;gement. With a view, however, of preventing any
tarther disorder the police force has been strengthened,
roo9. have been sent to Skull and Skibbereen, and a re-
'444ent magistrate of experience placed in special charge of
we district, On the Bth lost., at 2.50 aan., an attempt
made to throw two special trains, 41rrying troops from
leork to Skibbereen, off the lines between Rallineen and
rfluiekean, by placing a quantity of sand on the line. This,
nowever, did not succeed. Again, on the same day a ciow,l,
'lonia/sting of 200 men, some en horseback, assembled near
urimoleague, and a body of about 40 of them set to work
.;lad tore up the rails for a distanee of eight yards, and
!prey/ them over the embankment. Having done this,
reY placed a red flag where the rails had been
b°eriu up. They then proceeded to Drimoleagee. It is
_ 'eyed this was done to stop, not upset, the train,
7it was believed Father Murphy, of Skull, was in
and being conveyed as a prisoner to Cork. Ido not deny
enat the state of the district is such as requires anxious
entire, but I fully believe that the force seat down is sufficient
bct only to restore, but to keep order. In Cork the riot has
8" Put down. The police there behaved with great for-
(&tlarance with regard to the people who had been arreeted.
ear, hear.)
„..111 answer to questions from Mr. Labouchere and Mr.
Etaefarlane, who referred to his declaration of last Session,
ttf said he had not found during his recent visits to Ireland
e"at the landlords were using their powers to force the
'eovernment to support them in the exercise of injustice.
believed that the largest proportion of tanants now
L'uder eviction could pay their rents if they would.
The House then event into Committee on the Land Law
and) Bill. Shortly after midnight, when a little more
Batt Nye pages of amendments had been disposed of, but
Only sit more lines of the Bill, a rather lively discussion
arose on see amendment of Mr. Chaplin, and a motion of
lefrd It. Churchill to report progress. in the result the
Qrther consideration of the bill was postponed.
-The Alkali Works Bill was further considered in Coln
ttee, and the House was counted out at ten minute. past
'wo o'clock.

e,siel the ROUSE OF LORI" June 14, Lord Sidmouth, in
irl°vlng for a return of the expenses caused by the proceed'
ti of the Atalanta Committee, alluded to the recent in-
"lre' into the loss of the Atalanta.
.ae,_The Earl of Northbrook in reply gave an explanation, in
;7"tch he said that the Government were perfectly satisfied
ith the Committee's report.
The motion was then withdrawn.
Carlingford, replying to Lord Waveney, said the
Toedy for the bad condition of Irish labourers' dwellings
that rest mainly with the tenant farmers, though he
i7elieved the Land Bill would have a very important bearing
ne,en the condition of the labourer. The Government could
Pledge themselves to deal with the question in the pre-
sleet Session.
Lot,aumber of Bills having been advanced a stege, their
wThiPa adjourned at twenty-five minutes to seven o'clock.
At the Morning sitting of the I.IOUsE OF COMMONS, Mr. T.
liers asked the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
'Lent whether the alarm and discontent felt by matmakers
and others, who believed that they were subject to the corn-
poutton of produce obtained by prison labour, would not be
La great part, if not entirely, obviated if the governors of
erieras were directed to dispose of such produce to the
ae departments of Government only, and for Govern-
, ent uae, and were restrained from disposing of such produce
ill the oPen market.
eBir W. Harcourt said he felt sure his hon. friend would
„"cognise the fact that it was a very important matter that
isoners should be employed in industrial occupation (hear,
sear), and that the best price should be obtained for the pro-
eJlee of their labbur in order to lighten the public expense.
'eeeping these points in view the Prison Commissioners
rule act in reference to this matter in such a way as to
isturb the labour market as little as possible,
Sir 11. Tyler asked the First Lord of the Treasury, if he
would state to the House whether the Postmaster-General
N'las responsible for the safety of the public as regards the
e`eangers of the fracture of the telegraph wires suspended over
eae metropolis and maintained by his department, and to
What department of the Government the public might look
for Interference in the case of proved and palpable risk in-
earred in consequence of wires not maintained Ly the Post
Otlice Department, but suspended by other parties over the
thoroughfares of the metropolis.
Mr. Gladstone Li eply said :—I understand with regard to
Wires maintained by the Post Office that the Postieeeter-
n
a:eneral is not legally responsible, his responsibility being i
7,41 Y such as must attach to every public servant. The true
7,.,sn'eeer to the question is that the local authorities are the
rtsette really responsible, it being their duty to look after
Ttrt;acieetnents which may affect the ti'afila of the streets, and
li, therdore, to them that commutes-seams must be ad-
"tessed in case any difficulty should arise.
eellskr IL Tyler then addressed a question relating to the same
e.eJect to the Postmaster-General.
Itr. Fawcett said—ln reply to the hon. member I have !to
tate that in 1877, within a radius of four nines from St.
le-Grand, there were 1,720 nilles of overhouse
,Ztre, and 3,350 of underground. The House will at once
e hew anxious the Department is to substitute, as far as
jactieable, underground for overhouse wires (hear, hear)
heaLa I mention that by March last the mileage cei' over-
leg" wires had been reduced from 1,720 to 5* 0, and the
Te'eage of underground had increased from 3,3e0 to 4,388.
eSee Wires of no important trunk lines are now carried by the
efeleartruent over houses, and it is from these trunk lines,
iehere
be a great number of wires have to be maintained, that
chief danger arises. Every care is taken by the frequent
r'sleection of the poles and overhouse wires to prevent any
accident. (Hear, hear.)
the House again went Into Committee on the Irish Land
and various Amendments were considered. A proposal
CleAtr. C. Russell to strike out the fifth sub-section of the Ist
-Ilse em defining the "reasonable grounds" on which a tand-
reelgiat refuse to admit a purchaser sa tepaet, was ac-
ce„,.7,, euhy Mr. Gladstone, and, after some discusaioe, agreed
the Committee without a division.
the Evening Sitting, in a thin House, both front
-'netlea" being empty,
Sir W. Lawson rose to move,—" That in the opinion
of tilt-5 re
the --souse it is desirable to give legislative effect ter
resolution passed on the 18th day of June, 1880,
Wleee
...affirms the justice of local communitica being
snerese
the ed with the power to protect themselves from
InetoPeration of the liquor traffic." The hon. baronet corn-
explaining that he had altered the motion from its
%Nub:tail) form. feeling that, in the pressure of business, it
Propeo
folly to insist on legislation this Session. What he
givie as to ask the House to affirm the desirablenese of
tut egislative effect to the resolution passed on June le
bon.Year, without undue delay. His resolution (said the
eyenleye eesrenet) and the subject which called them there that
dealt with a very great grievance. The grievance
.7.": that there was a law in this country by which irre-
Ne Bale
authorities were enabled to license places for
a
of intoxizating drink whenever. thee pleased
t ct o and that having
this power they eiercesed it
,erge extent. No doubt, they exercised it with the
-se e intentions, but the result Wa..S Ilot satisfactory.

It would not be denied that the drinking habits of the
people were the main cause of the pauperism which existed
in this wealthy country. He observed with delight the
efforts of the l'oAniaster-General to encourage saving habits
among the people, but he often thought it was very hard
upon his right hon. friend that while he was doing all
he could to e.,tablish s.avings-banks, all his attempts
should be ne•dralized by the State allowing 150,000
men to take tee money of the poor people by selling
them drink ie their licensed premises. Another evil
arose from drinking was the crime of
the country.—The hon. baronet then proceeded to dilate
on the mischiefs of the present licensing system, the evils of
intoxication, and the anomalous attitude of the ',tate towards
the drink traffic, out of which, he said, the agitation for local
option had sprung. His resolution, he pointed out, would
not clash with any system of licensing, but would merely
require that the people should have power to prevent
the traffic being forced on it. Analysing the division
of last year, lie showed that a large majority of
Scotland, Ireland, u 4 Wales had voted for him ; that
four Cabinet Ministers had gone with him ; and that
Mr. Gladstone, though he had pop voted with him, had
committed himself to the principle. *s po priv4le member
could hope to legislate while the present system of f` )41°4,
ing" was in vogue, he argued that it became a matter of
course for the Government to take up the duty of giving
effect to last year's resolution.
Mr. Burt, in seconding the motion, testillod to the interest
felt in the subject by narge and intelligent section of the
working classes.
Mr. Daly contended that Sir NV. Lawson had neither
traced drunkenness to the present licensing system nor
shown that local option would promote temperance. He
complained, also, of the vagueness of the propo,al, and main-
tained that the system would be unworkable especially in
Ireland, and would breed coufusion and tumult. Moreover,
the compensation required would amount to between forty
and fifty millions.
Captain elymer took the same view of the practical effect
of local option, and preferred to leave the licensing power
in the hands of the magistrates, who had done their duty and
checked drunkenness.

Mr. H. Samuelson spoke in favour of the resolution, and
Mr. Hick :showed, from the statistics of beershops, that
the, magistrates had been more cherry in issuing lieences
than the ratepayers.
Mr. Bright pointed out that the resolution did not commit
the House to the Permissive Bill, which no had always
opposed as the greatest obstacle to temperance legislation,
but only to the proposition that the present licensing
system was bad and might be improved. This was
evidently the opinion of the country at the last
election, and the House had passed a similar resolution
last year. But he denied that that resolution bound
the Government to any particular pourse, nor would it
be committed to take charge of any measure which might
flow from this resolution. He insisted on this because the
present Session was fully occupied, and when the Land Bill
was passed there would probably be no time for other
Measures. But even though the Government did intkoducp
a Bill, it might not be altogether acceptable to Sir Wilfrid
Lawson on such points as compensation and re-
striction, instead of abolition. Moreover, there were
other important questions to be dealt with, such
as the land laws, county franchise, c., for which
public opinion might be more ripe than On this cinestion.
For Sir Ar. Lawson' consolation, he pointed out that the
question must continue to grow, and that his agitation
would not only compel some future government to deal
with it, but would enable them to deal with it effectually.
After some observations from Colonel Makins against the
resolution, the division was taken, and it was carried by a
majority of 42-196 to 154.
Major Nolan obtained leave to bring in a Bill to suspend
evictions in Ireland for a limited period on payment of six
months' rent. It gave rise to a short discussion, in the
course of which Mr. Gladstone said the Government had
come to no decision on the Bill, but he saw no reason to
refuse it the ordinary courtesy of a first reading, and a
motion to adjourn the debate was negatived by 148 to 26.
Some other business was disposed of, and the House ad-
journed at a quarter to one o'clock.