The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-10 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HARBOTJRS OF REFUGE.

In the Holm OF LORDS, April 2, Lord Thurlow,
in reply to Lord Sidmouth, who had asked questions and
moved for returns, said there was no objection to the
production of a return of the moneys advanced on loan
within the 1-st five years towards the construction and
improvement of harbours of refuge. The amount of
money for those objects which the State should advance
in future, and the localities to which it should be
applied, were matters which required, and would
receive, careful consideration.
The motion for the returns was agreed to.
COLONISATION.

Lord Harrowby, having made some remarks on the
importance of colonisation as a means of providing
labour fcr the surplus working population of the mother
country, asked the Secretary for the Colonies how far
her Majesty's Government would be able to meet the
wishes of deputations which had urged on the Colonial
Depaitment the desirability of supplying, through post
offices and local authorities, official information on the
subject. He moved for all papers addressed to the
Colonial Office during the last 12 months in favour of
State directed colonisation, and for any papers request-
ing the diffusion of the information to which he had re-
ferred.—Lord Granville fully appreciated the great
importance of this subject, which had engaged
and was engaging the attention of the Government.
The Colonial Office and the Treasury were arranging
details which it was necessary to settle before a plan of
giving official information to the public in respect of
emigration to the colonies could be adopted, but only
a short time would elapse before such a plan was in
working order. It was h,s intention to lay upon the
table papers which would put their lordships in pos-
session of all the representations which had been made
to the Government on the question of State-directed
emigraticn. —Lord Norton and Lord Iddesleigh having
expressed their concurrence in what had betn said as
to the importance of the subject, the motion was
withdrawn. _ _ _

Their lordships rose at twenty-five minutes to da
o'clock.

FOREIGN COMPETITION.

In the Howe OF CommoNs, on going into Supply,
Mr. Bl'Laren called attention to the successful efforts
of the German and French Governments in pushing
the trade of their respective countries in foreign
markets in competition with English manufacturers,
and moved a resolution declaring that the Government
ought to consider the desirability of appointing pro-
perly qualified diplomatic agents in foreign capitals for
the express purpose of promoting the extension of
British commerce.—Mr. C. M. Palmer, in seconding the
motion, bore testimony as a member of the Royal Com-
mission to the intensity of the depression in trade, and
thought that it would be desirable for more information
to be laid before the working-classes as to the rate of
wages, hours of work, &c.—Mr. Hutton, while not desir-
ing to see our diplomatic agents turned into corn•
mersial touts, thought they might be made of more
use in sending home reports bearing on our various
industries.—Mr. Sutherland and Mr. W. F. Lawrence
also spoke, and Mr. Goschen, while desiring that
Brifi.h commerce should receive every support and
encouragement from our diplomatic represen ativen,
pointed out various considerations which should forbid
them mixing themselves up with promoting contracts,
concession, and other such undertakings.—Lord W.
Compton advocated the employment of permanent
comer..vcial secretaries at each Embassy, and Mr
Howell desired that the Consular reports should be
made more available for the working classes.—Mr.
Maclean deprecated the notion ant English merchants
should rely on State help rather than their own efforcs,
and in discussing the causes of the more active compe-
tition to which our commerce was exposed, pointed to
the smaller profits and less luxurious habits of foreign
merchants. He was also of opinion that we might
with advantage imitate the prohibitive policy of
Russia in regard to our foreign conquests.—
Mr. Bryce admitted the importance of the sub-
ject, and remarked that the Foreign Office, which
fully recognised its responsibility in relation to foreign
competition, was now making exhaustive inquiries how
it could most efficiently give assistance to the commer-
cial community. Under these circumstances the
Government could not accept the motion, as it would
detrimentally affect and limit the scope of those
inquiries. He believed that the success of the Germans
was due to their superior commercial education and
thrifty habits, and not to political influence, and main-
tained that the depression in trade was not confined to
this country only. Moreover, he raaintained that Mr.
M'Laren had not made out any case of negli-ence
against our diplomacy. At the same time, he agreed
that more care should be shown in the selection of
consular agents in regard to their commercial know-
ledge.—Mr. Bourke objected to turn consular agents
into commercial travellers, and deprecated any increase
in the number of commercial Attach6s. He thought
the status of consular agents might be improved, but
he would adhere to the present system and properly
regulate it from head-quarters.
The motion was negaiived without a division.
MISCELLANEOUS.

Mr. Isaacs postponed his motion in regard to out-
door relief to the deserving poor owing to the alvence
of the President and Secretary of the Local Govern-
ment Board.—The Contsgious Diseases Acts Repeal
Bill passed through Committee without amendment,
and was read a third time.