The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-08-28 00:00:00

T'3E AFGHAN FRONTIER.

In the HOUSE OF ComteNs, on Tuesday, August 24th1
Sir James Ferguson stated, in answer to Mr. Bt
that her Majesty's Government had come to an
arrangement with the Russian Government that, the
Afghan frontier having been demarcated, the commis•
sion should separate, and that the remaining portion of
the frontier up to the Oxus should be settled bet.,e it
the two Governments. With regard to affairs in Bul-
garia, her Majesty's Government were not in posYession
of much more information than had appeared in the
newspapers. Tbey could not hut view the course of
affairs in Bulgaria with great anxiety, hut be thought.
the House would approve of his declining to make any
further statement unless upon accurate and authentic
Information.
THE DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS.

The aoljou-rned—riei;tO On the Address was reourned
by Mr. Parnell, who moved an amendment, indicating
the probability of wide-spread suffering and danger to
the maintenance of social order, resulting from evic-
tions consequent upon the inability of Irish tenani
farmers to pay their present rents, and further depre-
cating any attempt to transfer the loss likely to arise
due to inability to pay the rents from the owne-s of
land to the taxpayers of Great Britain and Ireland.
He demurred to the inference that the question of
Irish celf. government bad been crispoc.ed of by the
recent elections, and declared that the National
cause, which was the winning cause, could only be
damaged by excesses. At the same time he appre-
hended that the course which the Government bad e.e
termined upon would produce discrder, followed by
drastic coercion, which to be effectual must involve tbe
suspension of Constitutional' liberty not only in Ire
land but in that House. As a means of relieving the
pressure caused by the inability to pay the present
rents, he suggested that judicial rents should be re-
vised triennially, the prices of agricultural produce
being taken into consideration, that lease,tolders
should be admitted t) the benefits of the Land Act, and
that the court should be empowered in certain cases to
suspend the right of eviction.
Mr. D. Plunket observed that no doubt there had
been a fall in the prices of agricultural produce,
although it had been greatly exaggerated by Mr.
Parnell and his friends; but it had been the practice of
the sub.commissioners in fixing judicial rents to take
into account the possibility of a fall in prices. • Within
the last 18 months also the tendency of evictioni had
been to decrease. The intention of the Government
was to carry further—and they believed they could do
so with success—the policy of Lord Ashbournea Act,

and thus enable large numbers of tenants to become the
owners of their holdings, but the complete success of
that Act and of the other proposals of the Government
far improving the material condition of Ireland must
depend noon the restoration and maintenance of social
order. He claimed credit for the Government for
having conceived their policy in a spirit of concilia-
tion. _ _ _

Mr. Gladstone, who at the commencement of his
remarks was called to order for going beyond the scope
of the amendment, proceeded, by the indulgence of the
House, to comment upon the general policy announced
by the Government, which he pointed out was a com-
plete inversion of that of the late Government. He
complained that serions delay in the progress of legisla-
tion would be caused by the appointment of commis-
sions of inquiry, and declared that the plan for impos•
jug upon the taxpayer the loss cause,i by inability to
meet the present rents was totally inadmissible. He ob.
jected also to the course taken by the Government as
likely to encourage evictions and greatly discourage re-
missions of rent. The limitations affixed to their local
government plans were unjust and unsatisfactory,
and he trusted that the influence of Lord Elartington
would be exerted in order to expand them up to the
point to which the noble lord's views had advanced.
He owned that the prospect was a dark one. He saw
a great widening of the field of Irish legislation and an
enormous augmentation of the Irish business, which
constituted the main obstacle to progress with the
proper and immediate business of the Imperial Parlia-
ment. He feared the policy now announced would
again increase the difficulties which the late Govern-
ment had been struggling with some success to
diminish It involved the prolongation of a controversy
already too long, and the postponement of that ccn.
summation which could alone give rest and repose to
frelatsd, and also could bring to a close the period of
political agitation. 'With regard to the amendment,
the right hon. gentleman intimated that he should
take no part in the division, as he considered it un-
desirable, by means of an amendment to the Address,
to endeavour to precipitate or hasten a decision of the
House upon the policy propounded by the Govern-
ment.
The discussion was continued by Mr. Harris, Mr.
Cossham, and Mr. S Mason, who supported the amend-
ment, and by Mr. Heath, Mr. L. Cohen, and Mr.
Caldwell, who opposed it.
Mr. Chap'in attributed the present agrarian diffi-
culties of Ireland to the foolish legislation of the late
Prime Minister, and insisted that the State having
entered into a contract with landlords and tenants, any
loss caused by interference with that contract ought
not to fall upon the landlords. While generally en-
dorsing the policy propounded by the Government, he
differed altogether horn their proposal to largely
extend local government in Ireland, but upon this point
he reserved his criticism until their measure was
brought forward.
Mr. W. Macdonald asserted that the enforcement of
judicial rents in Ireland would inevitably cause an out-
burst of crime.
Mr. T. W. Russell, as representing an agricultural
constituency in Ireland, commended the general pro-
gramme of the Government as universally wise, and
believing them to be honest in their determination to
inquire and to legislate he declined to vote for Mr. Par-
eel's empty amendment.
Mr. Mahony. having been an assistant commissioner
under the Land Act of 1881, declared that the fall in
agricultural produce had rendered the rents they fixed
too high for the tenants to pay.
Mr. Ambrose hating spoken against the amendment,
Sir J. Esmonde moved the arliournment of thst debate.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer expressed a hope
that the debate on the Address would be concluded on
Thursday
Mr. Sexton thereupon observed that the Irish mem-
bers could hold out no prospect of its terminating at
the time indicated by the noble lord.
The debate was then adjourned.
The Attorney• General for Ireland introduced a bill
empowering the Commissioners charged witn the in-
quiry into the Belfast riots to summon witnesses, call
for the production of documents, a..d examine witness..
um oath.
The House adjourned at 10 minutes to one o'clock.