The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-03-27 00:00:00

7117. EDLTATION, &C., OF IDIOTS AND IMBECILES.

In the Efor:z OF LORDS, March 23, the Lord Chan-
cellor presented a bill to give facilities for the care,
education, and training of idiots and imbcciles, and it
was read a first time.

THE UNION or BENEFICES (AMENDMENT) BILL.
The Earl of Milltown moved the second reading of
the Union of Benefices Bill, the object of which i to
extend to churches and their sites in the metropolis the
same protection which is enjoyed by similar sit•es in the
country.—The Bishop of London regarded the bill as
equitable to the repeal of the Act of 1860, the opera-
tion of which he traced and defended in some detail.
The bill, be pain ed out, would stop many improve-
ments.—The Earl of Pawls made some remarks, and
the Archbishop of Canterbury, while desiring to see all
that was possible done to restore the use of the anciett
cbutches, thought that after all was done there would
still remain many churches which could not be of use.
The bill was negatived without a division.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN INDIA.

Lord Fitzgerald moved for a return cf the taxes and
duties raised or levied on the administration of justice
in India during the year 18;-,43, whether by stamps, ad
valorem duties, or otherwise, under the Act of the
Governor-General of India in Council in 1870, or any of
the Acts referred to therein, or otherwise ; and that the
subject of the taxation of justice in India may be re.
ferred to the Select Committee on the operation of the
Act for the better government of India (1858), and
certain other Acts relating to India.—The Earl of
Kimberley said the subject of the prop2r amount
judicial fees which should be levied in India was an
extremely technical one. He, however, entirely ad.
mitted that the subject deserved attention, and there
had been complaints from India that the fees were too
high, and those complaints had been seconded by the
authority of the Chit Justice of the High Court of
Calcutta. The attention of the Viceroy and Govj,rn•
ment of India had been for a considerable time speci..
ally directed to this matter, and a committee of the
Legislative Council was actually sitting for the purpose
of investigating the whole subject. (Hear, hear.) He
thought it was probable that, looking to the fact that it
was already being inquired into, and to the technical
nature of the subject, they would not be anxious to go
into it. With regard to the return, it could not be
obtained without considerable delay and expense.
The motion was withdrawn.
TEE IIILITARY AND IRE RIOTS,

Lord De Ros called attention to the uncertainty
which exists as to what is expected of the military
during riots.—Lord Halsbury referred to the judgment
of Lo d Msnsfield on the pint, laying down that it
was not oldy the right but the duty of soldiers to exert
themselves in assisting the execution of legal process,
or to prevent any crime or mischief being done.—Lord
Fitzgerald was of opinion that officers and men could
not go wrong if they adhered to the Queen's Regula
tions under such circumstances, and quoted the opinions
of Chef Justice Tindal, in regard to the Bristol riots,
and Lord Ellenborough.—Lord Napier of Magdala still
thought the position of a soldier difficult to understand,
and pressed for further definition.—The Lord Chan-
cellor said it could not be denied that officers and men
acted to a considerable extent at their peril, which it
was impossible to remove altogether, though it might
be reduced to a minimum. It was impossible to lay
down any bard and fast rule as to when a military man
must wait for the order of the civil power and when he
might act without it —The Mire of Cambridge thought
that great doubt still remained, and urged that a case
should be laid before the Government to bring the
Qugen's Regulations and the law into harmony.

BURGH POLICE AND HEALTH (SCOTLAND) BILL.
The Earl of Elgin moved the second read•ng of this
bill, which, after a few words from Lord Balfour of
Burleigh and the Earl of Galloway, was read a second
time.

_
Then. lordships adjourned at twenty-ilve minutes to
eight o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

In the HOUSE or COMMONS the following bills were
considered and ordered for thiid reading: Burgess Hill
Water Powsey and Salisbury Railway, and the Wrex-
ham Gas Bills. The Rowley Regis and Blackheath
Gas Bill was read a second time. Mr. C. Sykes took
the oath and his seat for the Buchrose Divbion of East
Yorkshire, for which he had been returned at the
general election.