The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-08-03 00:00:00

Imperial 0 arliamtnt.

TER BURIALS BILL.

The House of Lords has read this • third time and
l'Osei it. The amendments introduced by the Upper
usce will not be accepted by the Lower, and if their
Lordships are wise they will not insist upon them.
The operation of the bill cannot be confined to parishes
where no unoonsearated burial groun already exists.
Nor can land recently given be exempted from the
controlof the ordinary law.
In the House of Commons Lord Hartington stated
that a proffer of the Ameership had been made to
Abdul Rahman by the Lite Government. Many
delays had aris' en before acceptance, delays which
inspired some doubt ea to the good faith with which
he pursued the negotiations. Lord Ripon, however,
had thought it best to go on, with the remelt that
Abdul Raman had been proclaimed Ameer. In these
circumstances the troops be able very shortly to
retire from Cabul. They would in the first instance
retire to • point where a healthy station could be
found, and where at the same time they would be near
enough to supply aid to the friendly tribes if necessary.
No formal engagement ha I been entered into with
Abdul Rahman, except thiit he had been given to
understand that no relations with any foreign nation
except the British could be carried on from Cabal.
He would not be asked to receive any British envoy
at Cabul, the Government being content to be
represented for the present by a Mohammedan. Mr.
Forster moved the third reading of the Compensation
for Disturbance Bill, and took the opportunity of
combating the assertion that he had presented various
chanif" of front, arguing that the changes in the bill
had been few and insignificant. On a diiision the
third reading was carried by 333 votes against 237. ,
The fruiter portion of the Tuesday morning sitting
of the House of Commons was occupied with private
business. Mr. Chamberlain informed Mr. Lyulph
Stanley that the Government would offer no opposi-
tion to the reappointment of a Select Committee to
inquire into and report on the subject of co-operative
trading, in continuation of the inquiry begun by the
committee appointed by the late Parliament. Dr.
Cameron called attention to the Select Committee of
1876 on Postal Telegraphs, and moved an amendment
declaring that the time has arrived for adopting the
policy of "increased telegraphic facilities and
diminished charges" advocated by the Select
Committee on Postal Telegraphs as the "true method
of making the Telegraph Department remunerative."
Mr. Fawcett, in reply, professed himself most anxious
to reduce the cost of telegrams, and adumbrated a
scheme of word-tariff. But it after all, a
question for the Chancellor of the Exc was,lequer. When
he should be ready partially to sacrifice an
immediate revenue, the Postmaster-General would
gladly reduce the cost of telegraphing. Dr.
Cameron withdrew his amendment.
In the House of Lords on Thursday night, Earl
Granville stated that Her Majesty had addressed •
communication to the Sultan, expressing • firm hope
that the Sultan would, even at some sacrifice, accede
to the unanimous wish of Europe in regard to the
provisions of the Treaty of Berlin.
In the House of Commons Lord Hartington stated
that telegrams received on Thursday morning from
India were of a very reassuring character, and went to
show that the telegram received on the previous day
announcing the disaster at Candahar MP to the
annihilation of the forces was ex rated.
On the second reading of the and Rabbits
Bill being called on Mr. Gladstone rose, and presented
• petition in favour of the bill signed by two hundred
and fifty farmers in Haddingtonshire. Lord Elcho
announced that he was commissioned by Sir Thomas
Gladstone to present a vetition against the bill. This
announcement was received with much merriment, in
which the Premier heartily shared. Mr. Brand moved
an amendment declaring it inexpedient to restrict or
interfere with the freedom of contract between land-
lord and tenant.

Viscount Lymington failed to recognise in the bill
any provision which implied confiscation, or which
really interfered with the best interests of freedom of
contract. (Hear, hear.) The bill would ensure that
any arrangements which might be made between
landlord and tenant were dictated by mutal advantages,
and not, as they had too often been hitherto,
compulsory and eneeided. (Hear, hear.) He did not
deny that there existed at the present time in the strict
sense of the word absolute freedom of contract, but it
must be remembered, on the other hand, that hitherto
the landlord had stood in such a vastly superior
position for bargaining that that freedom of contract
had been strained in its practical application. (Hear,
hear.) He had no wish to convey the impression that
the majority of the landowners in this country were
not honest and honourable men who would never
allow their tenants to suffer from the ravages of
ground game—(" hear, hear," from the Opposition)—
but they must remember that hitherto, owing to land
being in the hands of comparatively few people and
owing also until recently to the extreme popularity of
agriculture, the landlords had possessed practically a
monopoly of power. He did not in any sense grudge
them that monopoly; but unless he misread the inten-
tions of the bill, one object was to restrict and prevent
the abuse of that monopoly, and to prevent an unfair
landlord from imposing unfair restnctions when he let
a farm. (Hear, hear.) In the case of good landlords,
he did not believe that the bill would make any
practical difference whatever. (Hear, hear.) He
noticed with satisfaction that no direct opposition to
the bill had hitherto come from the front Opposition
bench, and thought that his hon. friend the member for
Stroud would have taken a far more logical and
intelligible course to have moved the rejection of the
bill than to have brought forward an amendment,
which, if carried, would leave the question of ground
game in precisely the same position in which it at
present stood. (Hear, hear.) He should give his
hearty support to the bill as embodying a fair, just, and
sensible proposal. (Cheers.)
Mr. Donald Currie supported the bill ins promising
maiden speech. Colonel Brise inquired whether this
was a time to harass landlords Where the tenant
had lost a pound the landlord had lost five, and it was
peculiarly hard to take from them a privilege which
they exercised without doing harm to anyone.
Mr. J. Howard found when fox-hunting that it was
in the game-preserving parts of the country that
blank days were most frequently experienced. One-
third of the game of the country was at present in the
hands of the tenant farmers, and he had yet to learn
they had shown any desire to exterminate hares and
rabbits. From his youth up the game question had
been a source of grievance and dissatisfaction to the
occupiers of the soil, and surely, after repeated in-
quiries into the subject, the time had arrived when the
practice of one man maintaining game for the pleasure
of another should cease. He was glad that a Govern-
ment had at length crime into power which saw the
nece sity for directing the attention of the Legislature
to the subject. Oier.preservation, he maintained,
lowered the morality of the people and lessened the
produce of the soil ; and if the present bill had been in
force during the last twenty years, poaching would
have been comparatively unknown, and much wealth
would have been saved to the agricultural community.
The hon. member quoted canes of farmers who had
been compelled to leave their holding' in consequence
of the ravages of games.
The debate was continued in a thin House by Mr.
Hudson, Sir A. Gordon, Mr. Cochran-Patrick, Mr.
Ileneage, Mr. Gregory, and Mr. H. Fowler, who,
answering the objection taken to the bill that it was
an interference with the "sacred principle" of freedom
of contract, showed that the law as it exists does not
acknowledge the validity of a contract made between
persons not being on equal terms. Mr. Pell
contributed to the debate a significant speech.
Speaking from the Conservative benches, he, as a
tenant-farmer, announced his intention of voting for
the bid. Sir W. Harcourt had, he said, amid general
laughter, introduced the bill "with proud looks and
high stomach," which had not helped his cause. Still,
he believed that the measure was honestly designed to
promote the better cultivation of the land, and that it
would effect ita purpose. After other speeches, the
debate was adjourned.

BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY AND
SOUTHERN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION.
Al the Council meeting of the society held at the Grand
Hotel, Bristol, on Tuesday last, the chair wee taken, in
the unavoidable absence of the president, by H. G.
Moysey, Fan. There were also present—Messrs Jonathan
Gray and J. C. Moore-Stevens (vice-presidents), C. T. 1).
Acland, J. I/. Allen. E. Archer (Colonel), H. J.
Bush
(treasurer), J. C. Best (R.N.), C. Bush, It. H Bub, V. P.
Calmady, F. K Drewe (Colonel) T. Dyke, Charles
Edwards, Walter Farthing, A. Gibbs, F. Gill, J. E.
Knoll's, R. Lang, R. Marker, It Neville, K J. Sanders,
Sir John Shelley, Bait, A Stanford, and J. Goodwin,
(secretary and editor). .

A letter was read from the most noble the Marquess et
Abergavenny, thanking the society for his election as
president for the ensuing year, and expressing a hope
that Me year of oftioe would be one of prosperity and
success.

--Mr. Charles Edwards, as chairman of the Finance
Committee, brought up the quarterly statement of
accounts, and the cheques which had been drawn for the
payment of prizes and other disbursements in connection
with the recent meeting, were sanctioned by the Council
It was also reported that so far an it was at present
Possible to make an opproxirnate estimate, the probable
loss on the year's proceedings would amount to one
thousand pounds.
Mr. Charles Edwards, in the absence of the Chairman
of the stock Prize Sheet Committee, asked for the amount
of £2 070 for stock prises at the Tunbridge Wells Meeting,
which was iranted by the Council
The sore of 1.100 was granted for poultry prima at Tun-
bridge Wells, Mr. C Herbert Morrell repeating his offer
of £66. for prizes for Lanphans.
The amounts voted for the several departments of arts,
music, an I horticulture at Tunbridge Wells were the
same as at the last meeting of the society.
The stewards and officers for the Tunbridge Wells
Meeting were appointed, subject to their written consent
to act.

Mr. Knollys reported that he, in Ampany with Mr.
Jonathan Gray, had inspected the ground' offered by the
Local Committee at Tunbridge Wells for the of
implements. The committee had afforded every facility,
aad had been most willing to comply with the require-
mantis of the society ; and subject to certain B.u:wills's::
which had been easily made, the stewards had
hesitation in approving the ground offered as admirably
suited for its purpose. The secretary also announced the
Partfulkt by the Local Committee of the /800 doe from
Wm In accordance with the regulations ; and the Council
resolved that a special letter of thanks be written to the
Local Committee for their promptitude and courtesy in
carrying out the suggestions and requirements of the
society.
A ourniiiiinieation from Mr. W. Stanford, of Stcyuing.
uuestin that • class for yearling agricultural c°ll4
should be added to the stock prize list, similar to that for
yearling Mlle., was referred to the Stock Prise List
Committee.
A letter from Captain Shenrton, suggesting plans for
the improvement of the show of horses at the society'e
meetings, wiur also referred to the same committee.
The following new members were elected f—Effe
Member—Mr. S. B. Booth. Effingham Lodge, BickleY,
Kent A Firma Ifewsorra—ideamrs. T. Avelino, Rochester ;
Richard Bach Elsich House, Bromfield, Salop', T. H.
Baker, Mere-flown, Mere. Bath ;W. Bliss, Chippifg orton,tuna.;s T. Burbidge, Illsiluham, Wilt.,; ft.
Cater. Bath ; John De Carts, (Inas, St Peter's, Guernsey;
A. Puller, The Hill, Bathoeston, Bath' Charles Hardy,
Gittisham, Honiton ; W. J. Harris, Bidwell Manor.
nighamptop,,)OVoll ; Harrison and Son Leicester; J.
Hill, Felhamplon, Church Stretton, Salop; ; J. H. How,
Woodville, Bideford ;A. James, Renato House,Penefrd,
Bristol; R. M. Knowles, Colston Bassea Hall, Blngbarn,
Notts F. L. Smythe, wikauld Pound,
Wats:too Cake and Warehousing Company,