The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-20 00:00:00

MR. FREDERIC HARRISON'S HOME
RULE SCHEME.

In the eourse of a letter, two columns in length, to
the Times, on the question of an Irish Parliament,
Mr. Frederic Harrison says: Any serious attempt
to establish Home Rule in Ireland would seek to
effect the following ends—(a) Maintain the Imperial
union of the two kingdoms. (b) Satisfy the national
sentiment by a real Irish Government. (c) Guarantee
the minority against spoliation and oppression. (d)
Free the Irish Government from control by the
British Parliament. (e) Free the British Parliament
from the organised obstruction of Irish represeuta-
tives. The difficulty of reconciling all these condi-
tions is very great, but it is by no means insurmount-
able. We are apt to forget that the ways in which local
self-government and Imperial union may be harmonised
are almost infinite, and each case of it may re-
quire different methods. It is too often assumed that
Home Rule is only conceivable on one of the two or
three modes already at work in our Empire, and that
every Legislature must be a mere copy of the House
of Commons. I venture to submit, not a scheme of
Home Rule, but the lines of one of the ways in which
an Irish Parliament may be conceived so as to be
neither impracticable nor formidable:
1. Retain intact the Imperial military and mari-
time organisation. 2. Establish an Irish national
Government, carried on in Ireland by Irishmen under
Irish national forme. 3. Distinguish in that Govern-
ment the executive, the legislative, and the judicial
authorities. 4. Define the functions of each and
their relations to each other. 5. Constitute a real
and efficient executive authority, not nominated by or
dependent on the Legislature. 6. Constitute a Legis-
lature with definite functions—(a) to legislate, (b) to
vote supplies, (c) to formulate demands in stated
matters of purely Irish concern. 7. Define the duties
of the judicial authorities, founding a court of ulti-
mate appeal on constitutional questions. 8. Provide,
for purposes of Imperial taxation, an Irish represen-
tation in the Imperial Parliament.
To this, as to any other sketch, countless objections
may be made and insuperable difficulties imagined.
What proposal with reference to Ireland is not open
to objections and fraught with difficulties? Of one
thing we may be certain, that whatever modus vivendi
be ultimately concluded, it will 'involve mutual con-
cessions from those who now talk only of" No sur-
render." The Nationalists may insist on an Irish
Parliament, but they cannot dream of obtaining it till
England can see her way to efficient guarantees against
confiscation and civil war. Unionists may swear to
maintain the Empire intact; but the problem now is
in what way is the Empire to be governed at all? Or
criticism and invective we have had enough. It is
time for the critics to say by what means they pro-
pose to continue civil government in Ireland and to
restore its freedom to the Imperial Parliaincot.

THE SERIOUS CHARGE UNDER THE
CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT BILL.
On Tuesday, at the Marylebone Police-court,
Louisa Hart, 21, of Fulham-place, Paddington, was
again placed in the dock, charged on remand on a
warrant for, on the 23rd December last, unlawfully
procuring two young girls, of reputable character,
aged 12 and 13 respectively, for immoral purposes.
Mr. Mead, barrister, appeared to prosecute on behalf
of the Treasury; and Mr. T. Duerdon Dutton,
solicitor, defended the prisoner. Florence Richardson
said she should ho 14 years on March 213, and lived at
b 3, St. Thomas's-road, Finsbury-park, with her
parents. Last year she lived at 12, Jackson-road,
Holloway, but could not say when she left. While
there she became acquainted with Rosie Shires,
who lived about three minutes' walk away
from the house. On one occasion she showed
witness a card. It was on a Saturday
in the summer. She could remember quite well what
was on the card. Subsequently the girl Shires came
to her house and had a conversation with witness's
mother: and after that witness went with Rosie to
Mrs. Hart's, who was then living at 43, Markham-
square, Chelsea. On reaching the house she saw the
prisoner now in the dock alighting from a horse which
she had been riding. She and Rosie went into the
house and they mere shown up by a little boy named
"Ginger "into the drawing-room. Mrs. Hart did not
speak to witness until she came up into the drawing-
room, when a conversation took place, but she could
not remember what it was about. Rosie was called
down stairs by Mrs. Hart, and witness was left
quite alone. After a time they returned to the
drawing-room, and they had tea together. At the
end of the meal they went downstairs to a back
room furnished as a bed-room. They washed their
hands, and presently an old gentleman came in. No
one played the piano. The old gentleman spoke to
them, but she could not recollect what he said. Mrs.
Hart, before she left, gave her half a sovereign and.
Rosie 108., with 38. 6d. to the latter to ride home in a
cab. Mrs. Hart asked berth come to the house again,
and she promised to do so, but as to whether a date
was agreed on she could not say. On the following
Saturday witness went to Markham-square alone.
She saw Mrs. Hart, but could not say in which room
she was. The same old man was there, and the same
happened as took place on her previous visit. Witness
afterwards went downstairs, and found that Rosie
Shires was there. Before leaving Mrs. Hart gave her
some money, but she could not say how much. After
that she visited the prisoner's house twice, and received
one or two letters. Mrs. Shires subsequently sent
for her, and she told her all that had happened.
Mrs. Sophia Shires, of 22, Spencer-road, Hollo-
way, said she bad a daughter named Rose, who
would be 1,3 next June. Last January witness took a
letter from her daughter's pocket, in consequence of
the contents of which she communicated with the
police. Mr. Mead (addressing the magistrate) said
Mrs. Shires had not brought her daughter to the
Court, and she seemed unwilling to do so. He did
notlike to apply for a warrant for her arrest, but she
must come there. Mrs. Shires: I cannot bring my
datighter here. (The witness wept bitterly.) Mr.
De Rutzen said he was well aware of the fact that it
was very painful for the witness, but her daughter
really must attend, because her evidence was essen-
tially necessary for the prosecution. If she did not
attend a warrant would be granted, and she would be
arrested, no matter where she had gone to. Mr.
Mead also complained that some of the friends of the
prisoner had been interfering with the witness. Mr.
Dutton said he was not aware of it, and he should
certainly discOuntenance anything of that kind. Mr.
De Rutzen remarked that he need not interfere after
the asstirance which had been given, and remanded
the prisoner.