The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-18 00:00:00

STATISTICS OF BREWING.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

THE CASE OF MR. LEONARD EDMUNDS.
In the INOCSE OF LORUi, July 13, Lord Rosebery called
Atention to the case of Mr. Leonard Edmunds, formerly
Clerk of Patents and Reading C erk in the House of Lords,
and to. the peiition of Mr. Edmunds complaining of the
charge made againstginoi of embezzlement of public money
In the office of Clerk of Pittents, and the consequent lose of
his pension of £BOO a year as Reading Clerk. In moving
that Mr. Edmund's petition on the subject be referred to •
Committee of Inquire, Lord Rosebery said Mr. Edmunds
did not shrink from any investigation, hut, on the contrary,
demanded a public audit of his accounts, which had always
been refused.
Lord 3elborne, after observing that Mr. Pi-hounds had
written to him a letter charging him with taking •' shelter
ender the very doubtful Parliamentary privilege of impunity
of slander," stated that the slander lie was charged with was
a statement which he felt it his duty to make when holding
the odice of Lord Chancellor, founded ou the proceedings of
• Committee of the House of lords and of an investigation
In the Court of Chancery Remarking that it seemed
Impossible to prevent annual motions like the pre-
sent from being brought forward, Lord Selborue pro-
ceeded to enter upon a detailed narrative of the
circumstances of the case. As regards the refusal by the
Odloers of the Treasury to audit the accounts of Mr.
Edmunds, it we, stated by the Ti easury that no imeit waa
evi r applied for, and that. therefore, none was refused, and
he thought it moult not be proper to grant the inquiry now
asked for, after all the investigations w Well had already been

;Ada.
Lord Reikadale thought 11r. Edmund. had a right to have
his account' fairly considered, and for hin part he slid not
believe that ha bad been guilty of any transaction alleCtillg

his honour. -
The Lord Chancellor strongly condemned the term sot Mr.
Edmunds's letter to Lord SeDrone, and, in reply I Lord
Redo-dale, maintained that the accounts had been fairly
conaidered by the arbitrators in the case.
Lord Bath thought the real question had not been touched
Is inthe course of the diacussion. The point for considera-
tion was, not whether Mr. Edmunds had been treated *ith
Justice or injustice by the Treasury, but whether his pension
ought not to be reat,,red, and that was a matter which the
proposed Committee might decide upon.
The Duke of Richmond said Lord Bath seemed, in making
that observation, to ignore all that had happened, and that
a sum of money was still Ole from Mr. Edmunds to the
Government.
Lord llatherley maintained that a full and complete audit
of the accounts of Mr. Edmunds was made by tile
arbitrators. .

-----
The motion was then put and negatived.
WORKING MEN'S DWELLINGS BILL.
The Working Men's Dwellings Dill passed through Corn.
mittee with amendments, and, the ether Orders being dis-
posed of, their lordships adjourned.

TUE name DILL.
In the llOrin or Conßoit% Mr. M. Lloyd salted the hon.
member for Frome on what day he proposed to proceed ii ith
the Juries Bill, &MI whether he had any expectation that it
would pose into law this Session,
Our Lopes said that, having regard to the late period of
the Seirion and the amount of business which remained to
be got through, he had no hope of passing the Bill this *s.
shut Ile was sure, however, that, considering the prin-
ciples of it had been sanctioned by the House, the public
world not be satisfied until some such measure became law.