The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-05 00:00:00

Lltrovs.

THE BOROUGH FRANCHISE.

Mr. WARNER asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether he would be willing to reconsider the expediency
of adopting in the Reform Bill the principle of his aban-
doned resolution No. 5, and to discuss, as a possible basis
of boroush tepresentation, the following or some (similar
pntroaition :—Occupiers who fur two years have been rated
to the poor, and not excused on the ground of poverty, to
have one vote for each member to be elected ; residents in
the borough who for two years have been assessed to house
tax or to property or income tax upon the full scale to
have one vote for each member to be elected ; persons en-
titled under both qualiliattions to vote under both.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I trust the
hon. gentleman will allow me to answer that question at
a later period in the evening.
SPIRIT'S, BEER, AND WINE LICENSES.

Mr. PEASE asked the Secretary of State for the Home
Department whether the attention of her Majesty's go-
vernment had been drawn to the evils arising from the
fact that a separate jurisdiction exists for granting licenses
for the retail sale of spirits, beer, arid wine ; and whether
her Majesty's government proposed to bring in a bill to
place the granting of these licenses under ono jurisdiction.
Mr. WALPOLE—This matter has been brought under
the notice of the government in a variety of tonne, and
hundreds of different applications have been made at the
Home•odree on the subject. As some of them are still
smiler consideration, I am not now prepared to say what
coune the government will take upon the subject.

THE ARMY ESTIMATES.
Captain VIVIAN asked the Secretary of State for War
whether he proposed to make his statement on the army
estimates that evening ! He apprehended that the right
hon. gentleman did not intend to take both the ordinary
and the supplementary estimates.
General PEEL—I do nut propose to take any vote to-
night with regard to the supplementary estimates, but if
the house permit me, I shall propose that we go on with
. . .

Mr. ()TWAY asked whether the number of men to be
voted for the year's service was not settled in the first vote.
From the rumours that were current it was open to the
house to surmise that that very vote might nut be con-
sidered necessary by whoever might be the right hon.
gentleman's successor in the office he then held. (Cries of
" Order, order.")
General PEEL—I do not think it would occasion any
inconvenience to the house if I should explain the
grounds on which the estimates are based. It
will be no use to bring forward the estimates
unless I am allowed to take the vote for the
number of men, for which I trust I shall be able to
give a very good explanation. (Hear, hear.) The house,
I am sure, will acquit me of any wish to deceive them by
delay. (Hear, hear.) I wish to give the house the oppor-
tunity of separating the two estimates, on the ground that
the house may have the opportunity of agreeing or dis-
agreeing with the proposals I shall make with regard to
the supplementary estimates. If there be any wish that
I should do so I will postpone them. (No, no.)
Mr. GLADSTONE—There is no one in this house,
I am permitted. to say, who will impute to the
right honourable gentleman the wish to deceive the
house, or anybody out of it ; but it does appear to me that
the question of the number of men is a question essentially
and directly connected with the strength of the reserve
which it may be proposed to establish. If the public ser-
vices require a vote for the purposes of money, of course
there is the easy expedient of a vote on account. If it be
desirable that ray right hon. friend should explain the
estimates the statement can be made without taking the
vote ; but I hope he will give us the assurance which is
really required by the state of the facts, that he does not
purpose to take the vote to-night.
General PEEL intimated that he would postpone the
statement until Thursday.