The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

IN the Houss of LOARtS the Religious, ite.,
Buildings Sites Bill and the Consecration of
Churchyards Act, 1867, Amendment Bill, passed
through committee.
Lord CILELMSFORD moved the second reading of
the Artisans and Labourers' Dwellings Bill.
The Earl of Shaftesbury, the Duke of Somerset,
and the Bishop of London supported the bill, but
were all in favour of its being sent to a select com-
mittee.
Lord PORTMAN said, on behalf of the owners of
property in the metropolis, he was prepared at all
ris!..3 to oppose a great deal of the kn. At the
same time he was quite ready to lend his aid to
make it a good bill, and not, as it now was, a most
crude, hasty, and dangerous piece of legislation.
The Duke of MARLBOROUGH said he had received
strong representations that the bill should be sent
before a select committee. He quite agreed in the
importance of the bill, and the necessity which
COMANI for it.
The Earl of DERRY gave his cordial support to
the second reading, but was glad it was to be re-
ferred to a select committee. The bill, however.
did not touch the great evil of overcrowding. and
was also defective with respect to life tenants and
properties let upon long building leases.
The bill was then read a second time. and
referred to a select committee.
The Stockbrokers (Ireland) Bill was read a
secor.d time. . .

The Sea Fisheries Bill and the Cotton Statistics
Bill passed through co►nmittee.
The house adjourned at 23 minutes to 9 o'clock.

I N the Hoesa of Comforts the Earl of Mayo
stated, in reply to Sir Colman O'Loghlen that the
committee on the Irish Reform Bill would betaken
on Thursday fortnight.
Mr. Disaitax.i, replying so Mr. Sandford, said
the government had for some time had under con-
sideration a measure for shortening the period
which must intervene before a general election can
take place under the late Reform Act, but the dif-
ficulties connected with it were greater than they
at first contemplated. Perhaps, however. those
difficulties might be overcome.
Mr. GLADsTONE suggested that the subject
should be referred to a select committee.

Mr. Disitaam, in moving that the house at its
resin; adjourn till Thursday, took occasion to state
that as the despatches on the Abyssinian expe-
dition were expected to arrive in a few days, the
vote of thanks to the Commander-in-Chief and the
officers and troops would not be brought on until
after the Whitson holidays.
Mr. LABOTCHERE moved "that in the opinion of
this house all sums required to defray the expenses
of the diplomatic service ought to be annually
voted by parliament, and that estimates of all such
sums ought to be submitted in a form that will
admit of their effectual supervision and control by
this house." He said the expenditure of the diplo-
matic service was formerly included in the civil
list ; but in 1832 the amount, 180,0001. a year, was
thrown on the consolidated fund. He saw no
reaam why the house should not have the same
control over the expenditure of this depart-
ment that it had over every other. Of the
sum thus expended 40,0001. was devoted to
pensions, but many of the recipients were men in
full vigour who were anxious for employment.
Then a great portion of the expenditure the house
would probably think unnecessary, such as the
coat of the missions at Wurtemburg and the ,
Netherlands, and the cost of investing foreign
sovereigns with orders, which might be properly
done by theambauadors. Another improper expen-
diture was for what was called agencies, by which
be meant the commission charged on every member
of the diplomatic service by his agent, some clerk
in the Foreign-office, whom he was compelled to
employ.
Lord STANLEY said the 40,000/. asssigned for
pensions was not necessarily all spent, but was the
maximum. He had never concealed his opinion
that the system of agencies was a bad one,
but he did not think that the clerks who made
these profits with the knowledge of their superiors
ought to be deprived of them without compensa-
tion, and he did not see from what fund it was to
be obtained. Nor did he think it would be well
that the missions which had been referred to
should be at once suppressed. The increase which
hat taken place in the expenditure had all been
on matters which did come under the direct con-
trol of the house. For these reasons he opposed
the motion.

The discussion was continued by Mr. Childers,
Mr. D. Griffith, Mr. Kinnaird, and Mr. Lusk,
and on a division the motion was carried by 76
to 74.

Mr. GI:EKNE called attention to the subject of
colliery accidents, and moved an address for a
royal commission.

Mr. Jack:sox pointed out the necessity of addi-
tional inspectors, and
Mr. PowsLL was enlarging on the same theme.
whet the house was counted out at half-past seven
o'clock.