Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1870-03-25 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

HOUSE OF COMMONS. —TUESDAY. In reply to Sir George Jenkinion, the Come Secretary declined to state the reasons for which the sentences on three prisotters recently condemned to death were commuted, and Mr Gladstone said that the report that Mr Bright had promised to restore Gibraltar to Spain was an entire fabrication. The hon, bar net afterwards obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to the commutation of sentences. The adj turned debate on the Peace Preservation (Ireland) Bill was taken up by Mr Dawning, who ohjmted to the bill. Lord John M milers gave the bill his hearty support, but reserved to hioaself the right to criticise the conduct of the Government which had rendered the bill necessary. The Secretary for Ireland replied to the objections urged againat the bill, and to the criticisms on the past policy of the Government, and maintained that they had acted wisely in not brinMng in the bill before, as it hal not hitherto been necessarv. The debate 1./.19 continued by Sir F. Bateson, Mr Dizby, Mr Mactnabon, Mr K tvanagh, Mr Sherlock. L rd C. J. Hamilton, Mr Agar Bilis, Mr Whalley, and Mr Btyan.  The traffic receipts of railways in the United King-loin or the week ending March 13, amounted, on 13 618 miles, to £748.463, and for the corresponding week in 1869 on 13 460 miles, to £706,153, showing an increase of 156 miles and of £42 310. The Earl of Roden died in Edinburgh on Sunday !waning, aged 112. The noble lord was a staunch Conservative, and held several offices-of distinction in the early part of the century. He is sue. eeeded by his eldest son, Viscount Jocelyn, who unsuccessfully stood for Leeds in 1841. THE FREEMASONS The installation of Eirl De Grey and Ripon as Grand Master of the Freemasons, in the room of the Earl of Z:tland, resigned, is fixed for Saturday, being St. George's-day. The ceremony, in which many noblemen and gentle. men holding high rank in the order will tike part, will be performed in the Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen. street, Linden, where the Grand Lodge will be formally opened. The particulars have been received from Buenos Ayres of the murders of Mr Rolvrt Bald, of Wells, Roxburghshire, and his servant, a boy 14 years of age. Robbery appears to have been the motive for murder. The President of the Argentine Republic immediately offered a reward of £l,OOO for the dis• eovery of t e murderers. One has been taken, and confessed his guilt, but refused to give any particulars as to his accomplices. Sir Joseph Hawley has addressed a letter to the Times, in reply to that of Admiral leous, on the subject of betting. Sir Joseph says he does not desire to prevent betting on the racecourse. But he desires to lay the axe to the root of the present system, which calls into existence false favourites, and the robberies attendant on them; which infests all training grounds with a set of then familiarly called " touts ;" and which encourages gambling and its consequences, dishonesty and breach of trust, in half the mercantile establishments and private houses in England. He asserts that the Jockey Club can materially arrest this general demoralisation, and advises them to be wise in time, and to take the matter into their own hands. A