The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1882-06-10 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE PREVENTION OF CRIME (IRELAND) BILL.  The House went into Committee on the Prevention of Crime Bill, resuming the consideration of Clause 1. Mr. Marum's amendment confining the place of trial to the county in which the offence was committed, on which progress was reported on Friday, was again discussed at considerable length, but it was ultimately withdrawn, the Home Secretary undertaking to insert words hereafter which would secure a prompt trial. The Home Secretary also accepted in principle a suggestion that the Judges shall be selected not by the Lord Lieutenant, but by a rota settled by ballot, and it was provided that 14 days' notice of the Special Commission, with the names of the persons to be tried, shall be given, and that a copy of the Lord Lieutenant's warrant shall be laid before Parliament. The Home Secretary further undertook to insert provisions for the payment of the expenses of witnesses and acquitted criminals, and also for the payment of counsel for poor prisoners charged with treason, treason - felony, or murder. It was also provided that the Judges shall give their reasons in cases of conviction in open court, and that a shorthand note shall be taken of the judgment. Finally, at the end of the clause, Sir W. Harcourt, in fulfilment of a promise given on the first night, moved a proviso confining the jurisdiction of the Special Commission to cases in which a judge and jury in Ireland would have jurisdiction. This limitation was objected to as insufficient by Mr. Healy and other Irish members, who pointed out that it would include speeches made by the Irish in America, and Insisted that the new tribunal should be confined to offences committed in Ireland.  Sir W. Harcourt, on the other hand, maintained that British subjects who plotted against the State or promoted treasonable designs in whatever part of the world should be made amenable to the law when they came within the Mira.  On a division the proviso was carried by 128 to 25, and an amendment by Mr. Healy, that no person should be Lried for treason, or treason-felony committed out of Ireland, was negatived by 131 to 22. On the motion that clause 1 stand part of the Bill, a general discussion took place, and in the division which followed the clause was carried by 227 to 39.  Clause 2 was agreed to, and the Committee was subsequently adjourned.  Some other business was agreed to, and the House adjourned at ate minutes past two o'clock.  In the HOUSE OF LORDS, June 6, on the report of amendments on the Imprisonment for Contumacy Bill, Lord Oranmore moved an amendment having for its object to prevent the discharge of a clergyman imprisoned for contumacy until security had been taken against a continuance of his offence.  The Lord Chancellor reminded their lordships that the Bill was only a temporary one, which would apply to one or at most two cases; and pointed out that nothing contained In it would prevent the institution of proceedings against a person charged with contumacy.  _ The amendment was negatived without a division. Several other Bills having been advanced a stage, their lordships adjourned at five minutes past five o'clock.  In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mr. Gladstone, replying to a question, promised that Niter the Crime and Arrears Bills, and the measure giving effect to the Budget, had been disposed of, he would snake a statement as to the intentions of the Government in regard to the purchase and other clauses of the Irish Land Act.  Sir Charles Dilke announced that all the Powers had expressed themselves favourable to the idea of a conference on Egyptian affairs, except the Porte, which thought it unnecessary, but had not declined it. He believed the instructions of the Turkish Commissioner were substantially In accord with the bases proposed for the conference.