Irvine Express. — 1882-12-01 (Irvine, Strathclyde, Scotland)

MSS., and it was not the fact that the German Government had offered to re-sell to the Trustees the whole or any portion of their recent purchase. The Lord Advocate informed Dr Cameron thet the proposed General Police Bill for Scotland was intended to apply to large towns as well as police burghs. In reply to a question by Colonel Stanley, Mr Gladstone made his promised statement as to the cost of the Egyptian expedition. The vote of credit was for £2,300,000, and that sum had been exceeded by £1,060,000, making the total charge against the Eritish Exchequer £3,360,000. To that has to be added the expense of the Indian contingent, which was considerable less than the original estimate, being only £1,140,000. This sum, added to the expense of the British force, would bring the total cost of the expedition up to £4,500,000. The apportionment of the amount which would have to be paid for the Indian revenue was at present under consideration.  The Premier stated that, from late information, they were led to expect that the whole of the persons implicated in the murder of Professer Palmer's party—between twenty and thirty in number— would be brought to Suez before Christmas. Mr Gibson then asked for leave to move the adjournment of the House on a matter of "urgent public importance," and leave having been granted, he proceeded to criticise and animadvert upon the conduct of the Government in changing the constitution of the Irish Land Courts, by adding four lay Sub-Commissioners to each Court in place of the two land-valuers, as in the superseded system. Mr Gladstone and Mr Trevalyan spoke in defence of the action of the Government, which they justified on the ground of securing greater efficiency and despatch in the business of the Land Courts. The debate was continued by, among others, Mr Forster, Lord George Hamilton, and Lord R. Churchill, but ultimately the motion for adjournment • was negatived. The further debate on the amendment of Sir R. Cross, that it is expedient to consider the Standing Committees resolution proposed by the Prime Minister, was resumed by Air Aylmer. The amendment was supported by Mr Gorst and Mr Sclater Booth, but on a division it was negatived by 123 to 77. The House adjourned at 12.40. Sir Arthur Hayter, in reply to Lord E. Cecil, stated on Wednesday that, to meet the increased expense of living in Egypt, a special allowance of 3s per day would be granted to officers in the army of occupation; but as the men received field rations and full pay, no allowance would be made to them. In reply to Sir W. Lawson, Mr Gladstone declined to afford 'facilities for the discussion of Mr A. Arnold's motion on the Egyptian war. Mr Bourke gave notice that he would to-day ask the Prime Minister for a day for his motion. • The House resumed consideration of the Procedure Rules. Amendments by Sir George Campbell and Mr Stanley. Leighton on Mr Gladstone's proposal to establish two Orand Committees were disposed of. The first, advocating more than two, so that one might deal with Scotch measures, was withdrawn, the second, providing that the Committees should not sit longer than three hours on any day, was negatived without a division. An amendment moved by Sir Richard Cross, providing that the Grand Committees should not sit while the House was sitting, was still under discussion when the debate was adjourned in accordance with the Standing Orders.