Members had infinitely more reason for complaint, because they had by their attendance in the House, and by their moderation and good sense, aided the House of Commons to transact the business for which they were elected. He deplored the course some of the Irish Members had adopted, and he could not vote with them, because he would never be a party to anything like factious conduct; but, at the same time, he appealed to English Members to say whether Scotch Members had been properly treated? As far as he was concerned, he would not give up a single mile of the 22,000 miles of roads of all descriptions within the landward parts of all Scotland. These cost, by the former Returns of the Commission on Roads, about £250,000 per annum, and with economy and improved management, which could easily be introduced when turnpikes were abolished, all the roads could be kept up at a much lower rate, but the present complication and costly division of roads into statute and turnpike communications must cease to exist. All he desired to see was an equitable arrangement arrived at between the tenants, the owners, the towns, and the holders of mortgage bonds, and he could not help saying to the Home Secretary-"You have not done what you ought to have done." To his right hon. Friend in front of him (Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen), who had offered his assistance, he would say that he hoped he would try and prevent the Scotch trusts going before an English Committee. There was only one Scotch Member on the Committee this year, and it was unreasonable to expect that hon. Gentlemen chosen by English constituencies could act impartially and efficiently in respect to the continuance of all expired Acts of turnpike roads. Let them be referred to a Committee of Scotch Members, and then the purely Scotch questions might be satisfactorily dealt with. He appealed to the English Members to vote for the Motion now before the House. MR. WHALLEY complained of the course pursued by the Government in endeavouring to pass that Continuance Act, which, so far at any rate as England was concerned, was a gross fraud upon the public, and he therefore hoped that the Motion of the hon. Member for Glasgow (Dr. Cameron) would be accepted. He found fault with the speech of the right hon. and learned Lord Advocate, who had an authoritative, a categoric, and an oppressive way of addressing the House, but who had given no reason why the Motion of the hon. Member should not be carried. [Cries of "Order!"] No doubt Mr. Speaker would call him to Order when he was wrong. He had been present at the death of 2,000 or 3,000 miles of road, and he had never heard a single complaint from a landowner on the subject. MR. LYON PLAYFAIR: The opposition to this Bill has arisen out of a feeling for Scotch Business; but I think it would have been better if it had taken place in Committee, as the Motion, if passed now, would have the effect, not only of stopping the Scotch, but also the English measure. What is wanted is, an assurance that early next Sesssion a Bill will be brought in and passed through the House dealing with the case of Scotland by a Roads and Bridges Bill. I hope the hon. Member for Glasgow (Dr. Cameron) will withdraw his Motion, and raise his opposition with regard to Scotland upon the question as to whether the Bill shall extend to Great Britain, or to England only. If he does that I will support him. SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL complained that the speech of the hon. Member for Glasgow (Dr. Cameron) had not been noticed by the right hon. and learned Lord Advocate. There was no assurance on the part of the Government that promises and hopes would be fulfilled next Session, and some friendly coercion of this kind was necessary to influence the Government. MR. M'LAGAN said, he had simply MR. ASSHETON CROSS said, it stated the difference between the law of would be presumption to say the GoScotland and England, and had pointed vernment would not only introduce a out, that whereas in England, if the Bill but pass a Bill, and he was bound trusts expired, the parish had to keep to say the number of Amendments-400 up the roads, in Scotland, if they ex--placed on the Paper by hon. Members pired, there was no one responsible for on both sides of the House to the Roads their maintenance. and Bridges Bill made it improbable General Sir George Balfour that the Bill could be passed. But, as his right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate had said, the opposition practically arose from four counties in Scotland, and it was to meet these obstacles that he had the other day proposed a special inquiry by persons nominated during the Recess to meet these special difficulties, and he understood that hon. Members specially interested received the proposal with favour, and there was no doubt this inquiry would smooth the way for the passing of the Act next year. stood the opposition was withdrawn. [Dr. CAMERON: Only so far as going into Committee.] Well, it seemed the Amendment was the same thing over again. He must oppose it on the ground that tolls were let for the year, and that the effect of this change would be to abolish tolls in the middle of the year for which they were let. MR. DODSON thought it was quite other than the same thing, and if the Scotch Members were prepared to undertake the responsibility of this he should support them. MR. LYON PLAYFAIR said, the feeling in Scotland was that it was necessary to obtain a distinct pledge from the Government in regard to roads and would be that the operation of the Continuance Act should not extend to Scotland. DR. CAMERON said, he did not wish to divide the House on a false issue, and, accepting the recommendations which had been made, he would withdraw his objection to going into Com-bridges, and the most certain pledge mittee; but from what he had learned of the feelings of Scotch Members, he could assure the Government that if a Roads and Bridges Bill were not passed next year, there would be as much difficulty in passing this Continuance Bill next year as there would have been in proceeding with the Roads and Bridges Bill that Session. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Main Question, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," put, and agreed to. Bill considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) Clauses 1 to 7, inclusive, agreed to. Clause 8 (Continuance of all the Turnpike Acts). DR. CAMERON moved an Amendment, in page 2, line 21, to leave out "Great Britain," and insert "England." This would not have the effect of throwing the existing machinery in Scotland out of gear; because, as had been already explained, the existing Acts would continue in force until the end of next Session, and ample time would thus be afforded to discuss a Bill introduced early next Session. Amendment proposed, in page 2, line 21, to leave out the words "Great Britain," and insert the word "England." (Dr. Cameron.) MR. ASSHETON CROSS expressed his surprise, and thought it was under COLONEL ALEXANDER pointed out the difficulty there was in the fact that tolls were let from spring to spring. SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL thought there was reason to complain of the way in which Scotch Business had been treated, but it was no use crying over spilt milk, and what they now desired was a guarantee for better treatment next Session. That guarantee was found in the Amendment on the Paper to restrict the operation of the Act to November, 1878, and he hoped that the present Motion would be withdrawn in favour of that standing in the name of the hon. Member for Edinburgh (Mr. M'Laren). MR. M'LAREN took the same view, but DR. CAMERON thought it right to insist on the protest by dividing the House. Question put, "That the words 'Great Britain' stand part of the Clause." The Committee divided:-Ayes 68; Noes 42: Majority 26.-(Div. List, No. 312.) MR. M'LAREN then moved an Amendment to restrict the operation of the Act to November 1st, 1878. Amendment proposed, In page 2, line 27, at end, to add the words "Provided, That, in the case of Acts applicable to Scotland only, they shall be continued only till the first day of November one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight." McLaren.) (Mr.ceived the consideration to which they were entitled. Though he was not in Question proposed, "That those words favour of obstruction, he must say he be there added." SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL expressed astonishment that the Government should resist this Amendment, and give no reason for doing so. It surely was one that must commend itself to the House. MR. ASSHETON CROSS said, the result of the Amendment being accepted had been already pointed out, and there was not the slightest disrespect towards Scotch Members in not repeating these arguments. MR. LEITH said, that the hon. and gallant Member for South Ayrshire (Colonel Alexander) had intimated that there would not be the least difficulty in letting tolls for half a year. If there was a bona fide intention on the part of the Government to bring in a Roads and Bridges Bill next Session, he did not see the least difficulty in the way of their accepting this Amendment. If the Government brought in a Bill, surely with a majority of 60 in the House, that would be equivalent to passing the Bill. DR. CAMERON declared his intention to support the Amendment. COLONEL ALEXANDER said, that the hon. Member opposite (Mr. Leith) had misrepresented him; he had stated that there would be extreme difficulty in letting the tolls from spring until November. MR. ANDERSON said, that it might not be possible to bring in a Bill. He should vote against the Amendment. GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR hoped the Government would accept the Amendment. SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL said, that if the Government insisted on defeating the Amendment, he could only say that if ever there was a case in which a Government carried their point by the bayonet it was the present. DR. KENEALY supported the Amendment. He believed this was a species of attempts by a majority to silence the voice of Scotch Gentlemen, for whom he had the deepest respect, on a question in which he took the deepest interest. When he found that the hon. Members for Edinburgh (Mr. M'Laren) and Glasgow (Dr. Cameron) were supporting the Amendment of a particular clause, he must say they had not re would support the Scotch Members in that course. He maintained that the right hon. and learned Lord Advocate for Scotland could have no difficulty in passing a Roads and Bridges Bill for Scotland before the letting of the tolls next spring. MR. LYON PLAYFAIR said, a large number of Scotch Members desired that the Bill should not be extended to Scotland. He would therefore urge the Government to accept the Amendment in deference to their wishes. Question put. The Committee divided:-Ayes 39; Noes 68: Majority 29. (Div. List, No. 313.) Schedules. GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR asked why the various Acts relating to the Scotch Turnpike Road Trusts of Scotland were not detailed in Schedules in the same manner as for the English Trusts? MR. ASSHETON CROSS said, that nothing that had happened would prevent the Government doing that which was stated in the beginning of the evening. MR. LEITH stated that the reason why he sought a guarantee for the promise of the Government was, that three years ago the then right hon. and learned Lord Advocate, in the presence of the Home Secretary, promised that the Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Bill should be passed, and it was not passed until this year. GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR expressed great indignation at the course pursued by the Government, in their neglectful treatment of Scotch business, and remarked that he saw the right hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Sclater-Booth) laughing. [Oh, oh!"] But there was no justification for mirth, except as to including in a Bill-prepared by himself and the Secretary of the Local Government Board-relating to England a general clause which kept in force the turnpike expiring laws of Scotland, with which the right hon. Gentleman's Department had no right to interfere with, as his functions were restricted solely to England and Wales. THE CHAIRMAN pointed out that these remarks were rather remote from the subject at issue. PUBLIC HEALTH (IRELAND) (re-committed) MR. ASSHETON CROSS made an (Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Mr. Attorney General appeal to Scotch Members with reference to the Roads and Bridges Bill. As he had before stated, upwards of 400 Amendments had been prepared by hon. Members on both sides of the House, and many of them raised points of considerable importance, some of which he had himself mentioned in conversation with hon. Gentlemen. He now appealed to them that they would, during the Recess, have those questions discussed in the several counties concerned, and thus assist the Government in making the Bill acceptable to the House next year. Schedules agreed to. House resumed. Bill reported; as amended, to be considered To-morrow. INCLOSURE BILL.-[Lords.]-[BILL 262.] (Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson.) COMMITTEE. ORDER DISCHARGED. BILL WITHDRAWN. SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON moved that the Order for going into Committee upon the Bill be read and discharged, and the Bill withdrawn, intimating at the same time that the Government would endeavour to deal with the subject early next Session. MR. FAWCETT said, the intentions of the Home Secretary and the Act passed by that right hon. Gentleman fast Session would never have a fair chance by promoting the regulation of commons, unless the Inclosure Commissioners conducted their inquiries on different principles from those upon which they conducted the inquiry on which the Bill before the House was founded. Motion agreed to. for Ireland.) COMMITTEE. [Progress 8th August.] BILL WITHDRAWN. Bill considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) MR. BIGGAR, in moving that Progress be reported, said, he did not do so out of objection to the Bill, but simply because the period of the Session precluded the discussion so necessary in an Act of this importance. The Bill was a Consolidation Act, so there would be no inconvenience in a postponement for another Session. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again." (Mr. Biggar.) MR. MELDON hoped the hon. Member for Cavan would not persevere in his opposition to the Bill. The consolidation of the Acts applying to England had been effected in England in 1874, and the necessity for a like measure for Ireland had been continually felt. This Bill was introduced last Session, and again this Session it was by the unanimous concurrence of Irish Members referred to a Select Committee, and he believed no Irish Member had pointed out a flaw in the Bill to justify a further delay. There was no point of principle raised, and the single Amendment by himself upon the Paper was one that was accepted by the Chief Secretary. The Bill was urgently wanted in Ireland, and the hon. Member had taken a great responsibility on himself in moving to report Progress. Nothing but the isolated action of the hon. Member had hitherto prevented the passing of the Bill. It had received a full discussion in a Committee composed, with the exception of the Chief Secretary, of Irish Members. MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY hoped the Bill would not be proceeded with. It was all very well to say it was a ConOrder for Committee read, and dis- solidation Bill; but it only professed to charged; Bill withdrawn. VOL. CCXXXVI. [THIRD SERIES.] consolidate existing Acts without effecting reforms, so these reforms would have to be proceeded with by piecemeal legislation. 2 B MR. PARNELL joined in the appeal that the Bill should not be proceeded with that Session. He agreed that some interests might suffer from a postponement of the Bill; but it was better that some interests should suffer for a short space of time than that wider interests should suffer indefinitely. A Select Committee was not sufficient for the discussion of a Bill of the kind, and it was necessary to have the more varied opinion of the Committee of the Whole House. SIR MICHAEL HICKS - BEACH said, he was anxious to pass the Bill, and it was with deep regret he found he I could not do so. The account of the Bill given by the hon. and learned Member for Kildare was accurate. It had been before the House for 18 months, and after the inquiry of the Select Committee, he had been sanguine of its becoming law. But from what he had heard both inside and outside the House, he found there was sufficient opposition to make it impossible to carry through a Bill of 300 clauses on the 10th of August. He, therefore, did not propose to proceed with the Bill that Session; but he must express a hope that what had been done would not be lost, but that the Bill might be allowed next year to proceed without discussion to the same point as that at which it had now arrived. Third Reading - Sheriff Courts (Scotland) * (179); East India Loan (166); Metropolitan Board of Works (Money)* (183); Prisons (Scotland) (184); Public Libraries Acts Amendment (No. 2)* (185); Canal Boats * (176), and passed. * Royal Assent-Factors' Acts Amendment [40 & METROPOLITAN STREET IMPROVE- CONSIDERATION OF COMMONS' REASONS. Commons' Reasons considered, according to Order. VISCOUNT HARDINGE said, as Chairman of their Lordships' Committee by whom this Bill had been considered, he wished to explain the course taken by the Committee with reference to the clause which had been rejected by the other House. As their Lordships were Question put, and agreed to; Committee aware, the Bill was one involving a very report Progress. House resumed. Bill withdrawn. House adjourned at a quarter before HOUSE OF LORDS, Friday, 10th August, 1877. MINUTES.]-PUBLIC BILLS-First Reading— large scheme of metropolitan improvement, and included the formation of a street running northwards from Charing Cross to Tottenham Court Road, named in the Bill, Street No. 6. During the consideration of the Bill, the Committee, at the instance of the representatives of the noble Marquess below him (the Marquess of Salisbury), inserted a clause giving protection to the estate of Lord Salisbury. The Metropolitan Board of Works was, naturally, not very well pleased with this clause, and after some time, a sort of compromise was entered into, which he thought the Metropolitan Board of Works should have respected, that when the Bill went down to the other House the clause should be dropped. For his part, he regretted that the compromise had not been adhered to. He could not help thinking that the compromise would have given breathing time to the Board, and that |