intrigue in connection

must have organisation by Party, with- | payers in order to get a more adequate out which it would be impossible to representation of the people in the have a fair and square fight. But when House, he was sure they would raise a small and by no means representative no complaint. The hon. Gentleman had caucus had in its hands the duty of not shown that the numerous sections selecting a candidate, then there was evil into which Continental Parliaments in the caucus system which could be got were divided was the result of the rid of only by a second ballot. There second ballot. He suggested that the was caucus in his constituency in 1885, interval between the first and second and, if it had been allowed to have its ballot would be devoted to all sorts of own way in the selection of a candidate log-rolling and intrigue. Well, it would without any protest, the newly-enfran- not be the first time they had heard of chised electors would not have had an log-rolling and opportunity of expressing their will. It with elections. If they were to believe was because he protested against this, all they read there was not a little fought against the nominee of the caucus, intrigue going on in connection with the and ran the risk of being branded as a approaching election at Warwick and rebel, that the newly- enfranchised Leamington. They heard about bartering, electors had the chance of making their and about the particular terms upon voices heard against the domination of which two parties would divide certain the old clique. He based his support of seats among themselves. He did not this proposal upon the broad general think there could be anything more principle that it was most desirable a con- derogatory to the high tone of politics stituency should have an opportunity in this country under a second ballot given to it of electing whatever candi- than the difficulties with which they date might be able to obtain the greatest were familiar in the relations between amount of support. The most weighty the Liberal Unionist party and their objection urged by the last speaker tory allies. It did not lie with either of appeared to be that upon examination these parties to make suggestions of loghe could find only six cases in the last rolling or political intriguing in connecgeneral election in which there would tion with a proposal for the second have been any need of the second ballot. ballot. A second ballot in his opinion The arguments of the hon. Member would be a very material improvement opposite destroyed each other. At one of our electoral system. It would time he said the second ballot would be a further step towards democratic find so little place in our institutions progress, by enabling all parties and that it would do exceedingly little harm, sections in the State to have the fullest and at another time he spoke of it as a opportunity of obtaining their share of monstrous evil which could not be toler-representation in the House of Commons. ated. The hon. Member had appealed MR. COURTNEY said, he must conto the House on the question of cost, but fess that he felt not more than a languid he had also pointed to the fact that in interest in this discussion, and if he all probability election expenses would might judge from the aspect of the soon be placed on the rates or on the House during the course of the evening shoulders of the Chancellor of the Ex- he might say that those feelings were chequer. His own view was that the not confined to himself. The front business of the country should be carried Opposition Bench was nearly empty, on in the way most conducive to all the interests concerned, and if it was necessary to impose greater burdens on the taxMr. Conybeare.

and, as for the Treasury Bench, they might estimate the interest of the Government in this subject from the

second ballot did not create, but rather restrained, these diversities of parties, which arose from want of homogeneity.

fact that the one Cabinet Minister who through the whole of the Empire. The was present and had spoken had told the House that the Government had no opinion upon the matter. The Mover of this Resolution had been extremely They had passed rather an instructive fortunate in finding subjects for Friday evening. They had been learning; and nights, but he was not sure that on some his object in rising was to show how hon. broiling afternoon later on he might Members might get what they wanted desire to take the sense of the House on in another way. It had been said with the execution of Charles I. He did not truth that the second ballot meant the think the present subject of great prac- prolongation for a week of agony, and tical importance, but it did not follow all the bitter feelings involved in having that because there were only six cases a second election a week after the first. at the last election to which this principle The object of the second ballot could be would have applied, that therefore they attained in one and the same election would not have more than six at the without any postponement, and without next general election. In his view there all the expense and anxiety entailed by would be a multiplication of such cases such postponement. It was a manifestaif this resolution were acted upon. They tion of the interest which he felt in the knew that Mr. Disraeli had said that we matter that he volunteered a suggestion. adored party Government simply be- How was it to be done? They were cause we were used to it, and in the dealing with a single-member system, illustration quoted by the hon. Member and three or four candidates might be for Middlesbrough they saw the advan- running for one seat. Under the present tage of not having a second ballot. Since system the representative of a minority the operation of the present system, it might get elected. Take the case, howdid allow a little power of breaking ever, where A received 900 first votes, down party organisation, and it seemed B 600 votes, and C 500 votes; no one that it did bring out elements of repre- had a majority. Then take the 500 sentation of opinion which otherwise votes and see who was the second would not find representation. He did favourite of the 500 voters who voted not agree about changing the machinery, for C. Let the voters do their second but if a change were made it would not balloting straight away; let them take dissipate present party organisation. The the 500 votes and distribute them second ballot did not tend to multiply among A and B. By this means they parties, but to reduce everything to two obtained at one and the same moment parties. It might be asked, how, then, the elimination of what hon. Gentlemen had they seen a multiplication of parties professed to desire-namely, the opinion in France and Germany? In the latter of the majority of the electors-without country the multiplication of parties trouble, without expense, and without arose from the variation of local in- exasperation of feeling. He doubted terests. In England they had had whether it was worth while, but he three great parties for a long time, would make this suggestion as a present because of the intense diverse of to the hon. Member for Kirkcaldy. The Irish interests. In a country like only doubt suggested was whether the Hanover, and in working-class centres electors could understand the system. in other parts of Germany, they got in He was amazed to hear his ultra-demothe representative Assembly a diversity cratic Friends express distrust of the of parties, because in each there was a capacity of the elector to master the party which had not a controlling voice principle of selecting the man whom he

considered to be second best for the matters until the right hon. Gentleman purposes of representation. showed some willingness to make concessions in regard to Irish matters.

They -Noes 132; Ayes had reason to expect much better treat

THE PRESIDENT (F THE BOARD OF TRADE, (Mr. BRYCE Aberdeen,

Main Question, as amended, put, and S.) said, that this motion was not an Eng

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Monday, 8th April 1895.

mentary Education Act, 1870, to enable the School Board for Bristol to put in force the Lands Clauses Acts.

ELEMENTARY

EDUCATION PROVISIONAL

ORDERS CONFIRMATION (LEEDS) BILL [H.L.].—(NO. 70.)

A Bill to confirm certain Provisional Orders made by the Education Department under the

LORD DECIES (CLAIM TO VOTE FOR Elementary Education Act, 1870, to enable the

REPRESENTATIVE

IRELAND).

Ordered and directed

PEERS FOR

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PROVISIONAL
ORDER CONFIRMATION (WESTON-SUPER-
MARE) BILL [H.L.].—(NO. 68.)

A Bill to confirm a Provisional Order made by the Education Department under the Elementary Education Act, 1870, to enable the School Board for Weston-super-Mare to put in force the Lands Clauses Acts.

School Board for Leeds to put in force the Lands
Clauses Acts.

COLONIAL APPEALS.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HERSCHELL): I wish to give notice, on behalf of the Prime Minister, that on an early day after the Easter Recess he will introduce a Bill to enable Colonial Judges to take their seats on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

CHITRAL.

LORD ASHBOURNE asked was there any further news from Chitral ?

OF

THE UNDER SECRETARY STATE FOR INDIA (Lord REAY): The following telegram has just been received :——

"From Viceroy, 8th April, 1895. "Low reports, 7th, strong opposition to bridging operations at Aladand this morning. the opposite side of river and fired on working A large number of enemy crowned heights on parties. Umra Khan's brother was in command with a number of his cavalry and infantry. General Waterfield's Brigade, supported by 15th

Bengal Infantry, advanced to force passage of

river, No. 8 Mountain Battery, Royal Artillery, and Maxim of King's Own Borderers, co-operating effectively; then 11th Bengal Lancers made brilliant dash across river and attacked enemy, who had begun to bolt up valley. Eleventh pursued for miles, up to Uch, killing about 100. Fourth and 15th Bengal Infantry then forded river and occupied Chakdarra. King's Own Borderers, fording about a mile above, captured Umra Khan's fort at Thana with slight opposition. Our loss was slightone sapper and few men and horses wounded. Camels are now crossing Malakand Pass; about 1,000 arrived Khar, 7th.

"Low reports First Brigade has shifted camp to site 2nd Brigade. Our casualties on 7th crossing Swat river were-2nd Battalion, King's Own Borderers, one man wounded; 11th Bengal Infantry, one man wounded; 4th Sikhs, two men drowned; Sappers, two men wounded. Enemy's loss was 150. Muhammed Shah, Umra Khan's brother, was in command of enemy, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PROVISIONAL and escaped. Three Regiments Third Brigade

ORDER CONFIRMATION (BRISTOL) BILL [H.L.].-(NO. 69.)

A Bill to confirm a Provisional Order made by the Education Department under the EleVOL. XXXII. [FOURTH SERIES.]

on Malakand

Pass. Convoy camels came through 7th April. Uch and Katgola Pass will be occupied 8th. Your telegram of 5th. Progress of wounded will be reported by telegraph as soon as known."

2 X

TIME-MARKS ON LETTERS.

one of the most vigorous and able critics on postal matters, and to whose influence and suggestions many of the recent reforms were distinctly owing, had drawn attention to this subject in

that during the last two or three weeks some advance had been made in reference to the reintroduction of the old English system. But, as to the progress of this reform, he would like information. He was informed that in two post offices in London the practice of hour-marking had lately been introduced to some extent. He believed that in the House of Commons-he did not know how it was in their Lordships' House-letters posted between 7 and 10 o'clock had the hour marked upon them, and he believed that some letters were marked in the same way at the General Post Office. He was also given to understand that in some large towns in England a commencement in the same direction had already been made. He desired to ask when it was expected that the practice would be in full operation over the whole of the United Kingdom. He was aware that there used to be a system in our Post Office of indicating, by means of some mysterious letters in the post-mark, the hour of posting, and that the index to those letters was stated to be in the "Postal Guide," but that the particular page in the "Postal Guide" had for some reason been removed. A gentleman who had taken a great interest in postal affairs, and who was not a sanguine man, had stated that he was afraid that, unless the Post Office authorities were more active than sometimes, the completion of this reform would take some years, and that it might not happen in the lifetime of himself and others of their Lordships. Perhaps, however, the noble Lord opposite would, in answering the question on the Paper, be able to allay some of the anxieties in regard to the matter.

LORD ASHBOURNE, in rising to ask Her Majesty's Government when it was intended to introduce the practice of indicating the hour of posting on the post-mark as in America and other the other House, and he was informed countries; whether any commencement had yet been made; and when it was expected that the plan would be in full operation-said, that the question which he had placed upon the Paper was one which attracted a good deal of attention among all classes of the community, and his object was to ascertain what the present Government were doing in regard to it. He believed that up to the year 1818 or 1820 the practice of marking the hour on the post-mark prevailed in our Post Office. Why that practice was given up he did not know, and he did not suppose that there were any Members present in the House who were old enough to recollect. The practice of marking the hour of posting enabled the public to check and control and trace their letters; it enabled merchants and traders to ascertain whether business correspondence had been posted at the hour at which it should have been posted; and it enabled private individuals to ascertain whether their servants had posted letters entrusted to them at the proper hour and at the most convenient pillar, a matter as to which everyone had, at times, occasion for some little internal doubt. Some 200 Members of the House of Commons had signed a requisition in favour of this system, which had for many years been in operation with enormous advantage in the United States, and had also been adopted by Canada and Australia. As an illus tration of its advantage he might mention that the day before he put this question on the Paper he received a letter from Virginia which brought the matter very vividly to his mind. From the marks upon the letter it appeared that it was posted at a certain small town in THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord that State at 7 a.m. on March 20, that TWEEDMOUTH) said, that, in the absence it reached the head office in that State at of his noble Friend Lord Playfair, 11 a.m. the same day, and that it was through indisposition, the Postmaster received at New York at 12 o'clock at General had asked him to say that night. It was not till it arrived at our he had already introduced the sysown metropolis that the letter failed to tem which the noble Lord opposite had show any indication that could be made so urgently pressed upon the House. out by an ordinary individual as to the hour when it was received. His Friend Mr. Henniker Heaton, who had been

The plan adopted was to mark in clock figures the hour at which the letter passed under the stamp. This would be