INFLUENZΑ.

fluenza, outside medical aid being sought to strengthen the advice and opinions already given by the Medical Officers of the Department; and, whether information could be obtained from other countries for useful comparison as to the methods adopted for dealing with the malady?

THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. A. H. D. ACLAND, MR. JOHN AIRD (Paddington, N.): York, W. R., Rotherham) : I understand I beg to ask the Secretary to the Local that some of the alleged irregularities Government Board if further inquiries have been reported to the Education will now be made to ascertain the cause Department by a member of the of, and as to the best treatment for, inAberdaron School Board. They would appear for the most part to be cognisable by courts of law, and such as the Education Department have no power to deal with under the Elementary Education Acts. No report adverse to the accounts of the Board has been received up to the present time by the Department from the District Auditor. As to the third paragraph of the hon. Member's Question, this would appear to be a matter of order at any actual meeting of the Board, but Section 87 of the Elementary Education Act of 1870 gives power to any ratepayer to inspect the Board's books at all reasonable times, and imposes a penalty, recoverable by summary process, on any person who hinders such inspection.

LOCAL TAXATION.

MR. STANLEY LEIGHTON: I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will inform the House of the amount of local taxation, either before or on the same night as the Chancellor of the Exchequer makes his Budget statement, in order that the House may know the full amount of the public burdens, local and Imperial, before assenting to the taxation for the year?

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRE TARY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Sir WALTER FOSTER, Derby, Ilkeston): The Local Government Board have instituted more than one inquiry as to the cause of influenza, and the results of those inquiries are contained in Reports which have been presented to Parliament. In dealing with this matter the Board have availed themselves of aid outside their own medica! staff. The subject continues to receive the attention of the Board, and at the present time they are employing outside aid in the study of the patholological and bacteriological relations of feverish cold (the so-called "influenza cold ") with influenza proper. Information is from time to time received from other countries respecting influenza, and an oppor tunity is thus afforded for a comparison, in reference to this disease, of adminis trative measures of various kinds.

THE LONDON CAB TRADE. MR. AIRD: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can now state when the recommendations affecting the cab industry will be cir culated?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE, Bradford, Central): Some what similar questions were asked by the hon. Member in 1892 and 1893; and I can only repeat the answers which were then given, viz., that the great THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR complexity of local expenditure, the very THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. H. large number (28,000) of the Local H. ASQUITH, Fife, E.): The Bill for the Authorities from whom accounts have prevention of "bilking" has been preto be obtained, and the length of time pared, and I hope to introduce it shortly. necessarily occupied in the audit of those Of the other recommendations made by accounts, made it impossible to present to the House, in connection with the Budget statement, a statement of the expenditure and indebtedness of Local Authorities similar to that furnished with regard to Imperial finance. Very full and detailed statements on the subject are supplied by the Local Taxation Returns presented to the House.

the Committee, those which affect the police control and inspection and administration of the cab service have been made the basis of a scheme, which has been drawn up by the Commissioner of Police, and which will, I hope, be very soon in a condition to be carried into effect. The recommendations of the Committee on the disposal of the revenue

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY.

and the police-court arrangements present to be held. Some time ago I was regreater difficulties, but they have not quested by the Chief Constable and the been lost sight of, and I hope very Corporation of Salford to investigate shortly to be able to announce a decision charges which it was said had been made upon them. The recommendations as to in a section of the Press against the the abolition of the privileged system, borough police in relation to this case. the extension of the radius, the con- I replied that I could not undertake such solidation of the statutes, and some an inquiry, unless specific allegations put other points would all require legislation, forward on the authority of responsible which I cannot promise to introduce at persons were brought to my notice. Up present. to the present this has not been done. I take the opportunity of suggesting that great caution should be exercised in MR. H. T. KNATCHBULL- relation to the action both of the Home accepting the statements circulated in HUGESSEN (Kent, Faversham): I beg Office and of the local police in this to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty matter. The case is one of the most whether it is the intention of the Ad- difficult, and in some of its aspects, quite miralty that the holiday for Her Majesty's the most unsatisfactory with which I Birthday is to be kept on Friday 24th May in the Dockyards, and in London on Saturday the 25th; and whether, as this will compel the men to lose Saturday, the rule being to close the Yards following a holiday on a Friday, the authorities will have the holiday on Saturday, and thus enable the men to work on Friday?

have had to deal. I will only say at Estimates come to be discussed, any hon. present that if, when the Home Office Member thinks fit to call attention to it, I shall be prepared to explain and to vindicate to the full every step which has been taken from first to last by myself and by my Department.

THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMI- THE POTATO CROPS IN ROSS-SHIRE. RALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON, MR. J.G. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty): Dundee): The Admiralty being desirous that the Dockyard employes should have a whole holiday on the occasion of Her Majesty's Birthday, and that they should suffer no loss of wages in connection therewith, have decided that the Yards shall be closed from midday on Friday the 24th until Monday morning the 27th.

ALLEGED PERJURY CASE.

I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he has yet received any information as to the extent of the failure of the potato crop in the Lochbroom district of Ross-shire, and the needs of the people for a supply of seed potatoes; and, if so, will he state whether he proposes to take steps to prevent the serious distress which is certain to arise in that district?

THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. MR. S. WOODS (Lancashire, Ince): BALFOUR, Clackmannan and Kinross): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for My right hon. Friend the Secretary the Home Department whether, at the for Scotland replied to this question forthcoming inquiry to be held at Pend- yesterday, that he was in communication leton, near Manchester, in reference to with the Local Government Board in the alleged perjury which it is stated led Edinburgh on the subject, and would be to the imprisonment of a collier named in a position to reply to the hon. MemJohn Kelsall (who has now been released ber for Perth who has a similar question from prison), he will cause the woman on Monday. Elizabeth Curran, who is now in Knutsford Gaol, to be in attendance at such inquiry; whether the policeman, against whom certain charges are made, will also be in attendance; and if he will cause the inquiry to be a public one.

MR. ASQUITH: My hon. Friend's question appears to be founded on a misapprehension. So far as I am aware no inquiry of the kind referred to is about

ASSISTANT OVERSEERS.

MR. HEYWOOD JOHNSTONE Sussex, Horsham): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether in every rural parish the Parish Council or parish meeting, as the case may be, have the power to appoint a paid assistant overseer; and whether the salary of an assistant overseer so

appointed is payable out of the expenses | Scotland in regard to cock-fighting as of the Parish Council or parish meeting, to prevent future exhibitions of this or out of the poors' rate? kind?

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE: In a rural *THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. parish where there is no assistant over- BALFOUR, Clackmannan and Kinross) : seer appointed by the guardians, the The matter referred to in the question Parish Council or parish meeting can has been officially brought under my appoint an assistant overseer, and his notice. I believe that, as the law at salary would be payable by the overseers present stands, county authorities in out of the poor rate. Where there is Scotland cannot prevent cock-fighting. an assistant overseer appointed by the It is the case that cock fighting has been guardians it does not appear to me that held to be illegal in England, and the a Parish Council or parish meeting could Government propose at once to intro properly appoint an officer to perform duce a Bill for the purpose of making duties which devolve on the existing it illegal in Scotland. I hope we may officer. rely on the support of hon. Members in all parts of the House in passing the measure speedily into law.

DENBIGH CATTLE MARKET. MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.): I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board

WOMEN IN BRITISH INDIA COAL
MINES.

Blackfriars): I beg to ask the Secretary Report from the Inspector relating to the employment of women in coal mines in British India; and, if not, can he say when the Report may be expected!

of State for India if he has received any

whether he is aware that the bye-laws MR. A. D. PROVAND (Glasgow, for the regulation of the new cattle market at Denbigh were sent by the Denbigh Town Council to the Department for confirmation in November last; whether he is aware that, up to the present, no definite reply has been received from the Department upon that subject; and whether, in view of the serious inconvenience caused by the continued closing of the cattle market, he will give the matter his immediate attention?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF
STATE FOR THE HOME DEPART

MENT (Mr. GEORGE RUSSELL, Nort
Beds.), answering in the absenc
of Mr. HENRY FOWLER: The first
Report of the Inspector of Mines in
India has been received, and in it the

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE: Some objections were received by the Local Government Board to the proposed bye-employment of women in Indian cos

laws, and some correspondence has taken place on the subject. The Board have now revised the bye-laws, and a communication will be sent to the Town Council on the subject to-day.

COCK-FIGHTING.

mines is discussed.

*MR. PROVAND asked the hon. Gentleman if he would see that the Report was circulated?

MR. GEORGE RUSSELL had no doubt the Secretary of State for Indis would do so.

TRADE AND NAVIGATION RETURNS

MR. C. B. RENSHAW (Renfrew, W.): I beg to ask the Lord Advocate whether he is aware that a large crowd MR. A. M. BROOKFIELD (Sussex attended a cock-fight, in which nine Rye): I beg to ask the Secretary to the mains were fought, within a field near Board of Trade whether he can expla Bishopston, in the county of Renfrew, why, in the accounts relating to trade on Tuesday of last week; whether and navigation, the articles classified as he is aware that, in consequence of a earthenware, china ware, parian, and decision given in the High Court of porcelain, are shown in the tables of exJusticiary in 1892, it is impossible for ports, but are not mentioned in the the county authorities to interfere and tables of imports; and, whether he can prevent these exhibitions; whether it is state the value of such articles annually the case that, in England, cock-fighting imported in this country from abroad! is illegal; and whether the Government THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRE will take steps to so amend the law of TARY TO THE BOARD OF TRADE Mr. Heywood Johnstone.

PUBLICATION OF WILLS.

(Mr. THOMAS BURT, Morpeth): The im- | abolish the Standing Joint Committee in ports of china or porcelain and earthen- counties in Scotland. ware are shown in the "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom," the value of such imports having amounted to £625,532 in 1893. The annual statement for 1894, which will show last year's imports, will be issued in a week or two. These imports are not shown in the "Monthly Accounts of Trade, because only the principal articles, whether of import or export, can be separately distinguished owing to exigencies of space.

JAPAN AND CHINA.

MR. J. AIRD: I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, having regard to the increased payment now made for death duties, wills, in respect of details, can, where desired by the family, be held for the use of the Department only, not for publication in the newspapers.

*THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir JOHN HIBBERT, Oldham), in the absence of THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: No details of wills are published in the newspapers by any Department under the control of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The hon. Member is aware that wills are open to public inspection on the payment of a fee. This matter is under the control of OF the Probate Court.

SIR ELLIS ASHMEAD-BARTLETT (Sheffield, Ecclesall): I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now inform the House as to the conditions of the Treaty of Peace between Japan and China?

THE UNDER SECRETARY STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir EDWARD GREY, Northumberland, Berwick): I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT: Can the hon. Baronet give us any idea when he will be able to give us this important information?

SIR E. GREY: As soon as I am in a position to make an official statement I shall take the first opportunity of doing so.

WORKMEN'S DWELLINGS IN

SCOTLAND.

ORDERS OF THE DAY.

THE RATING OF GOVERNMENT
PROPERTY.

Order read for Committee of Supply.

On the Motion that Mr. SPEAKER do leave the chair,

*SIR ALBERT ROLLIT (Islington, S.) rose to call attention to the exemption of Government property from local rating; and to move→→→

MR. J. CALDWELL (Mid Lanark): I beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland when he hopes to introduce the Bill giving power to County Councils and to from rating is wrong in principle and unjust in "That the exemption of Government property Parish Councils in Scotland to acquire its operation to the local authorities and to the land for workmen's dwelling houses; general body of ratepayers, and ought to be terwhether he will give that Bill precedence minated by legislation placing such property on over the Local Government (Scotland) an equality for rating purposes with that of other ratepayers." Bill; and, when he proposes to introduce a measure to abolish the Standing He proposed, he said, by the Motion to Joint Committee in counties in Scotland? afford the House an opportunity, for the *THE LORD ADVOCATE (in the first time, of giving a clear and definite absence of Sir GEORGE TREVELYAN): The decision as to the principle and Secretary for Scotland hopes to intro- practice of the exemption of the duce the Bill for giving power to County Government property from rating, and Councils and to Parish Councils in Scot- he hoped the facts which he and other land to acquire land for workmen's Members would be able to adduce, dwelling houses. He has no present in- would convince the House that a great tention of giving the Bill precedence hardship and injustice existed in this over the Local Government (Scotland) matter to large bodies of ratepayers in Bill, or of introducing a measure to different parts of the country, and that

it for use

the

purpose

of

what was most unjust to the local only authorities would be put an end to in pointing a contrast, which was this : consequence of the Resolution which he When the Crown had money owing to it from a ratepayer, it not only dehoped the House would pass. He had had reports from, and correspondence non-payment manded priority over other debts, but was followed by, it with, the local authorities in nearly all might be, perpetual imprisonment. parts of the country and London; and On the other hand, when the Govthe feeling, both in London and the pro-ernment owed money for the rating vinces was both strong and universal of premises, it did not subject any that the Resolution was one which Member of the Treasury Bench to should be favourably considered by the similar penalties. In other words, when House. This was the period of the quin- the Government was a debtor, it was quennial valuation, and the assessment lenient to itself, but when the Governcommittees and overseers of the local ment was a creditor it put into operaauthorities were looking with great in- tion obsolete processes which were now a terest to this subject as a means of gross and cruel anachronism, and which materially reducing the burden of local were really abandoned by the Chancellor taxation. When he spoke of the Govern- of the Exchequer in the Debate on his ment property, he ought, perhaps, to use (Sir Albert Rollit's) Amendment on the the plural term Governments, because Budget Bill, very much in consequence of whatever complaint he made to-day was the representations made by the right one which could be used against past, as hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Oppowell as the present, Government. He sition; and if the abandonment had not had to acknowledge that the present taken place, he ventured to say the Government, through the Secretary to Government on that occasion would have the Treasury, had shown a laudable de- been defeated. That was the only allusire, so far as was consistent with the sion he should make to the subject of present law, to meet the evil and Crown debts. It had often been said materially reduce it. This was not a that it ought to be the duty of party, but a municipal question of very the Governinent to set an example, great importance, and he trusted the and he hoped it would set an example, Chancellor, like his predecessor in 1874, with reference to Crown debts in future. would make his approaching Budget It was no good example to refuse to pay the occasion of redress to the adequately the burdens upon its own ratepayers. He had modified his property, and to cast those burdens upon Resolution in two points. In the first the people; and in neither case place, before such a modification, he the example one to be followed. asked for a Committee of Inquiry, but During the Debates upon the Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer cour there was a well-grounded feeling teously intimated to him that there was that the incidence of local taxation was a difficulty in regard to that--chiefly a unjust so far as the landed interest was constitutional one, and as he wished to concerned. No one would forget the press nothing which was objectionable, controversy on that point, and the reprovided the main object in view could markable speech of the right hon. be achieved, he had reserved that por- Gentleman the Secretary of State for tion of the subject. But he thought India (Mr. H. H. Fowler) which dethere were evils to be both considered manded, and which, he hoped, would and removed. He did not wish them to receive an answer through the medium be removed inconsiderately, and if, even of a full inquiry by a Committee, now the right hon. Gentleman should which had now become a necessary see his way to suggest the appoint- preliminary to revision. The point ment of a Committee, that was a pro- to which he desired to call attenposal with which he should be very tion was that here was a means, not by happy to fall in. Secondly, he had way of a grant in aid or anything of taken from his Motion one part relating that sort, to which system there were to Crown debts. The subject was cog- strong fiscal objections, but as nate, but its inclusion would compli- course of right, by which the pressure cate the matter, and he would of local taxation might be at least someSir Albert Rollit.

was

a re