MR. SPEAKER: I have allowed the hon. Member the fullest latitude in his remarks, and I must now ask him to resume his seat on the ground of irrelevance and tedious repetition. part of his clause accepted which pro- | improper that the official of the Departvided "that if any officer of police were ment who was responsible should be censured by his superiors for making a held to be guilty of a misdemeanour. charge or report against any house of In the month of Aprilbeing a disorderly house' within the meaning of the Act, the officer so censured should on demand being made by him be entitled to public inquiry into the truth of the charge or report for which he may have been censured." The late Home Secretary had stated that the charge he was referring to was a baseless charge. He would produce the evidence on which that charge was made. MR. SPEAKER: I must inform the hon. Gentleman that he is now entering into debate on a series of answers given in this House on a previous occasion which have nothing whatever to do with the Question before the House. If the hon. Member wishes to move the clause standing in his name he is at perfect liberty to do so; but I must warn the hon. Member that if I have to interpose again it will be to request him to resume his seat on the ground of irrelevance. MR. WARTON said, that from its title the Bill would seem to range over the whole Criminal Law. But as that was not the purport of the Bill, he would suggest that the words "Criminal Law Amendment" be struck out, and the words "Women and Girls Protection Act" substituted. Amendment proposed, "Criminal Law Amendment," and insert the In page 1, line 5, to leave out the words words "Women and Girls Protection,”—Mr. Warton,) instead thereof. Question proposed, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill." THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir R. ASSHETON CROSS) said, the point was worthy of consideration; but he would propose that they should negative the Amendment, and the Government would state what they proposed to do in the matter. Question put, and agreed to. Further Proceeding on Consideration of Bill, as amended, deferred till To morrow. Considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) MR. CALLAN said, he charged the Home Office with having a full knowledge of the facts. There was evidence that since the trial Mrs. Jeffries had continued to carry on these infamous practices. He said that if the Home Secretary did not take action when he had his attention drawn to such cases as these he ought to be held guilty of a misdemeanour. He had evidence that during the progress of the trial officials connected with the Home Office visited Mrs. Jeffreys' establishment, he supposed, for the purpose of reporting on the case, and he wanted to know whe- LAND PURCHASE (IRELAND) [ADVANCES). ther there was at the Home Office any record of their Report? He repeated that he charged that for years the late Home Secretary and the Home Office knew that these houses had been carried on. Mr. Minahan had been dismissed for making a charge that was said to be baseless. But the police had themselves reported on the improper character of these houses; and before the late Home Secretary said that the charge was without foundation he should at least have examined the records in the Police Office. There was a Report which had been suppressed; and he said that the suppression of Reports of the kind ought to be made a misdemeanour, and that if the Home Office received it and did not act upon it their conduct was so Mr. Callan Resolved, That it is expedient to authorise Advances out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom, of any sum or sums of money not exceeding £5,000,000 in the whole, to enable the Land Commission in Ireland to make Advances for the purchase of estates, in pursuance of the provisions of any Act of the present Session, for providing greater facilities for the sale of land to accupying tenants in Ireland. Resolution to be reported To-morrow. House adjourned at Three o'clock. the rates; and it was obvious that they could not contend with a wealthy Corporation like that of Dublin, whose power and wealth were increasing day by day. With the Corporation it was different. It was now promoting a Bill, the cost of which would be paid out of the Borough Fund; and, as this was a sanitary question, advantage was taken of the opportunity on the part of the townships to, if possible, induce the Corporation to confer a great sanitary advantage upon them. He (Lord Fitzgerald) had carefully looked into the Provisional Orders, and seeing the advantages conferred on the Corporation, he considered the townships were justishould be compelled to do that act of fied in asking that the Corporation justice that many of its own members were willing to concede. The question before their Lordships really was, whether they would not abide by the recommendation of their own Select Committee? He was now authorized to state that it was the unanimous wish of the Peers who had composed that Committee, that the clause he was now about to move should be agreed to, increasing the supply of water to the townships by per cent. 25 the Amendment moved, in page 1, after Clause 2, to insert following Clause: "For the purposes of the eighth section of the Dublin Corporation Waterworks and Fire Brigade Provisional Order, 1874, and of the Orders hereby confirmed, the statutable or contract allowance of water to the townships mentioned in that section shall be deemed to be twenty-five gallons per head per day, as provided by the Acts in that section mentioned the said Orders and Acts shall be read and have relating to those townships respectively, and effect accordingly."-(The Lord FitzGerald.) Question proposed, "That the said Clause be there inserted." LORD FITZGERALD, in rising to move the insertion of the new clause which was rejected at the previous Sitting by a majority of 1--the figures being, Contents 19, Not-Contents 20said, it provided that the supply of water by the Dublin Corporation to the outlying townships should be increased from 20 to 25 gallons per head per day. When the arrangement was made, 16 years ago, the valuation of Bray was £17,600; now it was £26,000-an increase of nearly 60 per cent; so that the Corporation was receiving considerably more from Bray now than it did when the agreement was made. The LORD ARDILAUN said, that if there population had only increased in that was one rule which was impressed upon period 30 per cent; so that the advan- their Lordships as one which should not tage was clearly on the side of the Cor- be broken, it was the necessity of supporation, and not on that of the town-porting the Reports of their own Comship. The case was similar in regard to the other townships. It was asked why the townships, if they wanted to obtain the increase now asked for, did not seek to bring in a Bill to effect their purpose; but they had no funds to meet the expenses of a Private Bill. There was nothing to fall back upon but mittees. As regarded the subject under notice, he put it to their Lordships, whether they were not sticking to the letter rather than to the spirit of the Report of the Select Committee? The Bill was now in the form in which it left the Committee no doubt; but the noble Lord the Chairman of the Committee, and the noble Duke (the Duke of Marl- | It was said that the water supplied to borough), and other noble Lords, Mem- the townships was sought to be cut bers of the Committee, had stated to the down by the Corporation; but that was House, that the opinion they had ap- not the fact, and if the townships had peared to have expressed on the Report been receiving more than 20 gallons per was not the opinion they had desired to head per day, it was in excess of that give. The noble and learned Lord (the to which they were entitled. The townLord Chancellor) had told them yesterday ships had the right under their own that it was too late, or something to that Local Acts, passed 16 years ago, to 20 effect, to alter the Bill; but if that were gallons of water per head per day. They the case, he (Lord Ardilaun) would ask were to have that amount assessed on the what was the object of having these number of the population, and all that the different stages of a Bill? Why Corporation had done had been to deshould they have the first reading, the sire to assess the population properly. second reading, the Committee stage, There had been no means in Ireland of Report, and third reading? Was it not finding out what the population was; that they might have so many oppor- and all they asked for, in the present tunities of correcting faults and errors Bill, was that they should have those that might have occurred in the conduct means, and that there should be a legal of the Bill during those earlier stages? definition of the term "population" for Unquestionably. When, therefore, they the purposes of assessment. It was found that the Members of the Select admitted that during the 16 years Committee were now practically unani- referred to, the townships had remous in declaring that they appeared ceived a large number of gallons per to have made a mistake in their Re-head per day more than they were port, and when it was remembered entitled to. The Corporation, howthat the Committee was sitting until ever, on that account made no proposal 7 o'clock at night, and that great to cut down the quantity of water sup obstacles in the way of the passage plied. It would remain as it was. The of the clause had been raised by the only proposal was that the townships parties to the Bill, he did not think should be limited to what they themthat the objection that it was now too selves arranged for 16 years ago, and late to alter the Bill should hold good. that any water beyond that should be There had been insuperable difficulties paid for at the rate of 21d. per 1,000 in the way of the drafting of the clause gallons. Finding an opportunity of before the Committee; though, if the getting from the Corporation what they Chairman himself had seen his way to were really not entitled to-namely to draft it, the whole thing would have have an additional supply of water withbeen at an end. He would call their out paying the 24d. per 1,000 gallons Lordships' attention to the fact that the chargeable for it- it was evident to Acts on which the present water supply him now that was what the opponents was based were passed 16 years ago, of the Bill meant. He would call their during which long time the Corpora- Lordships' attention to the fact that the tion had taken no steps to have these proposal had only been brought before Acts altered. One of the clauses the Committee of the House of Lords at had been found unworkable in the the last moment, and that it had never interests of the Corporation, so the been submitted to the House of ComCorporation had come to Parliament to mons Committee at all. He trusted get it altered. Whilst they effected their their Lordships would not reverse the purpose, it was but right that the town- decision they arrived at yesterday, and ships should seek to obtain an alteration throw out the Bill at the last moment. in the existing law, which was found The House could only act upon what it to be disadvantageous to them. He saw, and that was, in this case, that earnestly supported the Amendment. the Bill was reported without Amendment; and though now it was said the Committee were unanimous in favour of the Amendment, yet they had practised an extraordinary method of showing their unanimity-namely, by neglecting to put in this clause. It was THE MARQUESS OF WATERFORD said, he was surprised that the noble and learned Lord opposite (Lord Fitzgerald) should have brought that matter again before the House, after the decision which had been given yesterday. Lord Ardilaun vided:-Contents 21; Not-Contents 19: On Question? Their Lordships diMajority 2. only as an afterthought that it was pro- | was whether they would take on themposed. It would be most unfair to the selves the responsiblity of inserting the Corporation of Dublin to accept it. It Amendment; but they were absolutely would have the effect of taking hold of unanimous as to the justice of the prothe property of the Corporation, which posal. was really the property of the people of Dublin. If they accepted the Amendment and broke down the existing law, as to the quantity of water to be supplied to the townships, they would also break down all those various Local Acts which had been reported to have been in existence for 16 years, for it proposed to allow an extra five gallons of water per head without increasing the charge. He would again say that he hoped their Lordships would not reverse the decision at which they arrived yesterday. MARLBOROUGH Resolved in the affirmative; clause inserted accordingly. Motion agreed to. Bill passed, and sent to the Commons. TREATY OF BERLIN-ARTICLE X.THE VARNA AND RUSTCHUK RAILWAY. QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS. steps, and, if so, what steps, to insure THE DUKE OF said, that their Lordships had had the LORD SANDHURST, in rising to ask case most ably and clearly put before the Prime Minister, Whether Her Mathem, and after what had fallen yester-jesty's Government propose to take any day from the noble and learned Lord (Lord Fitzgerald) and that day from the noble Lord (Lord Ardilaun), he was exceedingly surprised at the attitude taken by the noble Marquess who represented the Government in the matter (the Marquess of Waterford). They were accustomed to see so many changes in the attitude of Parties in Parliament that one was prepared almost for anything; but he certainly was not prepared to see the noble Marquess give such an extraordinary support as this to the privileges of the Corporation of Dublin. Such a circumstance seemed to him (the Duke of Marlborough) to be most remarkable. The injustice under which the minor townships were labouring had been clearly shown, and it was surely too much to say that that injustice should not be removed except at the expense of a special Act of Parliament. He put it to the Government that the unanimous decision of the Peers who had formed the Select Committee should be taken as a guide in this matter. As that was the only occasion of which the townships could avail themselves in THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY, in order to obviate the injustice he had reply, said, that the noble and gallant referred to, he should give his vote for Lord opposite (Lord Sandhurst) had rethe Amendment. If the House decided lied a good deal upon the Article of the that the townships must, in order to Treaty of Berlin; but he (the Marquess obtain what they sought for, go through of Salisbury) very much doubted whethe expensive process of trying to get ther that Article had precisely the bearan Act of Parliament themselves, then ing which appeared to have been sugit would be impossible for them to ob-gested to the mind of the noble and tain a measure of justice. The only gallant Lord. He did not gather from point the Committee had before them it that it gave any new rights to the Company. The Treaty of Berlin trans- | Predecessor (Earl Granville), which had ferred Bulgaria, so far as practical go- been described as sympathetic, but not vernment went, from the Porte to the too encouraging on the subject. As to Prince of Bulgaria, and the Prince suc- himself, he desired to offer the noble ceeded to the obligations which the and gallant Lord who asked the QuesPorte had assumed in respect of this tion all the sympathy in his power; but, railway. Therefore, the Railway Com- beyond sympathy, he doubted very much pany had precisely the same rights whether he could promise any assistance. against the Prince that it had against He could only say that all means that the Porte, neither more nor less. No were open to the Government diplodoubt, the creditors of the Railway matically they should gladly bring to Company had been badly treated. Suc- bear so as to secure the equitable settlecessive Governments in England had ment of these long outstanding claims. done what was in their power to bring It was much to be regretted that they about a satisfactory settlement of the had stood over so long. But, at the long-standing claim of the Company; same time, it was only fair to say it was but those efforts had proved ineffectual, probable that the delay of the Bulgarian and the noble and gallant Lord seemed Government in making payment was to to think it strange they had not suc- be attributed quite as much to financial ceeded. No doubt, as the noble and embarrassment as to any indisposition gallant Lord had said, in this country a to satisfy the demands of the Company. creditor could easily bring a debtor to He should be glad to use his efforts to book; but, among the inventions of get the matter referred to arbitration, modern times, a Bankruptcy Court as if he thought that arbitration could lead between nations had not yet been dis- to any practical results; but it did not covered, and, therefore, a process which seem likely that it could do so. The would be easily applied to a private matter should receive all the attention debtor in this country could not be ap- the Government could give to it; but he plied to a State which did not fulfil its could not give any promise to insure obligations. The noble and gallant Lord the satisfaction of the claims of the asked what steps were to be taken to Company. insure the payment of the obligations of the State to the Varna Railway. "Insure was a big word, and he did not know whether the noble and gallant Lord attached any military views to the idea, or whether he intended to carry out the analogy he had instituted, by issuing process against Bulgaria, and attaching the body of the Prince or those of the inhabitants. He (the Marquess of Salisbury) must say that none of those material methods appeared to be open to us, and we were left entirely to such moral influence as other nations of Europe and ourselves could exercise. He doubted whether it was incumbent upon us especially, or whether it was incumbent upon all the Signatories to the Berlin Treaty, to secure that proper effect should be given to the Article relied upon; but he earnestly hoped that, by the wisdom of the nations of Europe, some exhortations might be addressed to the Bulgarian Government sufficiently pressing to induce them to do more justice than they had hitherto done to these and to other creditors. He should be sorry to use any language which would separate his statement from those of his The Marquess of Salisbury LABOURERS (IRELAND) (No. 2) BILL. (The Marquess of Waterford.) (NO. 235.) COMMITTEE. Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read. THE MARQUESS OF WATERFORD, in moving that the House do resolve itself into a Committee, said, that the object of the Bill was to render the Act of 1883 workable by removing some of the difficulties that had been found to exist in that Act. It was passed when Parliament was anxious to deal in a comprehensive manner with the housing of the Irish agricultural labourer, and contained some novel principles, which their Lordships always approached with great caution, and would only adopt in case of absolute necessity. He would first state shortly what provisions the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1883, contained. In the first place, it arranged that if 12 ratepayers, residing within a sanitary district, represented that the existing house accommodation for agricultural labourers was deficient, or unfit for habitation, the Sanitary Authority |