MR. DODSON: Sir, I am as disappointed as my hon. Friend can be that I have not yet received the Report of the Inspector; but the circumstances in connection with these cases, which are very complicated, have required a more detailed examination than was anticipated, and the inquiry is not complete. I am, however, pressing for its completion with the least possible delay. I find that two other cases of erysipelas in recently-vaccinated children have occurred since the original case was brought under my notice; but one of them did not occur in the practice of the public vaccinator. Until I have received the Inspector's Report, I cannot form any opinion as to the origin of the fatality. EGYPT (MILITARY OPERATIONS)— Egypt. Sir Garnet Wolseley will, on his arrival, appoint a Staff officer for the purpose of supervision. The telegram of which my hon. and gallant Friend 2nd of August. As the correspondent very properly complains appeared on the in question will certainly not be allowed to be employed under the new regulations, I do not think any further notice of the telegram necessary. BURIAL BOARDS-BURIAL FEES20 & 21 VIC. CAP. 31. of State for the Home Department, MR. RICHARD asked the Secretary turn of such of the tables of fees of Whether he will present a separate ReBurial Boards comprised in the unpublished Returns of 1880 as are in contra vention of the seventeenth section of the 20th and 21st Vic. c. 81, which requires that the fees paid to incumbents, clerks, and sextons, shall be extra charges in the consecrated parts of cemeteries only; and, whether he will take steps to secure a revision of such illegal charges? SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said, that the question was one for the Courts of Law; but he would see what could be done. LAW AND JUSTICE-CRIMINAL LUNA- MR. R. H. PAGET asked the SecreNEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS-tary of State for the Home Department, REGULATIONS. COLONEL NORTH asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether all the newspaper correspondents now in Egypt have signed the Rules laid down by him for their guidance; whether, in accordance with paragraph 7, a staff officer has been named to supervise all Press matters; whether, in compliance with paragraph 8, the article relative to the picket of the King's Own Rifle Corps was sent through him; and, if so, why, in accordance with the power granted to him, it was not stopped; and, if it was not submitted to him, whether that correspondent will be allowed to remain with the Army? MR. CHILDERS: Sir, in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend, I have to say that the rules laid down for newspaper correspondents only took effect from the 4th of August, and will be transmitted this week to the General commanding in If he will lay upon the Table of the tics? SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT, in reply, said, that he had not yet had time he would lay it on the Table of the to read the Report on the question; but House when it had been duly con sidered. POOR LAW (IRELAND)-THE COLLEC- MR. BIGGAR asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that the guardians of Manorhamilton Union have passed a Resolution proposing to lower the Poundage Rate for collection from ninepence to sixpence; whether the Local Government Board have refused to allow the proposed reduction to take place; if so, on what grounds; whether Allen Nixon, one of the collectors, has been decreed at Petty Sessions for getting paid twice over for same amounts; and, if so, whether he will be dismissed? and, whether he will have the case reheard? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, at the election of Poor Law Guardians referred to, the Returning Officer recorded Mr. Lawder's proxy votes for Mr. Boland's opponent. The Local Government, having some doubt as to the legality of the decision, procured a legal opinion on the question, which was to the effect that the Returning Officer had acted legally. There is, therefore, under the circumstances, no reason for ordering a rehearing of the case. THE IRISH LAND COMMISSION- MR. HEALY asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the fact, as publicly stated, that Mr. James Butler, secretary to the Carlow Grand Jury, has been appointed valuator to the Land Commission? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, it is the fact, as stated by the hon. Gentleman in his Question, that the Guardians of the Manorhamilton Union have passed a resolution, proposing to lower the poundage rate for collection from 9d. to 6d., and the Local Government Board have declined to sanction the proposed reduction, as they are of opinion that, having regard to the length of time the collectors have been in office, the generally satisfactory manner in which they have discharged the duties, and the increased difficulties which of late have arisen in the collection, it would not be just to the collectors, or conducive to the interests of the Union, to reduce the poundage as proposed. With regard to the case of the collector, Allen Nixon, the Local Government Board have received a complaint stating that he summoned a man for rates which had been previously paid, and that he had been decreed in the manner mentioned; but I am informed that the second demand was made through accident, and, therefore, the Local Government Board have not dismissed him. With regard to the question of the poundage and the power of the Local Government Board, I shall be in Ireland soon, and shall think it my duty to make further inquiries, so that the hon. Member must not take my CRIMINAL LAW (IRELAND)—CASE OF reply as final. As to Nixon also, I may say that, before taking any definite. action, I have required the Guardians to forward explanations. POOR LAW (IRELAND)-ELECTION OF A UNION. MR. BIGGAR asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in the election of Poor Law Guardians for electoral division of Belhubet, Cavan Union, Mr. J. Boland was decided by the returning officer not to be elected, he having taken for Mr. Boland's opponent seven proxy votes in the name of Mr. James O'Lawder, when, in fact, the legal title to the property was not vested in Mr. Lawder, but in the Receiver of the Matrimonial Division of the High Court of Justice; MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, Mr. James Butler, who is secretary to the Carlow Grand Jury, was appointed a valuer under the Land Commission on the 30th of May last. I understand that the terms of his appointment are that his whole services are to be at the disposal of the Land Commissioners; but I am strongly of opinion that he should be called on to elect which office he should resign, and I will communicate my views on the subject to the Land Commissioners. MARY KEANE. MR. SEXTON asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether, in view of the circumstances of the case of Mary Keane of Waterford, the Government will remit a portion of the sentence? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, Mary Keane was sentenced to one month's imprisonment without hard labour, and His Excellency sees no reason for any mitigation of the sentence. CRIMINAL LAW (IRELAND)-CASE OF MICHAEL LARKIN. MR. ARTHUR ARNOLD asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his Excellency has considered a Memorial on behalf of Michael Larkin, of Salford, SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: No, Sir; no such engagement has been concluded, or, indeed, discussed. SIR WILFRID LAWSON asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government is already in possession of informa tion to show that permanent arrangements insuring the safety of the lives and property of Europeans in, or passing through, Egypt, might now be secured from the "de facto" Government at Cairo, without any further military operation whatever, provided Her Majesty's Government were now to promise to Egypt that they will " guarantee it a constitution compatible with International engagements," in terms of the suggestion made by Sir Edward Malet on 20th January last, as shown in page 52 of the Blue Book, 3230, of 1882, and which he stated "he thought to be the only way out of a situation which was rapidly driving both us and the Egyptians to extremities?" signed by sixty inhabitants of that has been carried on, or the engagement borough, praying for restitution pro- undertaken; and, what is the nature of perty alleged to have been taken from such engagement, or basis of engagehim on sentence to penal servitude ment? for life for passing a bad half-crown, which sentence was annulled, and a free pardon granted in 1879; and, whether, if that pardon was an acknowledgment of Larkin's innocence of the offence for which he was convicted, on the evidence of a woman of notoriously bad character, his claim for compensation for unjust imprisonment during fifteen years will be regarded by the Irish Government? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, I find that the Memorial in the case of Michael Larkin, referred to by the hon. Member, was carefully considered by the late Lord Lieutenant, who decided that Larkin had no claim upon the Government. The facts of the case are shortly as follows:-Larkin was convicted before the Chairman of the County Limerick in 1862, on a charge of uttering base coin. It was his second conviction for this offence, and he had been previously tried on a similar charge in 1856, when he was acquitted. The County Court Judge sentenced him to penal servitude for life, being under the erroneous impression that the sentence meant in reality only confinement for 12 years. Larkin appears to have memorialized the Government in 1862, 1863, 1865, 1867, and 1873, and on each occasion the Lord Lieutenant at the time decided that the law should take its course, the Chairman having reported that there was no question as to his guilt. Larkin was released on licence in 1877, having served 15 years; and in 1879 the remainder of his sentence was remitted on the recommendation of Lord Chancellor Ball, who made the recommendation on the ground that the County Court Judge was under the impression that the sentence he imposed meant 12 years of actual confinement. EGYPT (POLITICAL AFFAIRS)-SUEZ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFF asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government have discussed or concluded any engagement with other Powers for the regulation of the political condition of Egypt, and of the Suez Canal, when order shall have been restored in that country; if so, with what Powers the discussion Mr. Arthur Arnold SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: No, Sir; Her Majesty's Government have no such information as that alluded to in the Question. SIR WALTER B. BARTTELOT asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether steps have been taken to prevent statements in this House with regard to Egypt, and also the movements and strength of our forces in Egypt, or on the way to Egypt, being communicated to Arabi Pasha by telegraph? MR. GLADSTONE: I must acknowledge the very considerate manner in which the hon. and gallant Baronet has acted with regard to this Question; but, at the same time, from regard to the public interests, the only answer I can give to it, which I hope will be satisfactory to him, is, that measures have been adopted such as the case seemed to call for. It would not be desirable to enter upon any details. POST OFFICE (IRELAND)—THE BELFAST LETTER CARRIERS. MR. FAWCETT, in reply, said, that | the following resolution signed by all the Memorial had been received, and the seven local magistrates present at that the letter-carriers of Belfast, as of the committal for trial of the proprietor other places, would receive increased of the "Tuam Herald,”. pay, together with good conduct stripes and other advantages. STATE OF IRELAND-ALTAR DENUN CIATIONS-THE REV. P. BRIODY. SIR HENRY TYLER asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been drawn to the altar denunciations of the Rev. P. Briody, C.C., Mount Nugent; and, whether it is proposed to take any steps in regard to him? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, the attention of the Government has from time to time been given to the utterances of the Rev. Mr. Briody; but it has not been deemed advisable to take any notice of them. SIR WILFRID LAWSON asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he will give the dates and particulars of the Documents which Her Majesty's Government hold to be International engagements, and of which they have held that the voting of the unassigned portion of the Budget by the Egyptian Chamber of Delegates would be a breach; and, whether he will lay upon the Table Copies of all such alleged International engagements (as distinguished from municipal ones) which the Government hold as binding the Egyptian State to submit its finances to European control? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, I stated in the House on Saturday, the 15th of July, that the question of the powers of the Egyptian Chamber of Notables was one that was still pending, and that the English and French Governments had agreed that it would be unadvisable to publish at present the Papers relating to it. It would, I feel sure, be equally unadvisable to make a statement on the subject at present. "We, the undersigned local justices of the peace for the county of Galway, assembled in petty sessions in Tuam, having heard the case of the Queen v. Richard J. Kelly, although feeling that we have no other course open to us but to send forward the case, yet we desire to express very strongly our opinion that the declaration of the defendant is true; that the letter complained of, purporting to be a transcript of a letter bearing the name of James Redpath, was printed by misadventure during the defendant's absence from home, and that he repudiates same, and expresses his intense regret that it should have appeared; and we wish to state that we have known the defendant for many years, and to our knowledge the Tuam Herald' has been at all times a supporter of law and order, and we respectfully suggest under such circumstances that this prosecution be dropped;" and, if, in consequence of this strong expression of opinion from the bench, he will direct all further proceedings. against Mr. Kelly to be dropped? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, the resolution of the magistrates referred to in the Question of the hon. and gallant Member has not been officially brought under the notice of the Government; but, nevertheless, I will take care that the matter is referred to my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General for Ireland, whose function it is to decide whether or not the prosecution should be proceeded with. COLONEL NOLAN: Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Attorney General for Ireland answer the Question now? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON): I think I had better get the document before me before I answer the Question. COLONEL NOLAN: Then I will repeat the Question. WAYS AND MEANS THE FINANCIAL MR. DODSON, in reply, said, that he would state the proposals of the Government when the Vote was taken. MR. SEXTON said, he would repeat the Question. MR. T. P. O'CONNOR asked if the right hon. Gentleman was not aware THE ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY- that a communication had been sent to ALLEGED DISCONTENT. MR. SEXTON asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether on Friday last Mr. Clifford Lloyd, R.M. addressing the Police of the city of Limerick on parade, condemned their conduct in agitating for an improvement of their position, and informed them that, if they had been soldiers their conduct would have brought upon them an extreme penalty; whether that statement was received by the constables with cries of "We are not soldiers," and whether the constables, on the conclusion of the parade, declared their determination not to parade again before Mr. Clifford Lloyd; whether, on a subsequent parade, Colonel Bruce, Inspector General, declared that the movement of the men was unprecedented in military history, and was an absolutely disloyal combination; whether, on a demand from the men for an apology for what they denounced as an insult, Colonel Bruce explained that he had not meant to insult them; and, whether, after four other parades, the proceedings closed with a refusal on the part of the police to retire from the movement in which they have engaged? He wished also to know, whether, at a meeting of constables yesterday, a resolution was passed calling on Mr. Clifford Lloyd to make a public apology for what he had said on Friday last? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, I have not yet got the official report upon the subject-matter of this Question, therefore I cannot answer it now; indeed, I do not see any reason for an immediate answer in this case. It may become of importance, as a matter of history; and, therefore, before I reply, I should like extremely to know what happened both from Colonel Bruce and Mr. Clifford Lloyd, and if the speeches, so far as they can be given, can be given in extenso. With regard to the last part of the Question of the hon. Member, it is one upon which I have received no information, and I can hardly believe that such is the case. If it is the case, it is an extremely imprudent and improper step to take. the newspapers by Mr. Clifford Lloyd, giving his version of the story, and practically acknowledging the state of facts as published? MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, I have read Mr. Clifford Lloyd's published letter to the newspapers, and I have also received a private letter from him; but my impression is that it is not an affair that calls for Parliamentary inquiry. Mr. Clifford Lloyd is supposed to have used a particular word, and it is rather important to know whether he used it or not; but it seems to me that a gentleman like Mr. Clifford Lloyd, occupying the position he does, has a right to go and try and do all he can, in the interests of duty and discipline, to endeavour to bring the men to a proper condition of mind. THE METROPOLIS — THE PARKS — A NEW PARK FOR PADDINGTON ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS. MR. BRYCE asked the honourable Member for the Isle of Wight, Whether, as one of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England and Wales, he can state what is the present position of the negotiations between the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the other owners of the Paddington Estate on the one hand, and those who have interested themselves in the creation of a public park for Paddington on the other hand; and, whether he can give any assurance that, during the pendency of those negotiations, the area of the ground now open will not be encroached upon or diminished by building operations? MR. EVELYN ASHLEY: Sir, last year the Ecclesiastical Commissioners offered to sell their interest in the landwhich they estimate to represent nearly one-half-for £1,500 an acre. This offer the Park Committee have neither accepted nor declined. Last March the Commissioners authorized their surveyors to join in any conference which might be held between the promoters of the proposed park and the trustees of the Paddington Estate with a view to arrange the price which should be paid for the joint interest of the Commissioners and trustees, without reference to any ques |