Question put, and agreed to. Appendix (A) to Standing Orders read, and amended, in page 63, by inserting, after line 25, the words, "[We also beg to inform you that it is intended that the Act shall provide to the effect, that, notwithstanding Section 92 of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845 [or Section 90 Act, 1845], you may be required to sell and of The Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) convey a part only of your property, numbered on the deposited plans.]"-(Mr. Lyon Playfair.) it was constantly found that the Rail-Order; to refer such Bills to the Board ways, when sanctioned, were not carried of Trade for their Report upon them. out, but were abandoned, and the question was what was to be done with the deposit money? After some correspondence between the Treasury and the authorities of the House, it had been thought that the best mode of dealing with the matter was to require the Board of Trade to make a Report as to the facts of the case-whether the abandonment was just, and whether it interfered with any private rights. Report would be sent to the Committee on the Bill, authorizing the abandonment of a railway or tramway before the expiration of the time limited for its completion; and the Committee were to be directed to report specially to the House ARREARS OF RENT (IRELAND) BILL. in what manner the several recommendations contained in the Report from the Board of Trade had been dealt with. It seemed to him that the justice of the case would be fully met by that means. That ORDER OF THE DAY. CONSIDERATION OF LORDS AMENDMENTS TO COMMONS AMENDMENTS. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Lords Amendments to the Commons Amendments to the Amendments made New Standing Order, to follow Stand-by the Lords to the Arrears of Rent (Ireland) ing Order 158: Motion made, and Question proposed, That, in the case of every Bill authorising, before the expiration of the time limited for the completion of a Railway or Tramway, the abandonment thereof, or of any part thereof, and the release of any deposit money impounded as security for such completion, a Report from the Board of Trade respecting the Bill, and the objects thereof, shall be presented to this House, and be referred to the Committee on the Bill; and the Committee shall report specially to the House in what manner the several recommendations contained in the Report from the Board of Trade have been dealt with by the Committee." -(Mr. Lyon Playfair.) Question proposed, "That the said Order be a Standing Order of the House." SIR HENRY HOLLAND remarked, that a question might arise after a Committee had finished its labours whether the Company were going to carry out all their undertakings. He did not understand how the proposed Order met such a case. MR. LYON PLAYFAIR said, the question generally arose in this way. If a Railway Company had not completed its undertaking, it usually applied to Parliament for an extension of time, and a clause was inserted in this subsequent Bill, releasing them from any obligation which they proposed to abandon. It was proposed, by this Standing Bill be considered forthwith."-(Mr. Solicitor MR. HEALY said, the proceedings of the hon. and learned Gentleman were somewhat extraordinary. No one knew what on earth the Lords Amendments were, so far as he could gather, and he thought he was asking nothing but what was fair and right in requesting that they should appear on the Notice Paper. This Bill had hitherto involved some attention in connection with Amendments by the Lords; and, for anything he knew, the Amendments to be considered might provoke a conflict between the two Houses. Yet they were, almost immediately that the House met, asked to take the Amendments into consideration before they ever knew what they were. The least thing that the Government could do was to have them printed. The Amendments might be trifling, and only formal, and, for his own part, he might possibly propose a consequential Amendment upon the Amendments of the Lords. But the Solicitor General for Ireland introduced the matter as if it was a second-class Bill. He felt so strongly upon the subject that he should divide the House on the question. THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER) said, that the Amendments were of a purely formal character. The only one of the slightest consequence was an Amendment to give effect to an Amendment which had been introduced at the instance of the hon. Member himself. The position in which that hon. Gentleman's Amendment was placed rendered its meaning ambiguous. Its position was, therefore, changed from one part of the clause to another. The other Amendment was of a formal character, and would have no effect on the purpose of the Bill. MR. WARTON said, he felt bound to condemn the practice of considering Amendments that were inaccessible to the great majority of the House. Some weeks ago, in the small hours of the morning, and in an angry and impatient House, composed mainly of Liberals, he had called attention to the inconvenience of thus dealing with the measure then before the House-the Bills of Sale Bill. No printed copy of that Bill was obtainable by hon. Members generally, and in the copy which he was able to procure through the courtesy of an officer of the House of Lords, the references did not correspond with those given on the Notice Paper. He protested against a similar course being taken on the present occasion. The Amendment referred to by the Solicitor General for Ireland was one which he had himself opposed; but he was cried down by hon. Members opposite, and they now saw the result of it. MR. SEXTON said, he must state that he considered that the proceeding of the hon. and learned Gentleman was one which he could not but stigmatize as objectionable at all times, and it was extremely so as applied to such a Bill as this. This Bill had only been further considered in the House of Lords on Thursday evening, and they had not received any Notice whatever of the Amendments. These had not been placed on the Paper of the House that morning, as they might have been. These Amendments appeared to be the result of an interview between the Government and the managers of the Conservative Party in the House of Lords; and, knowing as they did the character of some of the Lords Amendments in the past, they ought to have the exact nature of these placed before them, so that they might protect them, if necessary, by consequential Amendments. There could be no want of time in this matter. He might remind the Government that The Solicitor General for Ireland they took five days to consider the Lords Amendments, although it was now notorious that that delay was entirely useless. It was now apparent that the greater part of that five days was wasted, and that the Government and the majority of the House of Lords had all along agreed between them what course was to be pursued. He thought that they should insist either that the Lords Amendments should be placed on the Paper of the House, or that they should be laid before the House, and for that purpose he moved the adjournment of the debate. MR. MOLLOY seconded the Motion. "That the Debate be now adjourned.". Motion made, and Question proposed, (Mr Sexton.) MR. GLADSTONE: It appeared to me, Sir, that some parts of the speech of the hon. Member for Sligo were irrevelant; but, besides that, he has stated what is absolutely untrue, and of which the hon. Gentleman must have been entirely misinformed. He thinks fit to go back to the five days which elapsed between the receipt of the Lords Amendments and their consideration by this House. They were complicated Amendments, and, of course, had to be printed, and he says it was a waste of time, because the whole thing had been agreed upon between the Government and the Leaders of the Opposition. I never heard a more rash, a more absurd, nor a more groundless statement made in this House. [Cries of "Oh!"] Well, I think I am entitled to speak on a matter of fact as to communications between the Government and the Leaders of the Opposition, and I affirm that there was no communication whatever between them. The hon. Gentleman has been led-why, I know not-into a most injurious, most absurd, groundless, and imaginary statement. That is the state of the case. I do not think this is a very convenient opportunity for raising a general question upon the mode of proceeding with the Lords Amendments; but it is necessary for the House to recollect that, at the close of the Session, the interchange of Amendments, and of Amendments upon Amendments, becomes a nice matter in point of time, and it is greatly for the convenience of the House that such proceedings should be expedited. I think my hon. and learned Friend acted strictly according to precedent in | other House bore a political interpreasking the House on his own responsi- tation, and in putting that interpretation bility as to the character of the Amend- upon it he thought he was quite within ments, to consider at once Amendments his right. He begged to withdraw the of a purely formal character without Motion for Adjournment. getting them printed. The hon. Member for Wexford says he desires an opportunity of bringing forward a consequential Amendment. Whether the Amendment can be admitted or not I have no knowledge, because I do not know what it is; but I quite agree that he should have an opportunity of moving it. MR. HEALY: I said that possibly I might desire to move a consequential Amendment. I do not know that I shall. Motion, by leave, withdrawn. QUESTIONS. 16:0:60 RELIEF OF DISTRESS (IRELAND) ACT COLONEL O'BEIRNE asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, If it is a fact that the magistrates acting at Ballinamore Petty Sessions, county Leitrim, have lately refused to enter into any inquiry as to whether the entries in the account books kept by the Poor Law Guardians of the Bawnboy Union, for the sums debited to tenants for the pur MR. GLADSTONE: Undoubtedly the House should have an opportunity of considering that matter; and, therefore, I am sure my hon. and learned Friend will not persevere at this moment with this Motion. Whether it should be postponed until a later period in the evening, or whether it should be post-chase of seeds under the Relief of Disponed from to-day till Monday, which will be a loss of three days in the passing of the Bill, I am not prepared to say; but probably the hon. Member will put himself into communication with my hon. and learned Friend, and the matter may be very easily arranged. MR. MACFARLANE asked if the Amendments could not be taken tomorrow, Saturday? Hon. Members on that side had naturally a very great distrust of Lords Amendments, and desired to see them and consider them before they agreed to them. MR. GLADSTONE: I ought to apologize, Sir; but I would remind the House, with regard to a question like the Lords Amendments, that we have always confined the Saturday Business to that of a technical description, and to the performance of legislation of a certain kind; but, of course, it is within the pleasure of the House to take the Amendments if they think fit. It is, however, only fair that I should inform the House that the whole of the Amendments which we have to consider were inserted at the instance of the Government. MR. SEXTON said, he did not think it necessary further to reply to the strictures passed upon him by the Premier than to remark that the complexion of the proceedings between the Government and the majority in the tress (Ireland) Act, are correct; and, will the Local Government Board direct an examination to be made into the account books of the said distributors, with a view of remedying the injustice that tenants are subject to by the false and careless entries made in the books of the Poor Rate collectors and clerk of the Union? THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER): I find that the only information the Local Government Board have upon this matter is contained in a Memorial received from 15 ratepayers, who have been rated for seed in Bawnboy Union, and who state that some of them never made application for seed, and never received any, and that others only received a portion of the seed for which they are charged. They further alleged that the magistrates at Ballinamore Petty Sessions, where they were summoned, refused to investigate the cases, and granted decrees according to the entries in the collector's books without hearing any defence. The Local Government Board have communicated with the Guardians on the subject, but have not yet received their reply. With regard to the action of the magistrates in the matter the clerk of Petty Sessions at Ballinamore informs me that the magistrates, on the 29th ultimo, refused to enter into a general inquiry as to the accounts | district against the proposed barrack, kept by the Bawnboy Board of Guar- and that there is no other equally suitdiansable site available; and the Town Commissioners, who represent the interests of all parties in the town, have granted the necessary permission to build the barrack upon it. "Having regard to the facts of the accounts then sued for being publicly notified, as well as special notices having been given to each party of the sums due by them for seed, &c., and no objection having been made by those parties within the proper time." The clerk of Petty Sessions adds that the magistrates did investigate some of the cases. THE ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY ARMAGH POLICE BARRACKS. THE ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY- on MR. HEALY asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, For a Return of the number of Roman Catholic Sub-Constables serving in the constabulary district of Moville, county Donegal, during the month ending 30th June 1882; also the number of sub-constables of the Roman Catholic religion entered Table 9, Return No. 8, Promotion List, in said district for the month ended 30th June 1882, by Sub-Inspector Robert Almon Smith, the officer in charge of said district, and the length of service of each sub-constable so recommended; also the number of sub-constables of the Protestant religion serving MR. HEALY asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether it is the case that the Inspector General of Constabulary took a house on lease before it was built, for the use of the police in Armagh, in so secret a manner that none of the residents heard of it until the lease was signed; whether the arrangement was thus carried out in order to prevent the residents from memorialising the Lord Lieutenant to prohibit its being built in their neigh-in the same district during the said bourhood, as they otherwise would have done; whether the County Inspector informed some of the inhabitants that it was now no use sending a protest to His Excellency, as no attention would be paid to it owing to the lease being signed; whether the sub- inspector lodges in the house of the landlord who has signed the lease; whether his attention has been called to an article in the "Ulster Gazette," showing the strong feeling which exists in the district against the police barracks being erected on this site; and, whether he can direct steps to be taken so that the barracks may be built elsewhere? THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER): I find that the Inspector General authorized the County Inspector to take the house referred to; but the yearly agreement has not been executed, nor will it be until the house is ready for occupation as a barrack. The arrangements were not conducted in a secret manner, and they appeared in the local paper. After authority to take the house had been received, the County Inspector did inform one inhabitant that there was no longer any use in memorializing. The SubInspector lodges in the house of the landlord. The local Constabulary assert that there is no strong feeling in the The Solicitor General for Ireland period, and the number of the latter entered on Table 9, Return No. 8, as recommended for promotion by SubInspector Smith, with the length of service of each Protestant so recommended on 30th June 1882; is it a fact that SubConstables Marks, Moffit, Johnston, and Taylor were placed on the promotion list (and still retained thereon) when Marks and Moffit had only three years' service, Johnston only five, &c., to the exclusion of many Catholics of over fifteen years' service in said district who were well conducted and qualified for the higher grade of promotion; is it a fact that Mr. Sub-Inspector Smith lives in Carrick House, a statute mile from his head-quarter station, and keeps his office at same house outside the boundaries of the town in which he is in charge; that his men are harassed carrying letters and commands to his house in the country, and thus withdrawing them from their public duties; and, how much rent is allowed to Sub-Inspector Smith yearly for keeping the office at his private dwelling, and why is he allowed any, when all former officers had their office in the Constabulary Barrack, Moville, free, without expense to the public? THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER): The Chief Secretary endeavoured to make out an answer for this Question, which could be compressed within reasonable limits, but found it impossible to do so. At his request, however, I will hand the hon. Member seriatim replies to the several paragraphs thereof, which I hope will satisfy him; but I am afraid that they will not be ready before the House adjourns. MR. HEALY: Would the right hon. Gentleman give them in the shape of a Return? THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER) was understood to say that he thought there might be some objection; but that, as far as possible, the facts and figures would be prepared in a tabular form. and 2 of the Treaty of 19th June 1847, between Great Britain and France, guaranteeing the absolute independence of certain islands in the Pacific? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: The French flag was hoisted at Raiatea, an island to the leeward of Tahiti, shortly before Her Majesty's Government assumed Office, and a provisional protectorate assumed over it by the French authorities at Tahiti, at the solicitation of the Chiefs of the Island; but the proceeding was disavowed by the French Government as an infraction of the Declaration of June 19, 1847. The French Government, however, opened negotiations for the abrogation of the Declaration in consideration of adequate concessions on their part in connection with other pending questions; and Her Ma EGYPT (MILITARY EXPEDITION)-THE jesty's Government have consented that INDIAN CONTINGENT ROMAN COLONEL NOLAN (for Mr. MOORE) asked the Secretary of State for India, If he can state whether any steps have been taken to secure the services of chaplains for the Roman Catholic soldiers of the Indian Contingent proceeding to Egypt? THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, that the other day he informed the hon. Member for Clonmel (Mr. Moore) that he had not received any details as to the arrangements made in sending troops to Egypt. He had not yet received such details; but he might add that the Indian troops that would land in Egypt would come under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Expedition; and, no doubt, the arrangements made for the benefit of the Roman Catholic troops despatched from England would be also available for the Roman Catholic troops despatched from India. It was probable, however, that there would be no Roman Catholics among them, as the only British troops yet sent from India were a mounted battery of about 100 men and a Highland regiment. ENGLAND AND FRANCE-THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC-TREATY OF 1847. MR. SALT asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any action has been taken on the part of France in contravention of Articles 1 the French flag shall remain provisionally hoisted at Raiatea until the 31st of December next, when, unless otherwise agreed between the two Governments, the status quo ante under the Declaration of 1847 will be reverted to. PROTECTION OF PERSON AND PROPERTY (IRELAND) ACT, 1881 JAMES AND THOMAS COEN AND J. E. HAZEL. MR. T. P. O'CONNOR, asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether the time has come for the release of James and Thomas Coen, who have now been in prison since the 28th of last February; and, whether the district in which they live has not been remarkably tranquil for the last three months? THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER): The cases of both these men were reconsidered by his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant on the 25th ultimo, and he decided that he could not at present order the release of either of them. MR. T. P. O'CONNOR asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether there is any reason for the further detention of Mr. J. E. Hazel, who is suffering imprisonment for the second time as a suspect, and who comes from a district at present in a state of tranquillity? THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER): His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant reconsidered John Hazel's case on the 25th ultimo, and decided that the time had not yet come |