MR. D. A. THOMAS: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the fact that the letter of the Home Secretary to the Archbishop of Canterbury, dated 11th May, 1842, provided that the money collected in the several parishes at the instance of the clergy for the relief of the working classes in England and Scotland should be paid into the hands of, and be accounted for by, the Bank of England, he will make further inquiry to ascertain how the balance of £12,552 10s. 3d. remaining in June, 1844, when the account was closed, came to be reduced to £4,965 7s. 10d. in 1874; and what has become of this latter sum. *MR. AKERS DOUGLAS: The hon. Member put a series of Questions to me last year on this subject, and after making all the inquiries I could without obtaining the information necessary for an answer in every detail, I replied to a Question similar to the present onet that + See (4) Debates, cxxvii., 1158. I had no power to pursue the matter further. I can only repeat that reply. I Pay of Rural Postmen in Devonshire. MR. SOARES (Devonshire, Barnstaple): beg to ask the Postmaster-General, whether he is aware there are established rural postmen in North Devon who have served their time in the Army and are now receiving wages of 16s. per week, whilst the wages paid to police constables of the third class in the same district amounts to 21s. per week; and, if so, whether, in view of the effect upon recruiting for the Army, he will state what steps he proposes to take in the matter. THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton): Yes. I am aware that there are established rural postmen who have served their time in the Army and are now receiving wages of 16s. a week. I am naturally averse to doing anything which might be considered either unfair to ex-soldiers or detrimental to recruiting -but as the wages of the established postmen generally and of certain other classes of Post Office employees are now being examined by a Committee appointed by my predecessor, I must defer the consideration of any question affecting the rate of pay of these classes until I have received the Report of the Committee. the proposed provision, I shall be enabled to meet numerous cases of hardship for which at present no remedy is available. But in order to avoid disappointment, I must add that I fear it will not be possible to apply the grant to cases of retirement before the 31st March next. Underground Telegraphic Cables. SIR JOHN LENG: I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he will state what progress has been made with the underground telegraphic cables to the North of England and Scotland; and when it is expected they will reach Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Dundee, and Aberdeen. LORD STANLEY: The line of pipes for the underground cable now runs continuously from London to Carlisle, and a section of nineteen miles has also been laid over the Beattock incline in Scotland. By the end of the financial year a double line of pipes will also have been laid from Manchester to Leeds; the permanent cable will be ready for use as far as Warrington, and it may have been possible to draw in temporary cables between Manchester and Leeds. I cannot at present state when the underground cables will reach the places named, but I shall endeavour to expedite their construction. Cork Post Office. MR. J. F. X. O'BRIEN (Cork): I beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether he will state what steps, if any, have been taken to improve the heating of the Cork Telegraphic Office since two complaints were made by the staff in the form of petitions to the postmaster. LORD STANLEY: On receipt of the first petition, steps were at once taken to improve matters, but these unfortunately proved inadequate. A plan has now been suggested to the Board of Public Works for placing radiators in the Instrument Rooms. This, it is hoped, will afford the desired improvement. Glencar Road Dispute. MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that the Congested Districts directed; and will he indicate to whom | matter has been fully discussed in this such complaints should in the first instance be addressed. House, he can state how soon after the conclusion of the debate on the Address opportunities for discussion will be given. MR. WYNDHAM: In case of neglect to maintain the drainage the Board of SIR CHARLES MCLAREN: At the Works may intervene either of their own same time may I ask the First Lord of motion or on the complaint of any the Treasury when an opportunity will person aggrieved. Such a complaint be given to the House of expressing should be addressed to the Secretary, an opinion on Chinese labour in the Board of Works. If wrongful administra- Transvaal Colony. tion of funds is alleged, an action would lie against the members of the drainage board; or the electors might turn them out at the next election. MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar): Before the right hon. Gentleman answers, I wish to inquire whether the telegram which appears in The Times of to-day, dated Pretoria, "In consequence of communications received from the Home Government, the Legislative Council have decided to postpone taking MR. WYNDHAM: Then turn out the any steps in regard to the importation of native labour," is correct. MR. J. P. FARRELL: The complaint is against the officials of extravagance in management. board. MR. J. P. FARRELL: To whom can we apply for redress? I will put down another Question. King-Harman Estate. MR. J. P. FARRELL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state if the sale of the King-Harman Estate at Kenagh, county Longford, has been approved by the Estate Commissioners; whether he is aware that Mr. Robert Armstrong, of Kenagh, formerly tenant of Creagh on the estate, has claimed the right to purchase his former holding on the estate; and will he direct the Estate Commissioners to take Mr. Armstrong's case into their consideration in connection with the sale of this property. MR. WYNDHAM: The proceedings in connection with the sale of this estate to the Estates Commissioners have not yet been concluded. The replies to the remainder of the Question are in the affirmative. Chinese Labour in the Transvaal. MAJOR SEELY (Isle of Wight): I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the undertaking given by the Secretary of State for the Colonies that no final sanction shall be given to the proposed importation of Chinese labour into the Transvaal until the *MR. LYTTELTON: No, Sir. So far as I know, that postponement must be due to something I am not acquainted with. My belief is that the Ordinance will pass its Third Reading to-day. SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs): I have to ask when the evidence taken before the Labour Commission will be in the hands of Members. Is it accessible, for there appears to be only one copy? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is no official copy of the Ordinance to which the House is asked to give approval? The Paper has been printed, but it is not in the hands of Members yet, which indicates the enormous number of alterations made upon it since it was first introduced. The right hon. Gentleman will no doubt give effect to this consideration if he is going to fix a day for the discussion. *MR. AKERS DOUGLAS: I think that the Colonial Secretary had better answer the detailed Question of the right hon. Gentleman. *MR. LYTTELTON: The evidence has been printed, and four copies of it are in the library of the House of Commons and two copies in the House of Lords. The Ordinance as amended was in the Bluebook, but the Amendments were not actually printed in the same document | hon. Members opposite, even if they do not as the original Ordinance, but we have belong to the legal profession. There are since then done that. The Ordinance, two Reports of the Commission, the mintherefore, now stands, and was in the ority and majority; and practically all hands of Members yesterday in its final the points at issue which are of importshape. ance are carefully grouped, and reference is made to the evidence. With the great bulk of the evidence the hon. and learned Gentleman need have no dealings. SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: In this Paper the last telegram is February 6, from Lord Milner to the right hon. Gentleman, enclosing an innumerable quantity of Amendments which cannot possibly be embodied in any document in the hands of Members. *MR. LYTTELTON: The right hon. Gentleman says so, but my information is to the contrary. SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: This document has only now become available to hon. Members in the Vote Office, and it has not yet been circulated. It contains no fewer than five pages of new Amendments sent by Lord Milner, dated 6th February, and the copy of the Ordinance is not official, for it is headed reconstructed according to the telegrams." Is the House to understand that this is really a fulfilment of the pledge given by the right hon. Gentleman last week that hon. Members should have a full and official copy of the Ordinance as passed by the Transvaal Legislative Council? 66 SIR ROBERT REID (Dumfries Burghs): Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the size and character of the documents in the library, and does he think hon. Members can fairly weigh the evidence contained in them for the purposes of debate in the next two or three days? *MR. LYTTELTON: The debate is not anticipated until next week. The volume, I admit, is bulky, but the hon. and learned Member has frequently had to deal with more bulky documents in a very much shorter time. MR. JOHN ELLIS (Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe): We are not all lawyers. *MR. LYTTELTON: I think that the opportunity of dealing with this volume SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: How long will it take hon. Members, four at a time, to have an opportunity of considering this document ? *MR. AKERS DOUGLAS: I can make no promise of any other day for the discussion than the opportunity which may be afforded next week. MAJOR SEELY: May I ask whether the Government propose to give their final sanction to the Ordinance immediately after the discussion on the Address? MR. HERBERT SAMUEL: The right hon. Gentleman speaks of the opportunity which may be afforded next week. May we assume that an opportunity will be given on the Address next week to discuss the question? SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: We should very much prefer to have a clean and separate opportunity. That is what we asked for before. *MR. LYTTELTON: I explained fully to the House three or four days ago that it was in deference to a letter written by the Leader of the Opposition that the unusual course was taken to introduce a suspensory clause in the Ordinance which would have the effect of preventing its coming into operation until the House had an opportunity of discussing the matter. I pointed out the opportunity which would be given to hon. Members to raise whatever Amendments they of the Government it is not proposed to pleased on the Address; and on behalf extend that undertaking any further. SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: We never accepted that. The right hon.. Gentleman is giving an opportunity which in effect is nothing given by him,. because it is something we have in our Royal Commission on Trade Disputes. MR. HERBERT SAMUEL: I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury how many sittings the Royal Commission on the Law affecting Trade Disputes has held since its appointment; and, when the Report of the Commission is likely to be presented. *MR. AKERS DOUGLAS: The Commission has, so far, held only private sittings, but it will meet very shortly to take evidence. It is impossible to say when the Report will be presented. NEW MEMBERS SWORN. The honourable Alban George Henry Gibbs for City of London. Joseph Dobbie, esquire, Ayr District of Burghs. NEW BILLS. SMALL DWELLINGS (ACQUISITION) BILL. To amend the provisions of the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, 1899," presented by Sir Thomas Wrightson; supported by Mr. Claude Hay, Mr. Graham, Mr. Peel, Sir Alfred Hickman, Captain Jessel, Mr. Moon, Mr. Pike Pease, Mr. Collings, and Mr. Griffith-Boscawen; to be read a second time upon Friday, 19th February, and to be printed. [Bill 44.] HIGHWAYS BILL. "To amend the Law relating to Highways," presented by Mr. Henry Hobhouse; supported by Sir John Dorington, Lord Edmund Fitzmaurice, Mr. Bill, Mr. Heywood Johnstone, and Mr. Herbert Lewis; to be read a second time upon Monday, 29th February, and to be printed. [Bill 45.] ROMAN CATHOLIC DISABILITIES "To abolish Disabilities still affecting Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom," presented by Mr. M'Kean; supported by Mr. Patrick O'Brien, Mr. Dillon, Captain Donelan, Lord Edmund Talbot, Mr. William Redmond, Mr. Joseph Devlin, Mr. James Hope, and Mr. Clancy; to be read a second time upon Friday, 22nd April, and to be printed. [Bill 46.] WAGES BOARDS BILL. "To provide for the establishment of Wages Boards," presented by Sir Charles Dilke; supported by Mr. Bell, Mr. John Burns, Mr. McKenna, Mr. Tennant, and Mr. Trevelyan; to be read a second time upon Friday, 25th March, and to be printed. [Bill 47.] WILD BIRDS PROTECTION ACTS AMEND- "To amend the Wild Birds Protection Acts," presented by Mr. Sydney Buxton; supported by Sir John Stirling-Maxwell, Sir Robert Reid, Colonel Lockwood, and Sir Edward Grey; to be read a second time upon Monday next, and to be printed. [Bill 48.] JURY ACTS (IRELAND) BILL. "To amend the Jury Acts in Ireland," presented by Mr. John Campbell; supported by Mr. Clancy, Mr. MacNeill, Mr. Patrick Aloysius McHugh, and Mr. O'Shaughnessy; to be read a second time upon Tuesday, 22nd March, and to be printed. [Bill 49.] CONTEMPT OF COURT (IRELAND) BILL. "To amend the Law of Contempt of Court in Ireland," presented by Mr. Sheehy; supported by Mr. Clancy and Mr. Patrick Aloysius M'Hugh; to be read a second time upon Friday, 29th April, and to be printed. [Bill 50.] IRISH LIGHTS BOARD BILL. "To amend the Law relating to the Irish Lights Board," presented by Captain Donelan; supported by Mr. Clancy, Mr. Field, Mr. Flynn, Mr. Doogan, Mr. James O'Connor, and Mr. Nannetti; to be read a second time upon Friday, 6th May, and to be printed. [Bill 51.] CONSPIRACY (IRELAND) BILL. "To amend the Law of Conspiracy in Ireland," presented by Mr. Doogan; supported by Captain Donelan, Mr. Thomas O'Donnell, Mr. Condon, Mr. Patrick Aloysius McHugh, Mr. Kilbride, and Mr. J. P. Farrell; to be read a second time upon Friday, 11th March, and to be printed. [Bill 52.] |