his wrongous imprisonment and for the expense he was put to in many ways, particularly in providing a substitute while in prison, and thereafter while the matter was under investigation by the Postal authorities?

THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. J. B. BALFOUR): I have inquired into this case. Macdonald, although he is a post-runner, was not apprehended while in charge of the mail bags; and the occurrence referred in the Question was an assault by night of a very serious description, by eight men upon two water bailiffs in the employment of the Spey Fishery Board. Macdonald was incarcerated for nine days. He was apprehended on the 13th of November, and liberated on bail on the 22nd. The evidence which led to Macdonald's apprehension was his own statement to another person that he was one of the gang of eight men, and the statement of one of the water bailiffs assaulted, that he was almost sure that Macdonald was one of the party. The evidence, however, did not appear to the Crown counsel sufficient, and, therefore, Macdonald was not tried; but the evidence seems to have been such as to warrant his apprehension and his detention for further examination. That a man should be detained in prison for several days on suspicion, and afterwards liberated without trial, is always a matter of regret; but such cases are occasionally unavoidable in the administration of criminal justice. There is no ground or precedent for awarding compensation to Macdonald, and I know of no fund from which compensation could be paid. Further, with reference to this part of the Question, I must repeat that the chief cause of Macdonald's apprehension was his own statement already mentioned.

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS-REGISTRATION OF VOTERS (IRELAND). MR. T. A. DICKSON asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Whether in any Registration Bill to be brought in for the purpose of placing on the registries the great numbers of additional voters entitled to the franchise, provision will be made for the remuneration of clerks of unions, rate collectors, and other officials, for their greatly increased duties, and if the Bill will provide that

the expense shall not fall upon the ratepayers?

MR. CALLAN said, he wished, at the same time, to ask the hon. and learned Gentleman, Whether he will make arrangements in the Bill for utilizing and continuing the services of the Town Clerks of the eighteen "liberated" boroughs of Ireland, or compensate the clerks for the loss of their emoluments in connection with the registration?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. WALKER), in reply, said, he would refer to the Question on the Paper-that of the hon. Member (Mr. Dickson). The matter was at present under the consideration of the Government, and he would ask his hon. Friend to postpone his Question.

PIER AND HARBOUR WORKS (ENGLAND AND WALES)-HOLYHEAD MAIL JETTY.

MR. MORGAN LLOYD asked the President of the Board of Trade, respecting the Mail Jetty, made of timber, at Holyhead, What was the cost of the Mail Jetty erected in the year 1858; what amount has been spent in the alteration and repairing of the same up to the present time; what is the estimate for the alterations and repairs of the same now going on; is the condition of the Jetty such as would justify the Government in spending a large sum in alterations and repairs; and, taking into consideration the present condition of the Jetty, and the large amount spent annually in repairs, would it not be better economy to erect a stone pier in place of the present Jetty?

MR. GRAY: Before the right hon. Gentleman answers the Question, I would ask, Whether it is not a fact that the original scheme submitted to the Government twenty years ago provided for a stone pier?

MR. CHAMBERLAIN: I cannot answer the Question of the hon. Member for Carlow (Mr. Gray) positively; but if he will put it on the Paper I will endeavour to do so. As to the first Question, the first cost of the timber mail jetty at Holyhead and its extension was, from 1858 to 1864, £48,226; since that time £26,985 has been spent in repair and renewal. The estimate of the work for raising the platform, required by the Post Office in connection with the recent mail contract, is £7,000;

with only four burners a temperature of 350 Fahrenheit was sustained at South Foreland, and several valuable lenses were cracked with the heat, it is not considered desirable to try six burners. The Elder Brethren have recently had a visit from Dr. Ball and his colleagues of the Irish Lights, and they have reason to believe that these gentlemen are satisfied with the experiments.'

MR. GRAY: I beg to ask the right hon. Gentleman, whether he is aware that the advocates of gas illumination for lighthouses claim that the double triform is the best for gas-lighting; and is it a fixed arrangement now that what the advocates of gas illumination consider to be the best system is not to be tested in experiments which it is assumed will test the value of the various lights? This is a very serious matter.

MR. CHAMBERLAIN: The further Question of the hon. Gentleman invites an argumentative reply; but I will answer it in this way. The experiments are intended to show the comparative value of gas and oil; and if they satisfactorily agree upon a point with regard, say, to three burners, then, inasmuch as the multiplication of burners would equally apply to gas and oil, there would be no necessity for continuing the experiments further. There are other and special reasons against such an experiment as has been suggested in the letter from the Elder Brethren from which I have quoted.

MR. GRAY: In consequence of the extremely unsatisfactory answer which the right hon. Gentleman has given, I beg to give Notice that I will call further attention to this matter.

LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: The letter referred to by the hon. Member has been received at the Foreign Office. Patrick Cantlon's claim for compensation has been officially supported by Mr. Egerton, by Sir Horace Rumbold, and his successors in charge of Her Majesty's Legation at Buenos Ayres; and on the 19th of January last an instruction was sent to Mr. Monson, Her Majesty's Minister to the Argentine Republic, directing him to urge the settlement of this claim upon the Argentine Government.

INLAND REVENUE STAMP OFFICE,

DUBLIN.

MR. GRAY asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he is aware that the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, having opened an office at the Four Courts, Dublin, for the sale of stamps and collection of Duty, are now, in addition, selling all kinds of unstamped forms and papers at greatly reduced rates, some at half-price; whether he is aware that this latter proceeding, in regard to unstamped papers, inflicts considerable loss upon the law stationers; and, whether the Treasury will restrict the Commissioners to the sale of stamps and the collection of Duties?

MR. HIBBERT (for Mr. CHILDERS): The Inland Revenue Stamp Office at the Four Courts replaces the former licensed vendors; and, like them, it sells un

REPUBLIC-CLAIMS OF PATRICK

CANTLON.

MR. GRAY asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Foreign Office has received from Patrick Cantlon, of Chirilcoy, Buenos Ayres, a communication dated December 8th 1884, and addressed to Earl Granville, detailing outrages which were committed upon him by soldiers of the National Government during the Revolution in the Argentine Republic

the Legal Profession and the public. These forms are sold at a rate which yields a reasonable profit to the State, besides being a convenience to the purchaser of stamps.

MR. GRAY asked, whether the hon. Gentleman was aware that the Office issued a Circular, stating that they were selling unstamped papers at half the price charged by traders; and, whether the Office would be permitted to enter into an unfair competition with traders?

fused to give such information to managers, as being against the practice of the Department; and, whether the Commissioners still continue to allege any, and if so what, reason for refusing to inform a teacher, who applies to them directly, what marks in each subject and what total per-centage he had obtained in any examination?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: I understand that, through a mistake in the Education Office, an erroneous answer was, unfortunately, recently given to the manager of a school who applied on this subject; but the mistake has since been rectified, and is not likely to occur again. I should add to the answer I have already given the hon. Member on this subject, that the Commissioners invariably communicate to the managers the occurrence of success, as well as of failure at an examination; and that they are prohibited by their published rules from communicating directly with a

teacher.

MR. SEXTON asked, whether any reason could be alleged why the Commissioners should refuse to give a teacher, who failed in an examination for promotion, such information as might enable him to remedy his deficiencies before the next examination?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN: I understand that they will give such information on being applied to by the managers of schools.

MR. SEXTON said, that he would again call attention to the matter.

CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND)

FIGHT FOR A DRUM-FIVEMILETOWN PETTY SESSIONS.

MR. SEXTON asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Irish Government have noticed that, in a case heard at the Fivemiletown (Tyrone) Petty Sessions, on the 5th ultimo, by J. A. Pomeroy and Major R. Brown, justices, it was proved that a man named Sherry had gone, disguised, with others, into the dwellinghouse of one Thomas Little, and, while his associates decoyed Mr. Little out of the house, had assaulted Mrs. Little, set fire to the house, and attempted to carry away a drum, but being prevented by the return of Mr. Little, made a dangerous assault upon him with a weapon known as a hook; whether Sergeant VOL. CCXCV. [THIRD SERIES.]

Green, the member of the Constabulary force in charge of the prosecution, applied to the justices named to send the case to a higher Court for trial, and whether the justices refused the application, inflicted on Sherry no heavier punishment than a fine of £3, and refused to award Thomas Little any compensation, either out of the fine or otherwise, for furniture broken and damaged by Sherry; whether Thomas Little and Mr. Pomeroy, one of the justices, were some time since opposing litigants; and, what action the Government will take in reference to the case?

MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN: This case arose out of the disputed possession of a drum, which had been purchased by subscription by an Orange Lodge, and which Thomas Little, who had it in his keeping, had declined to give up. On the evening of the occurrence, Sherry, with another man, entered Little's house; and while his com panion induced Little to leave the house, Sherry attempted to abstract the drum, but was prevented by Little's wife, whose shouts brought her husband to her assistance, and he, seeing what was going on, struck Sherry with a shovel, and attempted to stab him with a pitchfork, but was prevented by his wife. Sherry then succeeded in making his escape, but without the drum. There was no satisfactory evidence given as to Sherry being disguised, and it was not shown that he violently assaulted Little or his wife, or, in fact, did anything beyond struggling to carry off the drum. The allegation as to his setting fire to the house is based on the fact that, in trying to get at the drum, he upset a lamp; and the weapon "known as a hook" was an instrument apparently intended to cut down the drum which was hanging from the rafters of the house. The police did apply to have the case returned for trial; but the magistrates considered the requirements of the case would be met by fining Sherry £3 and 5s. 6d. costs. I am informed that there had been litigation between Little and Mr. Pomeroy, one of the magistrates; but having regard to what I have stated, I think justice was done in the present case, and that there is no reason for interference.

MR. SEXTON asked, whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the police were so dissatisfied with the

E