asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in reference to works on Bumatroshan Pier, co. Donegal, If he could state what is the amount of the contract for this work; the date at which contractor was bound to complete work; the total amount actually paid to contractor; and the several amounts paid on account of such works, and to whom and for what such amounts were paid; if the work is yet completed; and, if not, how soon it will be; if time of contract has already run over; and, in this case, if Board of Works will levy any penalties; if any extra works besides those mentioned in contract have been ordered to be executed by the contractor, the nature of such works, and the price paid or to be paid for them; and, how soon the extra works, amounting to £980, mentioned in Return 244, will be commenced, as the people in the district are in sore need of employment?

Sir, the amount of the contract for this work was £1,900, and £1,898 has been paid to the contractor, besides which only some £16 has been paid for expenses. The work is all but completed, although the contract time does not expire until the 1st of October next. Extra works were required to the value of £68; on the other hand, there were savings of £70. The extra works referred to in the last paragraph of the Question will, I am informed, be commenced immediately.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the recent Trinity Quarter Sessions for the city of Waterford and for the division of Lismore, county Waterford, were legally fixed for the 20th June and 1st July respectively; whether accordingly the suitors in all cases before the court, with their witnesses and the professional gentlemen who practise at those sessions, attended in due course to transact their business; whether the sessions were immediately adjourned, notwithstanding that no notice had been given to the public of any intention to adjourn the court; whether this was done solely to suit the convenience of the county chairman, Mr. Waters; whether this gentleman, being chairman of the county Waterford, was recently appointed chairman of the amalgamated counties of Cavan and Leitrim; whether his appointment in this double capacity has not caused the utmost inconvenience to the two districts so remote from each other; whether immediately on being appointed to Cavan and Leitrim, Mr. Waters attempted to adjourn the Easter Quarter Sessions there in the same way; whether, notwithstanding that several weeks' notice of the adjournment was duly given, the Law Officers of the Crown did not decide that such a course was quite illegal; whether this attempt at adjournment was accordingly abandoned in consequence of the remonstrances in this House of the county Members; whether the adjournment of the sessions for the county Waterford is equally illegal; and why it was that no previous notice of the intended postponement was afforded as in the Leitrim case; whether Mr. Waters, having been made aware that his action, re Leitrim, was illegal, gave no notice of postponement to prevent protest; if so, what notice the Government propose to take of Mr. Waters' conduct; and, whether the appointments in question are in the gift of the Lord Chancellor?

Sir, the first four Questions involved in this inquiry relate to the Trinity Sessions of this year for the City of Waterford and for the Lismore Division. The City of Waterford Sessions were fixed for the 23rd of June, and held on that day by the County Court Judge, who disposed of all the business. The Lismore Sessions were fixed for the 1st of July, and held on that day by the County Court Judge, who disposed of all the business in which there was any attendance, and then adjourned the Sessions to the 8th of July. This adjournment was necessitated by the public exigency, because the County Court Judge had to sit elsewhere; it was not for his convenience. Previous notice was given to the practitioners, and I am not aware that inconvenience was occasioned by it. With respect to the last eight Questions, Mr. Waters, the County Court Judge of Waterford, was transferred in December last to the County Court group of Cavan and Leitrim, then vacant by the death of the Judge, and as Waterford cannot at present be united to the counties with which it is to be grouped, Mr. Waters, whose counties were as near as those of any Judge who could have been appointed under the Statute, was appointed tempo- rary County Court Judge of Waterford. These appointments are not in the gift of the Lord Chancellor. No attempt was made by Mr. Waters to adjourn the Easter Sessions in Cavan and Leitrim, and no opinion given by the Law Officers on such attempt. What occurred was this—The dates were altered by a Privy Council Order; but the hon. Member for Leitrim (Mr. Tottenham) drew attention to the circumstance that sufficient time was not given for service of certain classes of process, and the dates were accordingly altered by a subsequent Order. The adjournment of the sessions for the division of Waterford was legal and pursuant to statute, and I am not aware of anything illegal in the action of the County Court Judge.

asked whether the sessions at Lismore and at Carrickon-Shannon were not fixed for July 1st, at the same hour; and also whether the Chairman of Leitrim, instead of coming at 12 o'clock on the 1st, came at 1 o'clock on the 2nd?

I am afraid I cannot answer the Question now. I will inquire, if the hon. Member desires it.

asked where Mr. Waters was sitting on the day appointed for holding the sessions at Lismore?

I am not certain which of the divisions in the group it was, and therefore cannot answer specifically; but if the hon. Member desires to know, I will ascertain.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If it is true that after Captain Coppin was refused the extension of time asked for the lifting of H.M.S. "Vanguard," that he then wrote to the Admiralty on the 3rd of December 1878, offering to purchase the ship as she lay for the sum of ten thousand pounds, and to give security therefor in the usual way as soon as the offer was accepted; and, if so, why was the offer so made refused which thereby entailed a loss of ten thousand pounds to the Country?

Sir, on the 19th of October, 1878, Captain Coppin offered to purchase the Vanguard for £10,000, and to pay for her in 90 days from date of acceptance of his offer, providing the "customary contract sureties." The usual practice in sales is to require cash, but Captain Coppin was requested to furnish the names, addresses, and callings of the gentlemen who would be willing to stand sureties for the payment of £10,000 in three months. On the 14th of November he declined to do so, on the ground that acceptance of his offer should precede the production of his sureties. The experience which the Admiralty had had in their previous relations with Captain Coppin—an experience which I related the other day—led them to consider his proposal unsatisfactory. I need not remind the House of the grave inconveniences that might arise if a Government Department was to give bargains out of which money might directly or indirectly be made to persons of whose financial position they were not assured.

asked the Secretary of State for War, If he can explain why the pay and effects of Robert Maclean, private 72nd Foot, who died at Cabul 6th December 1879, have not been paid to the father of the deceased, notwithstanding several applications, and that the War Office instructions are very plain on the point of delay in such cases?

Sir, in reply to my hon. Friend, I do not think that the delay in this case has been so great as might appear. Private Maclean died in Afghanistan, and his regiment did not return to India till the end of 1880. It is not possible, with due regard to the interests of the man's representatives, to dispose of a soldier's effects until they can be bought at a fair price; and this cannot often be got on active service, or until the return of the regiment. The account in this case is expected daily, and the proceeds will be duly dealt with; but I cannot say that there has been no delay, and I have called for explanations. If it is not satisfactory, the responsible officer will be censured. I may repeat what I have said before in the House, that the instructions on this subject are quite precise, and that I intend to take serious notice of every case of non-compliance.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that a force, consisting of a resident magistrate, two officers, and seventy-two policemen, was sent down to a Sheriff's Sale at Redcross, in the county Wicklow, on the 30th June, in direct opposition to the publicly expressed desire of the sheriff, Mr. W. H. Brownrigg; whether his attention has been called to a correspondence printed in the "Daily Express "newspaper between the sheriff, the secretary of the Emergency Committee, and the solicitors of the Rev. Mr. Johnson, the landlord, at whose suit the sale took place; whether he has noticed the following passage in the sheriff's letter of 1st July:—

"As I anticipated, the entire amounts of the respective writs were willingly and peaceably paid, not as the result of the attendance of the Emergency Committee, but the good faith and honesty of the parties I had to deal with, and of which I was well assured before I wrote the letter your article referred to. I cannot help adding that in my mind such unnecessary displays of physical force are calculated to inflame the minds of the people, and add very much to the difficulties of the sheriff in the proper discharge of his duties;"

and, whether he will inform the House on whose information or application, and by what authority, the county of Wicklow has been subjected to the expense consequent on the movement of this force?

, in reply, said, that the hon. Member was asking this Question under a misapprehension. There would be no expense to the county of Wicklow for the movement of the force. From information received, the Government had reason to believe that but for the precautions taken there would have been a serious disturbance at the sale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, having regard to the misery and distress arising out of the dissimilarity now existing between the English and French Marriage Laws, Her Majesty's Government will introduce a measure rendering it incumbent upon any legally authorised person celebrating a marriage in Great Britain or Ireland between English and French subjects to require proof of compliance with the French Marriage Laws?

Sir, we have done all we could in the matter by making as public as possible the provisions of the French Marriage Laws, and warning persons against the risks of marrying French subjects in this country; but I do not know that we could go to the extent of making persons who celebrate marriages in this country enforce the conditions of a foreign law.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether, having regard to the misery and distress constantly occurring through the dissimilarity between the French and English Marriage Laws, Her Majesty's Government is prepared to recommend to the Government of France such a modification of the French Marriage Laws as shall in future prevent English Women being entrapped into marriage with Frenchmen only to be dishonoured and cast off at will?

Sir, Her Majesty's Government appreciate the serious nature of the results of the French law in regard to marriages contracted by English women with French subjects, but do not consider that it would be of any practical use to ask the French Government to propose to the French Parliament to alter the law.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has received information in reference to the estate of Mrs. Blake, at Renvyle, to the effect that her tenants, John Heany and Patrick Heany, are under sentence of eviction for one year's rent, these tenants being clothed in rags, having all the appearance of starvation, and dwelling in wretched cabins; whether it is a fact that the majority of the tenants on the estate have as their only food Indian meal, and, in some cases, a little milk; and, whether he still adheres to the statement that the tenants have potatoes for sale? The hon. Member further asked whether the Chief Secretary had seen a letter written by Mr. William Thompson, who was the Special Correspondent of "The Standard" last year in Ireland, concerning the statements made by Mr. Bernard Becker, the Special Correspondent of "The Daily News?"

, in reply, said, that he had seen the letter referred to; but before seeing it he had ordered special inquiries to be made into this subject, and he must therefore ask the hon. Member to put the Question off for a few days.

said, he had put the Question upon the Paper several days ago, and that it was practically a repetition of one to which he had got an answer which proved to be incorrect.

thought that if the hon. Member said the answer was incorrect, he was taking matters for granted. He wished the inquiry should be made by some person not living on the spot, and had thus been obliged to give some time to it.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Mr. T. A. Macaulay, a matriculated student in arts of the Queen's University, confined under the Coercion Act in Kilmainham Gaol, was on the 9th instant informed that he would be released on signing a document then presented to him; whether Mr. Macaulay refused to sign; whether he is still detained in gaol; if so, whether he is now confined for refusing to sign this document, or for being "reasonably suspected;" if the latter, would he state on what grounds the Government proposed to release him; if the former, whether there is anything in the Coercion Act authorising the Government to keep a man in gaol for refusing his signature to conditions; whether, in consequence of Mr. Macaulay's refusal, it is intended to keep him the full eighteen months in gaol; and, if it is the fact that, after his refusal to sign, he was dismissed by the prison doctor from the hospital where he previously was, and sent back to his cell?

Sir, Mr. Macaulay was offered his release if he would sign the undertaking now usually signed by such persons on their release. His release was offered him chiefly on account of his health, and partly because it was considered safe for the public peace to set him at liberty. But he refused to sign the undertaking, and consequently he is still detained in prison. When I read to the House what the undertaking is, I think the House will understand that a refusal upon the part of prisoners to sign it is proof that it is not safe to release them. It is simply this—

"I——now a prisoner in——Jail under the Protection of Person and Property (Ireland) Act, hereby undertake, on being released from custody under the said Act, not to commit any treasonable practices or to commit any act of violence or intimidation against any of Her Majesty's subjects, or in any manner, directly or indirectly, to incite others to the commission of such an act; and I hereby acknowledge and I shall be liable to be re-arrested if I fail to comply with this undertaking."

It is an argument against liberating a man that he refuses to sign such a document. On the 11th, Mr. Macaulay and two others were discharged from the infirmary, but his discharge had no connection with his refusal to sign the document.

asked whether it was not the fact that Mr. Macaulay said he would not sign, because that would have been an admission of guilt; and if he was suffering, as the Chief Secretary had admitted, as he was about to release him on account of ill health, from some form of pulmonary disease?

Sir, I am not aware that he made such a statement, and I do not see how he could have made such a statement. The document is purposely drawn up so as to avoid giving the impression that there is any acknowledgment of guilt in signing it. Such an impression is an extraordinary one, and on consideration it will be seen that it is a mistaken one. As to the state of his health, I am informed that he was well enough to be discharged from the infirmary, and that is all the information I have.

asked how, if Mr. Macaulay was not well enough to be kept in prison, he was well enough to be discharged from the infirmary and sent to a cell, and whether it was the intention of the Government to keep him in prison till the end of the term?

said, the idea of this man——

This gentleman. He is a matriculated student.

, resuming, said, the idea of Mr. Macaulay on this matter had nothing to do with the question of his release. The reason for offering him his release was the condition of his health; and, secondly, because it was deemed safe for the public peace to release him; but his extraordinary refusal to sign the undertaking rather removed the latter impression.

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether his attention has been called to a sentence of fourteen days' imprisonment and twenty lashes with the cat, recently passed by Judge Ernst in the Northern District Court of Jamaica upon a man named Evans, charged with stealing a dogwood tree of the value of two shillings; whether it is the fact that such imprisonment and flogging were inflicted, but that afterwards upon an appeal to the Court of Appeal, the judgment was reversed, and the Court held that there was no right to inflict flogging for such an offence; and, whether the conduct of Judge Ernst has been reviewed, or Evans compensated; or whether it is proposed that either of these things shall be done?

, in reply, said, his attention had been called to this subject by paragraphs in the newspapers, and those paragraphs confirmed and fully bore out the statements contained in the first two branches of his hon. Friend's Question. No Report had been received from the Colony on the subject, but a Report had now been called for.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What is the present position of the question between this Country and France as to the west shore of Newfoundland; and, if the statement in the "Standard" is correct that the French Commandant on the Coast expressed his approval of the conduct of the residents there in resisting the officials of the Newfoundland Government in the execution of their duty?

Sir, a Commission consisting of Admiral Pierre, representing the French Government, and Admiral Miller, representing Her Majesty's Government, is now sitting in London for the consideration of the questions which require settlement in connection with the French rights of fishery on the coast of Newfoundland. The French Commandant appears to have expressed the opinion that the residents in St. George's Bay are not liable to the payment of Customs duties to the Newfoundland Government. Explanations have been asked for, and it is not yet possible to state precisely what has occurred.

asked when it was likely that Papers on the subject would be laid on the Table?

said, that the Commission had been now sitting for three months, and he did not know when its labours would be concluded. He was not, therefore, in a position to give an answer to the Question.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Report of Lord Bessborough's Commission was altered after the 4th of January last, the date on which it was signed, in consequence of the study by the Commission of the rebutting evidence subsequent to that date; and, if so, what alterations were introduced; and, whether he will request the Commission to supply the dates of the "Statements in reply to or in explanation of evidence," as well as the dates at which those statements were received back from the printers?

, in reply, said, he had no information which would enable him to answer the Question, and did not know that he had any authority to call upon the Secretary to the Commission for any explanation on the subject. The Question ought to be addressed to the hon. Member for the County of Cork (Mr. Shaw), who was a Member of the Commission, and would, no doubt, be perfectly ready to answer it.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Whether, in the event of the contemplated changes in the Warehousing Departments of the Customs leading to the displacement of any of the Upper Division or Redundant Clerks, the Government will make every effort to provide them with suitable clerical situations, either in the proposed Department of Agriculture and Commerce, should it be formed, or in other branches of the Public Service; and, whether the Government will ask Parliament for power to grant to those clerks who may have to retire similar terms of retirement to those recently granted to the clerks of the Admiralty and War Office?

Sir, in the event of the contemplated changes in the Warehousing Departments of the Customs leading to the displacement of any of the clerks, the Treasury would much prefer providing for such clerks by transfer rather than by pension on retirement. The Superannuation Act provides for the case of clerks compulsorily retired; and there is, consequently, no intention of applying to Parliament for additional power.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is true that three Subaltern Officers of the Worcester Militia, anxious to present themselves for examination for the Line in September, are debarred from so doing by reason of not having completed their second training previous to 1st July; whether these officers were informed by the Adjutant of the Regiment that he had distinct instructions from the War Office to the effect that they might be permitted to train with their Regiment in July, and present themselves for examination in September, this having been done in a similar case in the previous year, and that consequently they need take no steps to train with another Regiment at an earlier date; whether the adjutant has since written to the War Office acknowledging that he was the cause of the whole mistake; and, whether these young officers are to suffer in consequence of the mistake of their superior officer, notwithstanding that they took the proper course and made the necessary inquiries?

This is a very peculiar and difficult case. Under the plain directions of the Army Circular, dated January 1 last, subaltern officers of Militia desiring to compete for direct commissions must complete two trainings before the date at which their applications should be received, and this date for the September examination is the 1st of July. The colonel and adjutant of the Militia battalion of the Worcestershire regiment appear to have acted in direct contravention of this Regulation, and to have misled the officers concerned, who have represented that they made every inquiry, and who seem to have been prepared to complete their training with other regiments. Under these circumstances, I have decided that if, on further inquiry, the Commander-in-Chief should be satisfied that the allegations of these officers are borne out, and blame attaches solely to the colonel and adjutant, the latter shall be severely censured, and the Regulations will be relaxed in this as a very special and exceptional case.

asked the Secretary of State for War, If in previous Warrants treating of pensions it was provided that a pension might be awarded to the widow of an officer who was twenty-five years younger than her late husband should the officer have lived for seven years after the marriage; and, will he in the new Warrant provide that the wives of those officers who have married previous to the 1st July 1881 may be allowed the same advantages as they would have possessed under the old Warrants?

Yes, Sir; any officer's widow who married him before the 1st of July instant will, in this respect, retain any claim she might have had under former Warrants.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether he can state by what authority Commodore Wilson despatched Captain Maxwell with Her Majesty's ship "Emerald," to attack the inhabitants of the Solomon Islands; whether Her Majesty's Government approve of the manner in which the attack was carried out, when, according to Captain Maxwell's Report, without preliminary inquiry into the alleged guilt of those assailed, without any resistance on the part of the natives, flourishing villages were burned, crops were destroyed, fences were levelled, large numbers of the cocoa-nut trees were cut down, and houses shelled, although these houses did not, in one instance at least, even in the opinion of Captain Maxwell himself, belong to the culprits against whom the expedition was nominally directed; and, whether hostilities have been concluded with these islanders, or whether any further attack is in contemplation?

Sir, Commodore Wilson, when he despatched the Emerald, acted in communication with, and with the full approval of, Sir Arthur Gordon, the High Commissioner of the South Pacific. I am bound to state a fact which is not referred to in my hon. Friend's Question. The Emerald was sent in consequence of five different outrages, in which 27 unoffending people, including a woman, had been barbarously murdered in cold blood. In the case of the Sandfly, we have reliable evidence now in England that the Chief whose tribe butchered our people was thoroughly aware that they belonged to a race which did not encourage, but had, as far as its power would go, suppressed the abuses of the labour traffic. As a result of the expedition, only one life, so far as we know, was taken; but acts of war of a very rigorous nature were inflicted, the only method of checking and punishing these outrages which at present exists. Her Majesty's Government regret that no other method exists, and are doing their best to find one; but they believe that Commodore Wilson and Captain Maxwell did their best under the very trying circumstances in which they were placed. No further acts of war are in contemplation; but two of Her Majesty's ships, the Cormorant and the Beagle, are now in and about the Island, with Mr. Romilly, a Deputy Commissioner, on board, and Mr. Romilly will visit all the principal trading and mission stations in those seas.

asked whether the House was to understand that Sir Arthur Gordon, the Governor of New Zealand, had authority from Her Majesty's Government to declare war upon the inhabitants of the Island in question?

said, that Sir Arthur Gordon undoubtedly had authority to send a ship of war to exact retribution for violence of the nature to which reference had been made.

asked if the hon. Gentleman's attention had been called to a passage in the Report of Captain Maxwell, which stated that troubles were not infrequently caused by the violence of the captains of so-called trading vessels?

, in reply, said, that, undoubtedly, several outrages had been caused owing to the conduct of the captains of trading vessels; but it was well known that, so far as this country was concerned, the abuse of that traffic had been entirely brought to an end. The outrages to which he referred were, he repeated, committed when it was known quite well that the people attacked had no connection with this traffic.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What are the steps necessary to place the Royal University of Ireland (in the words of the eleventh section of "The University Education (Ireland) Act, 1879,") "in a position to confer degrees;" when it is proposed to take those steps; if, having regard to the interest felt in Ireland in the working of "The University Education (Ireland) Act, 1879," Her Majesty's Government will proceed to arrange for the dissolution of the Queen's University within the time primarily fixed for its dissolution by the eleventh section of the Act, namely, before the 27th April 1882, when two years will have elapsed from the date of the charter of the Royal University; and, if, for the guidance of the large number of young men who desire to matriculate in the Royal University as soon as possible, he will inform the House whether the Royal University will hold a matriculation examination before the close of 1881?

, in reply, said, that by the 10th section of the Universities Act rules were made by the Senate which must have the approval of Her Majesty. The Senate would not be able to place the Royal Universty "in a position to confer degrees" without funds; but Lord Carlingford was just about to introduce a Bill into the House of Lords to facilitate the carrying out of this object. By the 11th section of the Act referred to the Queen's University could not be dissolved until the new University was in a position to confer degrees. The holding of a matriculation examination depended upon the passing of the Bill he referred to; but he hoped one would be held before the close of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he is able to give the House an assurance that "The Vernacular Press Act, 1878," will be repealed without any unnecessary delay?

said, the only answer he could give to the hon. Member was to refer him to the Despatch of the Government of India, dated 28th February last, which had been laid on the Table of the House. In that Despatch it was stated that the Act in question would be repealed on the re-assembling of the Government of India early next winter.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If it is true that the entire cost of the Military Services of His Excellency the Governor, who is at the same time the Commander of the Garrison, is cast upon the Maltese; whether it is true that the native inhabitants are subjected to taxation upon food from which Her Majesty's Government claim exemption in respect of the British garrison and of the fleet; if the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to a petition from the inhabitants of Malta to this honourable House which was presented a few days age; and, whether it is intended by Her Majesty's Government to give any, and what, attention to the prayer of that petition?

, in reply, said, the Governor General of Malta received, out of the military funds voted by Parliament, pay and allowances amounting to £1,000 a-year. The rest of his emoluments were defrayed by the Colony of Malta. There were taxes on grain imported into Malta, which the Government had desired to see reduced or abolished. This tax was not levied upon food imported for the Military Service. This was the ordinary practice in the Colonies. Lord Kimberley had not yet had an opportunity of perusing the Petition presented to the House on Friday last from the inhabitants of Malta; but another Memorial, which was believed to be identical, had been received at the Colonial Office, and would at once be considered. The subject of the reduction or abolition of the tax upon grain was also being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, now that his attention has been called to the very serious charge brought in his Report by the Inspector of Metalliferous Mines for Cornwall, Devon, &c. against "a very large number" of the magistrates for the county of Cornwall, and which reads as follows:—

"On looking down the list of fines, one cannot help being struck by the fact that most of them are absurdly small. It almost seems that some magistrates think more of the life of a pheasant than they do that of a man, for I believe that if a similar number of convictions for poaching cases were taken at random, the average fine would be greater;

"The fact is, a very large number of the magistrates are interested directly or indirectly in mining. Many of them are owners of mining property, and have been troubled by repeated notices to fence dangerous abandoned shafts, and have thereby been put to considerable expense, some indeed have been prosecuted for neglecting to attend to these notices, others are shareholders in mines in the district, and, as such, are not disposed to look favourably upon Government restrictions which they think may interfere with their profits. As a natural consequence fines have on the whole been light, and the inspector's labours have been increased considerably;

"If the offences had been punished with greater severity, mine agents would have attended to the provisions of the Act with much more diligence. I am convinced that this mistaken leniency on the part of the magistrates leads to a delay in carrying out all the pro- visions of the Act, and thereby tends to keep up the death rate from accidents;"

and, whether he will cause immediate and searching inquiry to be made as to the truth or otherwise of the charge, and, in the event of the allegations made in the Report not being substantiated, whether he will relieve the Inspector from further service in his present capacity?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, in making so serious a charge against the Magistrates as that contained in the Mines Inspector's Report for Devon and Cornwall, and quoted by the honourable Member for Stafford yesterday, he, the Mines Inspector, should not have substantiated and justified it by actual facts, and that as this was not done, whether he will not now call upon him to do so, and will lay such further Report upon the Table of the House?

said, that before these Questions were answered he had another to ask. He wished to know whether, in the event of the charges made by the Inspector being substanstiated, he would direct the attention of the Lord Chancellor to the fact, with the view of having every magistrate in the county of Cornwall who valued human life at not more than 5s., or 7s. 6d., or 10s. to be removed from office?

said, he was not surprised at this Question, because the Report of the Inspector involved a very serious charge. He would not weary the House by going into the Report; but he might just mention two of the examples given by the Inspector in support of his charge, in one of which a fine of 5s. had been imposed for an offence at a place where no other offence had been previously reported, while in the other, for the filling-in of a facing, the fine was only 10s. There were other cases in which the fines were only 2s. and 2s. 6d. Upon these facts the Inspector had made the charge in question, and in the circumstances he (Sir William Harcourt) considered that the matter was one deserving of further inquiry, and he had called for a special Report from the Inspector on the matter.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ire- land, Whether his attention has been directed to the charge of Mr. Justice Lawson in opening the Kerry Assizes on the 13th instant, wherein he states that there have been 155 agrarian offences in the county since the Spring Assizes; whether he is correctly reported to have said as follows:—

"The character of these offences is still more alarming, when they came to look into every case, because they consisted of outrages of a most dreadful kind—crimes upon persons, property, cattle, houses. And, in fact, he could only say that the picture they presented was really and truly an appalling one, and demonstrated that the reign of law in this county is practically suspended and superseded by some other different authority;"

And, whether, in view of the oft-repeated assertions to the same effect by Her Majesty's Judges and others best qualified to form an opinion, the Government intend to take such action, in the interests of the Country, as shall no longer permit the Land League to terrorize peaceable and well-disposed subjects of the Queen?

rose to Order. The Question of the hon. Member for the County Leitrim conveyed very serious imputations; and he (Mr. O'Donnell) wished to ask Mr. Speaker whether it was not in its terms contrary to the Standing Orders of the House? These statements were in reference to the Land League, to which Judge Lawson did not refer in any way in the speech from which the hon. Member for Leitrim quoted. He wished to ask whether these statements made by the hon. Member against the Land League did not require to be proved before they were asserted as facts in a Question in this House?

said, he rose to a point of Order also. He would venture to recall to the memory of Mr. Speaker the fact that a similar attempt was made by the hon. Member for the County Leitrim on a former occasion to drag in debatable matter respecting the Land League, and his Question was ruled out of Order.

My attention has been called to this Question by the hon. Member for the City of Cork (Mr. Parnell). I examined it, and it has been, to a considerable extent, revised at my direction by the Clerk at the Table. At the same time, I think that, having quoted the extract from the Charge of the Judge, the passage to which objec- tion is taken is naturally the consequence of that Charge.

rose to a point of Order. [Cries of "Order!"]

The point of Order has already been settled.

But I wish to raise another point of Order, and to ask whether, in the quotation from the Judge's Charge, any allusion whatever, by name or implication, is made to the Land League?

Sir, I have seen the Report to which the hon. Gentleman the Member for County Leitrim (Mr. Tottenham) refers. I am no better able to state than the hon. Member is whether it is correct. The Judges, as I have often stated in this House, furnish no official Report of their Charges; but, having seen it in several newspapers, I have no doubt in my own mind that it is a correct report. The quotation in the hon. Gentleman's Question says that Judge Lawson states that there have been 155 agrarian offences in Kerry since the Spring Assizes. I do not find that he said agrarian offences. I believe what he said was very serious offences. As regards the last quotation. I can only say that this statement of Judge Lawson and some other similar statements have occupied, and do occupy, the serious and anxious attention of Her Majesty's Government; and we are using our best endeavours, with the powers which the law has placed in our hands, to protect person and property and prevent intimidation.

asked whether the Chief Secretary for Ireland would cause to be procured, and lay on the Table of the House copies of Judges' Charges at the recent Summer Assizes in Ireland?

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it is not a fact that representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government by the British Embassy at Constantinople, stating that it is advisable to increase the Consular Staff in Asia Minor; and, if so, what the intentions of Her Majesty's Government are on this subject; and, whether, having reference to Article I. of the Constantinople Convention, dated June 4th 1878, Her Majesty's Government propose to take any steps for the introduction of reforms into the Asiatic territories of the Sultan?

Sir, no such representations have been made. Her Majesty's Government will continue, in concert with the other Powers, to urge upon the Porte the introduction into the Provinces inhabited by Armenians of the improvements and reforms stipulated by the 61st Article of the Treaty of Berlin, and also to counsel the introduction of reforms throughout the Ottoman Empire.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been called to a Renter's telegram from Sistova, published yesterday, in which Prince Alexander is reported to have said, in addressing the Diplomatic Body accredited to Bulgaria, "I thank you for the lively sympathy you have displayed towards me during the Crisis;" whether Mr. Lascelles, Her Majesty's Representative in Bulgaria, did display "lively sympathy" with the Prince in his endeavours to replace the Constitution by seven years of personal power; and, whether, if he did not do so, or if he did so without instructions, Her Majesty's Government will take steps to acquaint the Prince as to the views of the Government in regard to his recent proceedings?

Sir, I have seen the telegram to which my hon. Friend refers. Mr. Lascelles has not, as far as I am aware, displayed lively sympathy with the recent proceedings of the Prince. The action of Her Majesty's Government and of Mr. Lascelles will be shown by the Papers which will be presented to the House as soon as a full report of the last proceedings has been received and considered. Any further communications to Prince Alexander will be in favour of His Highness exercising with moderation and liberality the powers which have been intrusted to him by the Assembly.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether it was to be understood from the answer that he had given to the hon. Member for Northampton that Her Majesty's Government approved or disapproved of the action taken by the Prince of Bulgaria in suspending the Constitution and establishing personal rule, and whether the intimation that had been served on him meant that if he did not conduct the affairs of his State with their approval, they would withdraw Her Majesty's Representative?

Sir, Her Majesty's Government have not been called upon to express, as to the main portion of the action of the Prince, either approval or disapproval. They expressed their opinion with regard to the constitution of the Military Courts in Bulgaria, and their general attitude will be seen by the Paper, which will almost immediately be laid upon the Table.

asked the hon. Baronet whether the Prince had given orders for the opening of letters addressed to private individuals?

asked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether his attention has been directed to the serious injury done to many of the trees in St. James's Park on the side nearest to the Bird Cage Walk by large heaps of rubbish having been deposited against them; whether he is aware that many of those trees are dead, and that others are dying; by whom, and with whose authority, the rubbish has been so deposited; and, whether he is prepared to take immediate steps for the preservation of the trees which are still suffering from the formation of the mounds about them?

, in reply, said, this "rubbish," which consisted of the mud taken from the bottom of the lake in Buckingham Palace Gardens, was placed in St. James's Park 13 years ago, and as its removal would cost £2,000, and the trees which it was supposed to injure were now hopelessly be- yond recovery, he did not think it worth the expenditure to remove it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is his intention to proceed with the Charitable Trusts Bill during the present Session; whether he is aware that, when the Bill was before the House of Lords, there were many petitions presented against it from corporate bodies throughout the Country, such petitions having been procured through the agency of the Corporation of London; and, whether, in view of similar proceedings being repeated, he can state whether there is any statutory or other authority justifying the expenditure of municipal funds in promoting through the Country an agitation against Bills in Parliament?

asked whether the suggestions reflecting on the Corporation in question were in Order?

, in reply, said, he was very anxious, of course, to proceed with the Charitable Trusts Bill. He should have thought that measure was one which would not have met with serious opposition, and any which had arisen was, he imagined, due to an entire misapprehension of the scope of the Bill, which was only to remove some obstacles to the action of the Commissioners. He had no official knowledge of the course which the Corporation had taken in this matter; but one of the objects of the Bill being to deal with the evils of the parochial charities, he should think the Corporation of London would be exceedingly ill-advised if they were to make themselves the champions of a maladministration of public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he is aware that the officers of the Army Hospital Corps, more than fifty in number, who have enjoyed the rank of Captains and Lieutenants down to the present, consider themselves to be cruelly wronged by the proposal to reduce them to the position of Hospital Quartermasters under the new Organisation scheme; and, whether he will consider the case of this body of most deserving officers, who have all earned and obtained their promotion by merit?

Sir, the hon. Member for Dungarvan cannot have been in the House when I answered a similar Question on Thursday last. He is in error in supposing that the rank of captain has been taken from these officers. On the contrary, what was relative rank has now become honorary rank, which, as I before stated, is really better, so far as their social and military status is concerned. As to the "cruel wrong" done to these officers, I do not suppose that any one of them would prefer his former title, rank, pay, and pension to what the Warrant gives him. I have no intention whatever to alter the Warrant in this respect.

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether there is any legal definition for a "town park" in Ireland; if so, what it is?

said, a legal definition of the term "town park" was given in the Land Act of 1870. It must consist of not less than four acres, be called a "town park," and belong to the residents in the town.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, If the Report of the Commissioners of Public Works (Ireland) have submitted to the Treasury their Report for 1880–81, if he can say when the same will be presented to Parliament; and, whether the requirements of the 12th s. of the 1 and 2 Will. IV. c. 33, in respect of Account of Proceedings of the Commissioners have been complied with, as also the requirements of 5 and 6 Vic. c. 89, s. cxxix.?

Sir, the Report in question was presented on the 7th of July, and a Copy of it is in the Library. It will, I hope, be generally distributed before long. Of the two sections of Acts named in the latter part of the Question, the latter has been repealed and the former is more than complied with by the existing practice in rendering accounts and making reports to the Treasury.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government will consider whether the time has not arrived when Langalibalele might be justly and safely permitted to return to Natal?

Sir, it is quite correct to suppose that my noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies was desirous to have ordered the release of Langalibalele; but the very serious dangers which have arisen from complications with the Natives have forced him to the conclusion that it would not be prudent to order him to be set free until a more settled state of affairs arises. The particular district to which this Chief belongs has not been agitated, but it is the neighbourhood of those which have been agitated, and, therefore, the Secretary of State for the Colonies could not assume the responsibility of setting him free; but he very heartily desires the arrival of a time when such a step could be taken.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering that the number of Amendments on the Notice Paper to the Rivers Conservancy and Floods Prevention Bill show that Bill to have the character of "contentious business," it is intended now to proceed further with the Bill?

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering the amount of opposition that will be given to the passing of the Rivers Conservancy and Floods Prevention Bill, he intends to proceed with that measure this Session?

Sir, I have really nothing to add to what I have said in reference to this subject on a former occasion. The question is a very serious one for the districts concerned, and it is extremely desirable that these districts should be brought under some central control by legislation; but until we get further advanced with the Public Business, or, at all events, until we get clear of the Land Bill, it is not possible for me to give any further answer on the subject.

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will cause an English translation of the proceedings of the Monetary Conference at Paris, prior to its recent adjournment, to be printed without delay for the information of the commercial and manufacturing classes throughout the Country?

Yes, Sir; we shall be prepared to order the documents to which the hon. Member refers to be printed with an English translation.

asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If the Government is prepared to carry out the proposal made to the Scotch Chartered Banks for replacing their private issue of notes by a public issue framed to meet the special requirements of Scotland; and, whether a similar provision will be made for England in any future legislation on the subject?

Sir, this Question refers to a subject of great interest in Scotland, and is of considerable importance as a matter of principle. I am afraid that I cannot undertake to give au answer on the subject, until we may see our way a little as to the time when we may be able to act. On subjects of this kind it is not desirable to announce positive intentions on the part of the Government until the time when they can be acted on. I may, however, say that undoubtedly the convictions, intentions, and desires of the Government are in the direction indicated by the hon. Member's Question.

I do not know whether the right hon. Gentleman can answer the Question without Notice; but I should like to know whether it is true that the Scotch unlimited banks have agreed to reregister under the Companies' Act of 1879? I see it has been mentioned in the papers.

Yes, Sir; we are inclined to believe that is so; but we have not any official information on the subject.

I will put a Question on the subject in a day or two.

asked whether it was true, as stated in the newspapers of to-day, on the authority of The Republique Française, that England had admitted, without contest, the principle of specific duties, and demanded the renewal of the negotiations?

Sir, the statement that has appeared in several newspapers seems to suppose that there has been some communication on the subject since the French Commissioners left this country. That is not the case; but we are expecting a communication from the French Government which was foreshadowed by the Commissioners. Nothing has taken place since they left England.

I beg to give Notice that I shall move to insert in Clause 34 of the Irish Land Bill, the clause constituting the Commission, the following names:—As Judicial Commissioner, Mr. Serjeant O'Hagan; and as other Commissioners, who are to be on a footing of equality with the Judicial Commissioner, Mr. Edward Falconer Litton, the Member for Tyrone, and Mr. John E. Vernon, of Mount Merrion, Booterstown.

I beg to give Notice that on the discussion on the 34th clause I shall take a division against every one of the names.

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, whose name all missed with sorrow from the list which had been just read, Whether he had seen the statement in the newspapers that there had been a discovery in Dublin of very serious frauds with regard to stamps and legal forms; whether it was correct that several thousands of legal documents were now invalid, having been used by officials; and, whether he would recommend the Government to bring in a short Bill to legalise the documents in question?

said, he had seen the statement; but he had no official information on the subject. If the statement was true, the subject deserved consideration, and he would draw attention to it.

said, that the conditions of service for the Staff in the Indian Army differed in many respects from those of officers in British regiments in the Indian Artillery, and in the Engineers—some to their advantage, and others to their disadvantage. It was not desirable to assimilate their conditions. There was no intention, in revising the scale of offices in the Indian Army, to make any changes in the conditions under which they were at present.

gave Notice of his intention to ask the Chief Commissioner of Works whether his attention had been called to the deplorable condition of Rotten Row, owing to clouds of irritating dust; whether he would explain the reasons for the cessation of almost any attempt to allay the dust by watering the ride, especially in the morning; and, whether, when the Irish Land Bill had passed through Committee, he would undertake to consider seriously the desirability (taking into consideration the present low prices of iron) of laying down piping alongside the ride, with hydrants at proper intervals, on the same principle as has been so successfully adopted in Paris?