I wish, Sir, to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he or the Government have received information that contributions or exactions have been demanded by the Prussian Army from the people of Denmark; and whether it is in accordance with the terms settled at the Conference that, during the armistice, the Prussian Army should be at liberty to levy these exactions?

Sir, as was stated the other evening, undoubtedly the understanding of the Conference was, that after the suspension of arms which was agreed upon no more forced contributions should be raised in Jutland, and, on the contrary, that all provisions should be paid for. I see by statements in the newspapers that forced contributions have been raised, but the Government have received no information on the subject.

called attention to the fact that, if this clause passed in its present shape it would make the Bill inconsistent with the principal Act passed in 1862, which provided that in case the valuation list was appealed against, the Board of Guardians should be the parties to defend it; whereas this clause proposed that the assessment committees should defend the rate appearing on that list against which an appeal should be made. The inference, therefore, would be that the assessment committee was a body having a corporate existence; whereas, in reality, it was only a portion of the Board of Guardians dealing with the funds of the Board. He proposed, therefore, to omit from the clause the words "assessment committee," in order to insert "Boards of Guardians."

said, he preferred the words which it was proposed to strike out.

moved, at the end of the clause, to add,

"Provided always, That no ratepayer shall have a right of appeal under the existing law to the special sessions or quarter sessions unless his objections to the valuation list shall have been made before the meeting or meetings of the assessment committee appointed under the Act to hear such objections."

said, he had no objection to the principle of the addition proposed by the right hon. Baronet; but he would prepare a clause which would carry out his object in a manner more consonant with the other portions of the Bill.

said, he would withdraw his Amendment.

moved to leave out "committee," and insert "Board of Guardians." The object of his Amendment was to make what he understood to be the object of the clause more clear—namely, that the costs of respondents in appeals should be paid out of the common fund of the union.

agreed to the Amendment.

moved to insert new clause after Clause 5 (Provision for new maps, plans, and books of reference).

supported the clause.

said, he would agree to the clause if the words "or without" the valuation were omitted.

objected to the omission of the words, because he wanted to have the maps without a new survey or valuation. Why should they go to the expense of a new survey and valuation without any necessity for incurring it?

hoped the right hon. Gentleman would carefully consider the clause and the expense which it would throw upon the parishes.

concurred with the right hon. Baronet in thinking that the right hon. Gentleman ought not readily to assent to the clause.

said, that if the House would insist upon a map and a valuation, great expense must be incurred. But if a map were permitted, the guardians themselves would make the valuation, and no correct valuation could be made until a map was provided.

said, that if the hon. Gentleman (Mr. John Peel) would withdraw the clause, he would himself bring up another one on the bringing up of the Report.

, for Mr. H. Fenwick, who had given notice of new clauses (Abolishing deductions from rental in ascertaining value), (Deduction where rate of an exhaustible nature), (Provision in cases of small tenements rated instead of occupiers), (Rates may be amended in certain cases), moved the first of these clauses.

opposed the clause, but promised that he would consider the subjects referred to in the other Amendments before next Session.

said, he was rejoiced that the right hon. Gentleman was about to consider the gross injustice of assessing the royalty of mines as income.

was anxious to know whether the right hon. Gentleman approved the principle of the second clause of which notice had been given by the hon. Member for Sunderland (Mr. Fenwick)—that wherever the rateable hereditaments were of an exhaustible nature a deduction should be made from the rateable value sufficient to reproduce the capital value of the exhaustible portion at the termination of the estimated period of exhaustion.

said, that he had not pledged himself to that principle, but the whole subject of deduction and exemption should receive his attentive consideration, with a view to legislation next Session.

said, he would withdraw the clause.

called attention to a doubt which had lately arisen, whether magistrates individually interested as ratepayers were entitled to sit and hear appeals.

said, it was not very clear how existing Acts affected magistrates in the ease referred to. He had, therefore, determined to frame a clause removing all doubt on the subject.

moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Act for the better management of highways in England. The present Bill was intended to amend in some respects the Bill passed a short time since, which, on the whole, had operated most satisfactorily. A Return lately presented to the House showed that the Act had been brought into operation in thirty-three or thirty-four counties, and in the great majority of cases throughout the entire extent of those counties, though in some it had only been adopted in part. But, although the Bill generally worked well, numerous suggestions of a practical character had been received from persons concerned in working the Act, and the present Bill was intended to give effect to the more important of those suggestions, avoiding any which were likely to excite prolonged discussion. There were certain cases in which the Act at present was not applicable to the formation of highway districts, and others in which the mode of defraying the expenses of highway boards required amendment. In many instances, also, the highway and Poor Law districts were not conterminous, and matters relating to the audit were capable of improvement. The Bill would also confer powers for appointing additional surveyors. It was now in print, and would be delivered immediately to hon. Members. He proposed to fix an early day for the second reading, after which, in accordance with the wishes of hon. Gentlemen, he should move that it be referred to a Select Committee.