asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What action the Local Government Board have taken upon a request made to them by Mr. John M'Cormack, carpenter, of Nenagh, county Tipperary, to the effect that Dr. Calaghan, the medical attendant of the Nenagh Dispensary District of the Nenagh Union, having been served with a red ticket on Friday the 29th May last, which made it his duty to visit immediately Alice M'Cormack, the daughter of the complainant, a girl who was lying at that time dangerously ill, the said Dr. Calaghan allowed four days to elapse, and did not visit the girl until Monday the 2nd of June?

In this case the Local Government Board called upon the dispensary doctor for an explanation; and it appears that, though he admits the red ticket may have been left with him, he can find no trace of it. There was no neglect or forgetfulness on his part. He passed the house of the sick child's parents twice on the day on which the ticket is believed to have been left with him, and could have called without any inconvenience to himself, if aware that he was wanted. The doctor had previously to this occurrence, and also after it, prescribed for the child, who is now quite well.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he has received a memorial from the licensed trades of Killeshandra, complaining of the constabulary bringing quite a number of charges before the Petty Sessions Court which Mr. T. D. Gibson, R.M. decided were unsupported by evidence; and, if so, will he say whether he proposes to take any, and, if so, what action in the matter?

Sir, several complaints have been made, and are being inquired into. The matter is one which requires and shall receive full investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether it is a fact, as reported in the last number of Truth, that the Mayor of Wrexham has stated that drunkenness had trebled since the Sunday Closing Act (Wales) came in force; and, whether a Police Inspector there stated that, on the previous Sunday, nearly half the people were drunk?

I have received two letters on this subject—one from the Mayor, who says he expressed a personal opinion much to the effect stated in the Question; the other from one of the Justices to say that the other Justices present did not concur; and they seem to think that the Mayor's views were not unnaturally influenced by his own professional pursuits.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the refusal of the County Tipperary Grand Jury of the South Riding at the recent assizes to grant any contributions towards the maintenance of children in industrial schools?

The secretary to the Grand Jury informs me that no application was made for a presentment under the Act; but that a gentleman asked the Grand Jury to give some assurance that money would be granted at a future Assizes to a school which is not yet in existence. The reply was that the Grand Jury could not pledge any future Grand Juries, and the foreman declined to pledge himself personally.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it has come under his notice that, at the sworn inquiry in Cootehill Workhouse on the 8th instant, relative to the validity of the late election for Carmeen Division, Mr. Armstrong, Local Government Board Inspector, formally ruled that the solicitor for Mr. Owen McCabe, defeated candidate, had no right to an inspection of the claims under Form A 1 to the votes given to which he objected; will any steps be taken to remedy the injury done to the case of Mr. McCabe by their non-production; is it the fact that, at the same inquiry, it transpired that Vaughan Montgomery, Esq. J.P., Crilly, Aughnacluy, county Tyrone, lodged a claim to vote as lessor of Patrick McCabe, Mountain Lodge, on a valuation of £19 10 s. , and that, by the sworn evidence of Mr. P. McCabe, his lease, and rent receipts, it was proved that Mr. Montgomery had no interest, directly or indirectly, in this holding; and, will he ask this magistrate for an explanation of the filing of this claim.

The Local Government Board consider that their Inspector was wrong in refusing to permit an inspection of the claims referred to. They have so informed the Inspector; and they have told Mr. M'Cabe that, if he desires it, the inquiry shall be reopened to afford him an opportunity of inspecting them. Mr. Montgomery has been written to on the subject of his claim; but his explanation has not yet been received. On such an inquiry I presume that it will be competent for anyone to proceed, and make of Mr. Montgomery any inquiries desired.

There are two points in the Question—the first that of forgery, which is one for the Government; and I presume there is a question for the Lord Chancellor as to whether he will supersede Mr. Montgomery.

said, that he believed if an offence was proved the party would be open for prosecution and a fine of £10.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the attention of the Local Government Board has been called to the fact that, at the Poor Law election held in March for Edenderry Division, Edenderry Union, King's County, Lord Arthur Hill was allowed to record six votes, although the name of Lord A. Hill does not appear on the rate book, or in any of the legal documents used in the Land Commission Court in the proceedings with the tenants living on that part of the estate out of which Lord A. Hill claims to vote; whether the clerk of the Union, who acted as returning officer, allowed the Trustees of the Marquess of Downshire to record ten votes more than they were entitled to; whether the clerk compelled the rate collector to give a receipt to a son of one of the candidates, who was then allowed to vote out of a portion of his father's laud, not being an occupier, and still living in his father's house, and having no more claim than the other children; whether the votes of several tenants were disallowed on the ground that they owed seed rate, although all the seed rate due to the Union was, long before the election, wiped out by a Resolution of the Board of Guardians; whether the Local Government Board have arrived at any decision yet after four months' consideration; and, whether they will grant a sworn investigation, or allow the same person to act as returning officer at future elections?

I am informed that the proxy of Lord Arthur Hill was allowed votes on a statement of claim in respect of rent from property of which he is owner in fee. It is not necessary that he should be rated. The tenants and occupiers are the persons rated in such cases. On the 12th of last month I informed the hon. Member, in reply to a former Question, of the facts as to the excess votes allowed to Lord Downshire's trustees. The allegation in the third paragraph of the Question is being inquired into. The votes of several persons were properly disallowed, on the ground that they owed seed rate. The Board of Guardians have no power to wipe out seed rate legally due. The Local Government Board have come to a decision on the matter complained of in respect of this election, and have set aside the election of one of the Guardians returned. They have fully instructed the Returning Officer as to the several points raised, and they see no sufficient ground to supersede him in his office.

asked whether those persons who had not paid the seed rate would be permanently disfranchised while the seed rate was not paid?

, in reply, said, he believed that the non payment of the seed rate, like the non-payment of any other poor rate, was permanent in its effect so long as the rate was not paid.

The Guardians having wiped out the seed rate, will they be disfranchised for a sum which is no longer demanded from them?

, in reply said, that the same effects applied to this rate as any ordinary poor rate. It was really a portion of the poor rate.

asked the Postmaster General, If a revision and additions to the staff of the Dublin Secretary's Office of the General Post Office was promised in February last, and which revision and additional staff was rendered imperatively necessary owing to the large increase in the correspondence arising out of telegraph and parcels post business, and, if so, why it has not been carried out; if it is the fact that the corresponding office in Edinburgh, though performing fully a third less work than the Irish Department, has been revised and additions made to its staff; and, if he will state what has been the cost of the hands temporarily employed in the Dublin Secretary's Office to meet the pressure arising out of the increased duties there?

In reply to the hon. and gallant Member, I have to say that there is no intention to revise the establishment of the Dublin Secretary's Office, and there has been no promise to do so; but it is possible that some slight addition may be made to the existing numbers. The cost of two officers temporarily lent from London is 15 s. a-day each; but these gentlemen will shortly return to their ordinary duties. Four additional lower division clerks at Edinburgh have been authorized.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he will state the grounds upon which Mr. John M. Weir, who is a shopkeeper at Cookstown, and is believed to have no practical knowledge of land or farming, is to be reappointed a Sub-Commissioner under the Land Act?

Mr. Speaker, I wish to ask you, on a point of Order, whether the hon. and gallant Member is in Order in putting a Question of this sort, which contains matter of a contentious character, inasmuch as it states that Mr. Weir "is believed to have no practical knowledge of land or farming." As the belief is one which is only in the mind of the hon. and gallant Gentleman, I wish to know whether a Notice of that kind ought to be allowed to appear on the Paper?

I think the Question, as it stands, is not out of Order, as it inquires whether a gentleman in a certain office is or is not unfit to be reappointed?

Then, before the right hon. Gentleman answers the Question, I would like to ask whether he will be prepared to state the grounds on which all the other Sub-Commissioners, to whom I and my hon. Friends objected, were reappointed?

I should be exceedingly unwilling to promise that. As to the Question on the Paper, I can only say that the Lord Lieutenant, after consultation with the Land Commissioners, made such selections for reappointment as it was thought would be most conducive to the Public Service, and Mr. Weir would not have been selected if his work had shown that he had no practical knowledge of land or farming.

asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, If vessels of the Royal Navy are used for the protection of salmon fisheries anywhere on the coast of Great Britain; whether applications made to the Admiralty for vessels of the Royal Navy to protect salmon fisheries in Lough Foyle, in the River Lee, county Cork, in the Youghal River, county Cork, and in other places in Ireland, were uniformly refused, on the ground that it was the duty of the Conservators and other persons interested in the salmon fisheries to afford the necessary protection; whether it was agreed between the Admiralty and the Irish Inspectors of Fisheries that no vessel of the Royal Navy should be used for such a purpose unless in case when the inspectors apprehended a breach of the peace; whether, in the absence of any statement of such an apprehension, and without any reference to the Inspectors of Fisheries, the Admiralty have quartered a gunboat on the coast of Sligo and Donegal, in the Ballyshannon Fishery District; why this course has been adopted; whether the gunboat will be withdrawn, and the protection of the fisheries be left, as in every other case throughout Great Britain and Ireland, to the Conservators and other persons interested; and, whether a Copy of Correspondence between the Admiralty and other Departments of the Public Service, as to the employment of vessels of the Royal Navy in protecting salmon fisheries, will be laid upon the Table?

Before I reply to the series of Questions addressed to me by the hon. Member, I would beg to refer him to the answer given on the 30th of June last to a Question put to me by the hon. Member for Monaghan (Mr. Healy), which covered the whole ground, with the exception of the individual case in Donegal Bay. Vessels of the Royal Navy have been formerly used for the protection of the salmon fisheries in Great Britain; but it may be understood generally that they are no longer so employed. The answer to both parts of the second paragraph of the Question is in the affirmative. No definite arrangement such as is indicated in the third paragraph of the Question has been come to; but the subject is still under consideration. With regard to paragraphs 4, 5, and 6 of the Question, it is the case that on a requisition to the Lord Lieutenant a Coastguard cruiser was ordered into Donegal Bay, owing to the fact that a large number of Coastguardsmen were withdrawn for a few weeks for the purpose of undergoing their annual drill in the Reserve Squadron. That vessel will no longer be required when the men return. The general policy of the Government has been to leave the duty of protecting all the fisheries, except the sea fisheries, to the Conservators of the respective districts. I stated on the previous occasion to which I have referred that the Correspondence on the subject cannot well be produced, it being of a confidential character between the two Departments.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is a fact that the salaried Clerk and Inspector of Salmon Fisheries for the district of Ballyshannon, county Donegal, is also the lessee of a salmon fishery in that district; whether, as such Clerk and Inspector, he is the legal agent of the Board of Conservators of the District, and charged with the duty of prosecuting for breaches of the Fishery Laws, and in the event of any breach of the Fishery Laws by himself, as lessee of a salmon fishery in the district, or by his employés, his duty as Clerk and Inspector would be to prosecute himself; whether the Irish Inspectors of Fisheries have remonstrated against the existence of this state of facts; and, whether it will be permitted to continue?

The Inspectors of Fisheries report that they have been informed that the fact is as stated in the first paragraph of the Question; and, that being so, the possibility of such an anomalous state of affairs as is suggested in the second paragraph would appear to arise. The law gives the Inspectors of Fisheries no control over the action of the Board of Conservators in this matter. It is possible, however, that, nevertheless, a remonstrance on the part of the Inspectors might have some effect, and I shall ask them to communicate with the Conservators with regard to this office.

asked the Secretary to the Local Government Board, Whether the Department has revised and sanctioned the issue of a pamphlet called "Facts Concerning Vaccination;" whether the following statements, among others, appear:—

"No risks of injurious effects from it need be feared;" "The fear that a foul disease may be implanted is an unfounded one;"

whether the Department has been informed by the Committee of medical experts appointed to report on Dr. Cory's case that it is possible for syphilis to be communicated in vaccination from a syphilitic person—

"Notwithstanding that the operation be performed with the utmost care to avoid the admixture with blood;"

and, whether such statements will be allowed to be made under the authority of the Board?

The National Health Society have published a pamphlet under this title. It was revised by the medical officer of the Local Government Board, and the Board have stated that it might be used with advantage in house-to-house visitation. The quotations given in the hon. and learned Member's Question are taken apart from the context. The pamphlet points out—

"That with due care in the performance of the operation no risk of any injurious effects from it need be feared,"

and that such mischief as the communication of a foul disease by vaccination—

"Could only happen through the most gross and culpable carelessness on the part of the vaccinator."

These statements are in no way inconsistent with the Report of the medical experts respecting Dr. Cory's case. The Committee reported expressly that—

"The infants from whom Dr. Cory took lymph for his experiments on his own arm were in such a condition of obvious syphilitic disease as would certainly have precluded their use as vaccinifers by even an inconsiderate and reckless vaccinator. Indeed, they were selected by Dr. Cory for his self-vaccination because they were unquestionable syphilitic cases. It is a rule of practice in the profession not to use in vaccination lymph taken from a child in whom there is any suspicion whatever of syphilitic taint, or, indeed, in whom there is any skin disease although of a character known to be harmless; and the observance of this professional rule is strictly enjoined by the Local Government Board in its instructions to public vaccinators throughout the country."

The Board see no reason to alter their views with regard to the pamphlet in question.

asked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether, since the Report on Westminster Hall (just presented) shows that, from the time it was built, and "divers lodgings" were attached on the west side, till the Law Courts were demolished the other day, the space on the west side of the Hall always has been occupied by useful buildings, he will fully consider the growing wants of Parliament, and provide for them?

Sir Charles Barry intended to erect an additional wing to this building, running from St. Stephen's porch and meeting another wing from the Clock Tower. This extension, however, was abandoned some years ago, and I can hold out no prospect of the proposal being revived.

I beg to give Notice that, considering the strong opinion expressed by the Prime Minister in regard to the delegation of the duties of this House, I shall take an early opportunity of asking him, whether he will use his influence with the First Commissioner of Works not to make such delegation physically impossible by devoting the only available space to a piece of sham ancient architecture?

asked, whether there was to be a Supplementary Estimate proposed this Session for the buildings in Westminster Hall?

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, By whose authority Members of Parliament were prevented by the police from passing through the Strand on Monday afternoon on their way to this House?

I have received the following answer from the Chief Commissioner of Police:—

"The orders given to the police were that they were to afford every facility in their power to Members of Parliament; and, if any mistake was made, it was not from want of instruction. I do not understand how a Member was stopped in the Strand, unless by the procession itself, and, if particulars are given, I will inquire into the cause."

I wish to ask, whether the police had any orders to draw a cordon across Westminster Bridge and refuse everyone passage, stating that, Members or no Members, no one was allowed to pass. I was stopped myself in the same way, and I should like to ask what steps the right hon. Gentleman will take if that were done contrary to his orders?

I will take no steps at all. My orders were these. I was very anxious that Members should not be interrupted, and when I originally saw the plans of the police, I found there had been no provision made for keeping open the main access to the Houses of Parliament. I directed, therefore, that a clear road should be kept from Charing Cross down to the Houses of Parliament, and that was done, as everyone knows, most efficiently. Of course, I could not go all over London looking where Members of Parliament might be. I could not instruct the police to do that. The general instructions were to give every facility they could. I also considered whether it was possible, so as not to interfere more than was necessary with the traffic, to break at intervals the procession, in order to allow the traffic to go through; but, on consideration with the police, it was seen that such a course would lead to great confusion—that the procession would fall into confusion, and that it would lead to that interruption which it was most desirable to avoid. Therefore, we determined that could not be done. In these circumstances, of course, a certain amount of personal inconvenience was inevitable. That always happens, and must happen, whenever there is a crowd—whether there is a Volunteer Review, whether there is a procession, an entrance of Garibaldi into London, a triumphal return from Berlin, or anything of that kind. There is always a certain amount of inconvenience caused by a crowd in London. The only thing the police can do is to minimize the inconvenience as much as possible; and I think the general opinion of London, and England, and of Europe is that the police did their duty admirably on this occasion, and that the public suffered as little inconvenience as possible.

asked the Postmaster General, Whether he is aware that a Post Office van was delayed for two hours, standing in front of the Army and Navy Club, on the occasion of the so-called "Demonstration" of last Monday; and, whether, should any similar "Demonstrations" be announced, he will take such steps as he can to insure the free passage of vans and carts in Post Office employ?

I find that a Post Office van, and also a mail cart, were detained on the spot referred to for about two hours last Monday afternoon, and a communication has been addressed to the Commissioner of Police upon the subject. Generally speaking, I am informed that the police exerted themselves to prevent delay to the mail vehicles.

Subsequently,

said, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for War a Question of which he had been unable to give him Notice—namely, Whether it was true, as stated in a letter to The Times, that three Yeomanry bands in uniform took part in the Reform Demonstration on Monday; whether that act was not an infraction of the Queen's Regulations; and, whether the authorities intended to take any notice of such infraction, and to take steps to prevent such conduct in the future?

I cannot answer that Question without Notice. It is extremely improbable that any such thing occurred.

I will put the Question again to-morrow.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that the agricultural labourers of the electoral divisions of Ahoghill and Portglenone, county Antrim, applied last year, immediately after the passing of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, to the local sanitary authority, the Ballymena Board of Guardians, to make an Improvement Scheme in virtue of the Act, and that the application was attended with no result; whether, towards the end of March this year, a representation, in conformity with the statute, was laid before the Ballymena Board, in the interest of the labourers above mentioned, together with a report from Alexander Young, M.D., Ballymena, describing the houses of the labourers in question as being—

"In a truly wretched condition," "evidently unfit for human habitation," "covered with scanty and decayed thatch, the walls in numerous instances split and rent, in many cases ready to come down, in all more or less saturated with moisture,"

and whether the Report declared an Im- provement Scheme to be requisite; whether the Ballymena Board adjourned the question twice, on the third occasion refused to make a Scheme, and held back the Report of Dr. Young until the meeting after that at which they had resolved upon such refusal; whether the Board, in compliance with section ten of the Act of 1883, have sent to the Local Government Board a copy of the representation, accompanied by their reasons for not acting upon it; and, what steps the Local Government Board will take in reference to the matter?

Sir, I am informed that a Memorial relating to the two electoral divisions referred to was put forward in October last, and the Guardians appointed Committees to inquire into the matter. The Portglenone Committee reported that, in their opinion, action was not necessary in that division. It was subsequently agreed that a scheme should be formulated for Ahoghill; but the matter was delayed too long to admit of anything being done this Session. In March last, a Memorial was addressed to the Guardians, asking them to adopt a resolution in favour of an improvement scheme, and to receive a deputation on the subject, which they did. I am informed that it is not a fact that these representations were accompanied by any Report from Dr. Young, or that the Report, when subsequently received, was in any way kept back. The clerk states that, on his return from the Board's meeting on the 7th of June, he found a Report from Dr. Young, who is not the medical officer of health, without date, in his private office, and that he submitted it to the Board at their next meeting on the 14th of June. A proposal to formulate a scheme was several times before the Guardians, and was finally rejected on the 7th of June. This was reported to the Local Government Board on the 15th of July, the reasons stated being, that in the divisions specified, as well as throughout the entire Union, there are numbers of cottier houses unoccupied for which tenants cannot be procured. The Local Government Board are not empowered to take any very practical steps in the matter. It rests with the sanitary authority to prepare a scheme, and submit it if they see fit to do so. The hon. Member has called my attention to a matter in the 5th paragraph; and I will see whether an inquiry can be ordered.

asked, would the right hon. Gentleman call upon the Local Government Board to remonstrate with the Ballymena Board of Guardians for the delay in dealing with the scheme of the 7th of June?

I will see about it.

asked the Postmaster General, Whether he has come to any decision as to the acceleration of the Mails between Dublin and Clonmel; whether it is a fact that the Inspector of Mails in Ireland has recommended that the Mails for Clonmel be thrown out and taken up at Thurles; and, whether the only objection to this course is the exorbitant price demanded by the Limerick and Waterford Company for carrying the Mails between Thurles and Clonmel?

I have not yet been able to come to any decision as to the acceleration of the day mail to Clonmel. The question of delivering and taking up the Clonmel mail at Thurles by the mail trains while in motion is still open to consideration; but, even if no difficulty existed on that point, I fear that I should not be justified in calling for a train to be run from Thurles to Clonmel solely for the Mail Service. The circumstance would be different if the Company were running a train for passenger purposes at hours suitable for the Mail Service.

In reply to a further Question from Mr. MOORE,

said, that further inquiry should be made.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is the fact that the Inspector General of Constabulary has, since 1878, directed the police, where a local town court is established under the Act of 1854, that persons arrested for drunkenness within the town limits, but residing outside the town, are not to be brought before the Town Justices; whether this has the effect of diverting the fines from the Borough Fund to the Constabulary Fund, which latter receives one-half of all such fines at Petty Sessions; whether this is excused on the allegation that the warrant of a Town Justice cannot be executed outside the boundary; whether, if this be so, the Lord Chancellor will appoint the Town Justices to the County Commission; if not, will any steps be taken to amend the powers of Town Justices as to trans-boundary warrants; is it the case that at present the Inspector General is empowered to indorse town warrants under section seventy-seven of the Act of 1854, as well as under the Petty Sessions Act; and, whether, as many towns complain of the great loss caused to their funds by the rule of the police, a change will in future be made?

The Constabulary have been informed that the effect of a recent decision, in a case tried in the Court of Common Pleas, is that they are entitled to take proceedings in their own names as complainants at Petty Sessions against persons found drunk in the public streets of towns under the Towns Improvement Act, and that only one moiety of the fines recovered in such cases is payable to the Town Commissioners. They are also directed to take that course in the cases of persons residing outside the town. In these cases the Constabulary Force Fund receives one-half the fines imposed at Petty Sessions; but I am advised that it is not right to represent such half as diverted from the Borough Fund, inasmuch as the legal title of the Constabulary Force Fund to its share is equally clear with that of the Borough Fund. The practice of not bringing before the Town Justices persons arrested for drunkenness within the town limits, but residing outside the town, is not justified on the ground stated in the Question—namely, "that the warrant of a Town Justice cannot be executed outside the boundary"—but on this—that the Constabulary maintain order and act as guardians of the peace in these towns; and that although the Town Commissioners have statutory power to utilize the services of the Constabulary as night watchmen (on paying for them), yet they do not do so, but leave the work of watching the town and maintaining order, and suppressing drunkenness to the Constabulary without making any payment. If the Constabulary were employed as night watch- men, they would take out summonses in the name of the Commissioners, and then the whole of the fines would go to the Borough Fund. The Government are advised that the present arrangement is not unreasonable or unlawful.

asked the Postmaster General, Whether he will take steps to remedy the very great inconvenience suffered by persons residing at Dalkey and the adjoining districts, in the county of Dublin, by the non-delivery of their letters until nearly ten o'clock in the morning, the consequence of which is that a great number of persons who have daily business avocations in the city of Dublin cannot receive their letters before leaving home; whether this inconvenience, and also the annoyance caused by the unnecessarily late delivery of letters in the evening, are wholly attributable to a want of a sufficient number of letter-carriers and assistants; whether it is true that the already overworked postmen have had their labours increased by the means of transport for the Parcel Post having been reduced; whether a promise was given to the residents of Dalkey that their grievances in this particular should be remedied after the acceleration of the Irish Mail; and, whether he will consider the propriety of having the mails sent direct to Dalkey, instead of keeping that office as a sub-office to Kingstown, having regard to the very large number of business and professional men who reside at Dalkey and its neighbourhood, especially during the summer and autumn months?

, in reply, said, he had ascertained that the first delivery at Dalkey was finished at 9 o'clock in the morning, and he thought that was not an inconvenient time. If the hon. and gallant Member opposite (Colonel King-Harman) had any special case to complain of, he would have inquiries made about it. He regretted to find that Dalkey did not profit as yet by the accelerated mail service to Dublin, because it was necessary to keep the hour of delivery at its former point, in order to include letters arriving from the Irish provincial towns. He would inquire whether anything could be done to acce- lerate the delivery in this respect. Letter-carriers at Dalkey only took light parcels, which did not delay the delivery.

asked, whether the means of transport had been reduced by the taking away of a horse and cart from the district? He could give a great many instances of delay in the matter.

said, the horse and cart were found expensive, and no harm was done by discontinuing them. People were able to get their letters quicker by the present arrangement.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether the Order in Council to extend British consular jurisdiction on the West Coast of Africa, so as to insure the more speedy and economical apprehension of criminals, is now prepared; and, when it will be laid upon the Table of the House?

The Order in Council referred to is not yet completed; but it is expected to be ready shortly, and will be laid in due course.

asked the Chief Commissioner of Works, Whether his attention has been called to the last paragraph of the interesting Report of Mr. J. L. Pearson, R.A., on Westminster Hall, which states that by the rules of the British Museum he has been unable to obtain some important tracings to accompany his Report, especially from the Crace Collection; and, whether he can suggest a method by which such important drawings and information, for a National purpose, can for the future be obtained, without difficulty, from a National establishment like the British Museum?

, in reply, said, that as one of the Trustees of the British Museum, he trusted he might be allowed to answer the Question. The answer was that, according to the rules of the Museum, tracings were not allowed to be taken from drawings or prints without the permission of the keeper. No application was made by Mr. Pearson to the present keeper; and if any was made in the time of his predecessor there is no record of it in the office. The permission is given in special cases, when no injury is apprehended; but the general rule is a necessary precaution for the protection of these valuable documents.

asked the Secretary to the Local Government Board, Whether he is aware of the number of wires now stretched overhead in various portions of the Metropolis, of which about 230 may be counted between the Royal Exchange and St. Michael's Church, Cornhill, and about 200 between the Mansion House and Queen Street, over Queen Victoria Street; and, whether, having regard to the danger thus occasioned to persons using the streets, especially in thunder-storms, snow-storms, and in high winds, he will consider if the time has arrived when some means should be taken to deal with this question?

We are aware that there is a large number of wires stretched overhead in the Metropolis, and have no reason to doubt the statement as to the number of such wires in the localities mentioned. In replying to the hon. and gallant Member for East Aberdeenshire (Sir Alexander Gordon) I stated that we would consider whether a Select Committee shall not be moved for next Session for the purpose of inquiry and report on the subject. I am advised by the Postmaster General that of the 230 wires mentioned by the hon. Member only six belong to the Post Office, and of the 200 only four.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether, in consequence of the action of the Board of Trade, in granting pilots' licences to two masters of steamers trading to and from the port of Sligo, and the action of the Sligo Harbour Board, in granting pilots' licences to four other masters of steamers trading to and from the port of Sligo, the regular outside pilots of that port, who gained their licences after apprenticeship, and have acted in connection with the port for many years, are now almost deprived of their means of living, their average incomes having fallen from £35 to about £12 a-year; and, whether any steps will be taken to give them compensation?

It is the duty of harbour authorities, and in their default of the Board of Trade, under the Statute, to grant, after examination, certificates to masters and mates, enabling them to pilot the ships in which they serve. This has been done by the Board of Trade in two cases at the Port of Sligo. I do not know what licences have been granted by the Harbour Board. There is no provision for giving compensation to persons who had been acting as pilots before such certificates were granted. No funds are at my disposal for this purpose.

asked the First Commissioner of Works, If he has yet come to a decision whether he will allow a telegraphic news-recording instrument to be erected in the House for the use of Members; whether, immediately after the subject was last mentioned in the House, the Company which supplies such instruments offered him to erect one in the House on payment of the cost of erection only; if he can state how many hours it would take to put up one of these instruments; and, whether he can hold out any hope of one being at work this Session, or during the proposed Autumn Session, or during the Session of 1885?

, in reply, said, he had consulted with the Serjeant-at-Arms, who had charge of the arrangements for supplying telegraphic news to the House, and he was of opinion that the proposal of the hon. Member did not offer any facilities over the present system to hon. Members which would justify a change. The Company would propose to supply the instrument at a rental of £50 a-year, with certain occasional charges; whereas the present Telegraph Company supplied its news free.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he will take into consideration the expediency of obtaining full powers to deal at once with the dangers to which the inhabitants of the Metropolis and of the Lower Thames Valley are exposed, owing to the absence of land water in the Thames, and to the pestiferous nature of the water that circulates between Bailey Creek and Teddington, and to obtain money for carrying into effect such a scheme as he may deem necessary to mitigate these dangers? In putting the Question, he would ask leave to read the following extracts from the Report of the principal Dockmaster of the East and West India Dock Company to the Directors of the Company:—

"This half-year we have raised 73,100 tons what we considered a good year's work before 1881. The river is in a fearful condition, the stench from the sewage is very bad, and the water very thick and black. It is awfully sickening, and we have had during last week high tides, and through having to draw down after every high tide water to Trinity datum for the protection of the lockgates, causes a strong tide to rush in before the following high water at Blackwall entrance and Eastern Dock entrance, bringing in an enormous amount of sewage. I reckon in four days last week not less than 400 tons entered each tide, for as fast as I dredged in Blackwall Basin I found almost the same water the next day. The banks of the basin are covered with a green slimy substance, and smell very bad. Some steps should be taken by correspondence through the daily newspapers, or by direct reference to the Chairman of the Royal Commission, to keep the question open, or it will have the same fate as other Royal Commissions when the excitement dies out."

Minute of Board

"The condition of the water is such as tends to the enervation of the staff, and would be a factor in inducing cholera. The matter should be pressed upon the notice of the Board of Works and the Government, with a view to the river being dealt with, not only in the interest of the Docks, but of the citizens at large."

I have had this subject under consideration; but the matter is not one with regard to which I can propose legislation during the present Session. I have, however, instructed Mr. Harrison, one of the Inspectors of the Board, to report to me as to the condition of the part of the Thames on which the Lower Thames Valley abuts, and whether, in his opinion, any temporary arrangements can be made by the Local Authorities with the view of removing the evils which are stated to exist, and providing a remedy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If it is true that the Reports of the Official Inspectors of Mines, in cases of explosions, are refused to persons suing for damages under the Employers' Liability Act, and to the counsel in such cases, and that such officers can refuse to give evidence when summoned in support of a case; and that, in consequence, the strongest and most reliable evidence of negligence is unavailable for suitors; and, if he proposes to remove this obstacle to the requirements of justice?

I am not aware, nor have I been able to discover, that any Reports have been so refused; but, speaking generally, I concur in the spirit of the Question, and will take care that instructions are given that if Reports are applied for they shall not be refused, unless under special circumstances.

asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether during the recess he will take into his consideration the advisability of altering the age of compulsory school attendance from five years to seven years of age, with a view to prevent children from leaving school by passing the fourth standard at so early an age as many do at present, and also with a view to lessen the great difficulty experienced by magistrates in having to convict parents for not sending young children of five and six years of age regularly to school?

Considering that there are 1,345,196 children of all classes between five and seven years of age, of whom 920,000 are on the registers of public elementary schools, I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member. What ought to be done, and what I hope will be done very soon, is to follow out the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Technical Instruction, and enact that Standard V. shall be the minimum for total exemption.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether any Supplementary Estimate or Vote of Credit will be presented to the House, before the Prorogation, to defray the cost of any expedition that may be necessary for the relief of General Gordon and the defence of Egypt?

The Government have arrived at no decision to present a Supplementary Estimate before the Prorogation to defray the expenses of any expedition that may be necessary for the relief of General Gordon. It is probable, however, that a Supplementary Estimate will be required in connection with expenses being incurred in preparations for the defence of Egypt; and I shall probably be able to give the noble Lord a definite answer to-morrow.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he can give the House any information with regard to General Gordon's present position; whether the rewards which the Government have offered for information are now in force, or whether they lapsed in the month of June; and, whether it is true that the Nile will be at its lowest at Khartoum by the end of September, so that it will then be more difficult to send relief to General Gordon up the Nile, and also more difficult for him to leave Khartoum by the river, especially by the White Nile, than it is at present?

I have from time to time given the House all the information in the possession of the Foreign Office in regard to General Gordon's position. The rewards have not lapsed except in the case of the messenger mentioned at page 67 of "Egypt (No. 25) 1884;" but complete discretion as to money rewards has been given to Mr. Egerton, as stated in No. 43. It is high Nile at Khartoum about the beginning of September, and this lasts about a month. The river begins to fall early in October, and is half Nile by the end of that month. Above Khartoum the Nile attains its greatest height early in September.

asked the noble Lord whether steps are still being taken with a view to convey to General Gordon instructions to withdraw, if possible, from Khartoum and the Soudan without further bloodshed; and, whether steps will be taken to inform, if possible, the Mahdi that Her Majesty's Government has already recognized the independence of the Soudan, and that, as messengers have been despatched to General Gordon ordering him to withdraw from that country, he was acting contrary to those instructions if he slaughters Soudanese, unless in self-defence?

The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is in the affirmative; to the second, in the negative.

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether instructions have been sent to Her Majesty's Representatives in Egypt to inquire into the alleged use of torture in levying taxes from the fellahs, and to see that, if such is the present habit, it will no longer be pursued?

If my hon. Friend will refer to the Papers on Egyptian affairs which have just been distributed, he will find from the Report of Sir Evelyn Baring, dated June 28, that he is of opinion that the use of torture by the courbash in the collection of taxes has practically ceased. Her Majesty's Government, after consulting Sir Evelyn Baring, did not consider that further instructions were necessary, as those already given are quite distinct. The use of torture and the courbash is illegal, as will be seen on reference to the Proclamation given at page 36 of "Egypt (No. 6) it 1883." and since that the Penal Codes have been enacted, which put an end to any punishment except those specifically there mentioned.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he has received any in- formation as to an attack having been made upon the Resident Magistrate for Sligo on the 13th instant?

I am informed that, about 10 days ago, the Resident Magistrate, while taking a walk after dusk, was struck by a stone, which was thrown over the fence from an adjoining field. He chased and secured a man who, he believed, threw the stone, and, having demanded his name and address, he let him go. It was subsequently ascertained that the name and address given were false. Mr. Molony does not himself consider that the affair was an outrage.

Where did this happen?

While the magistrate was taking a walk along the river side near the town.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether, having regard to the importance of the sewage of the Lower Thames Valley being diverted from the river at the earliest moment, to the applications made to the Local Government Board by Heston and Isleworth, Kingston-on-Thames, and Richmond, for the severance of those places from the Lower Thames Valley Main Sewerage Board, and to the Report of the Select Committee on the Bill of this Session—

"That the continuance of the Joint Board is not only unnecessary, but operates as a hindrance to the several authorities purifying the sewage of their respective districts,"

he will now give facilities for the dissolution of the Joint Board and sub-division of its district as recommended by the Committee; whether those objects could be effected by a short Bill passed during the present Session; and, if he is not prepared to bring in such a Bill, what other steps does he propose to take in the matter in the interest of the public and the localities?

The Lower Thames Valley Main Sewerage District, as I have already stated in reply to a Question of the hon. Baronet the Member for Finsbury (Sir Andrew Lusk), was constituted by a Provisional Order, which was issued by the Board after local conferences and inquiries, and was subsequently confirmed by Parlia- ment, after very full consideration by a Select Committee. It is true that the Select Committee on the Bill of this Session recommended the dissolution of the Joint Board and the setting up of new districts. But that recommendation was made after hearing the evidence of two only out of the 11 constituent authorities, and without hearing any evidence whatever on the part of the other nine constituent authorities, or the Main Sewerage Board on the subject. The Board have received communications from Heston, and Isleworth, and Richmond as to separation from the district; but no similar application has been made by the Kingston-on-Thames Sanitary Authority since 1881. I am not in a position to dissolve the district and sot up other districts without giving those interested full opportunity of making their representations on the subject at a local inquiry. I am, as I stated in reply to the Question of the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Labouchere), obtaining a Report as to whether any temporary arrangement can be made by the Local Authorities with the view of mitigating the evils stated to exist.

said, he wished to say that the Select Committee heard the promoters of the scheme.

said, if he was wrong on that point, he was right in stating that the Committee did not hear nine out of the 11 opponents.

said, that the Committee, having heard two of the opponents, considered that they had sufficient evidence before them.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is intended to buy or take on lease a house for the Army Medical Doctor out-side the Military Barracks in Longford; and, whether there is not ample accommodation within the barracks, there being now twelve quarters unoccupied there?

No proposal of the nature indicated in the Question has been made to the War Office; and if such a proposal had been made, careful inquiry would be made before it was sanctioned.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that Colonel Digby, J.P. Westmeath, obtained from the Land Commissioners, under the provisions of the Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Act, certain arrears of rent alleged by him to be due of a tenant of his named James Rickard; whether this James Rickard had actually parted with the interest in his tenancy to a man named James Egan, who paid to the landlord all arrears due of the holding; whether, after this payment was made, Colonel Digby received, and he and Rickard divided between them, the money thus obtained from the Land Commission; and, whether, if these allegations are well founded, he will order fresh proceedings to be taken against Colonel Digby, and take steps to secure the due hearing of the charge before a competent tribunal?

I am informed that, on the joint application of the landlord and tenant, the Land Commissioners extinguished arrears of rent amounting to £5 15 s., and that a sum of £2 17 s. 6 d. was paid to the landlord. The tenant, Rickard, alleges that Colonel Digby gave him £2 7 s. 6 d. of this sum—from which it would appear that he retained 10 s. of it for himself—under what circumstances does not appear. I am also informed that it is a fact that Rickard sold the interest of his farm in November, 1882, to a man named Egan, and that of the price given—£40—a sum of £21 10 s. was paid to Colonel Digby for rent and costs. Whether this included all arrears I cannot say. An explanation will be written for, and, on receipt of that explanation, these Reports shall be laid before the Law Officers for directions whether these Reports disclose an offence, or a case for further inquiry.

Will the right hon. Gentleman communicate with the tenant Egan, who purchased the holding, and who may have valuable information to give?

said, there was enough information on the subject to satisfy the Law Officers.

Is it usual, when a person is charged with theft, for the Government to write to him for an explanation?

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If the Lord Lieutenant recently refused to sanction the appointment of a gentleman to the post of Cattle Inspector to a Southern Poor Law Union, on the ground that he was not a fully qualified veterinary surgeon; and, if so, whether in future only qualified veterinary surgeons will be appointed to the post?

It is presumed that this Question relates to the Kilmacthomas Union, County Waterford, in which the Lord Lieutenant refused, in April last, to sanction the appointment of an Inspector who was not a qualified veterinary surgeon, on the ground that the Local Authority could procure the services of a duly qualified veterinary surgeon for the office. The Order in Council dealing with the subject requires that the persons appointed shall be veterinary surgeons, unless the Lord Lieutenant is satisfied that it is impossible to procure, or that for other sufficient reason it is undesirable to appoint, a person so qualified.

asked Mr. Solicitor General for Ireland, Under what Act of Parliament had the grand jury of the county Limerick power to alter and increase the retiring allowance of the late Governor of the County Limerick Prison by thirty-three pounds ten shillings per annum over and above the amount fixed by a previous grand jury in that county?

Mr. Eagar, the late Governor, was appointed prior to the Prisons Act, 1877, and his position was continued under the Prisons Board till last year, when he was retired consequent on tile abolition of Spike Island. The superannuation allowance is regulated by the Superannuation Act, 1859, and a Treasury Minute of 14th January, 1879, and the Prisons Act, 1877, provides for an apportionment of the allowance on the county in respect of services prior to April, 1878. The power of the Grand Jury, to make a presentment for this is retained by the Prisons Act. The portion payable by the county would have been primâ facie £160 18 s. per annum; but the Grand Jury, in the summer of 1883, passed a resolution that, on account of Mr. Eagar's good and long services, the allowance should be £194 15 s. 6 d. This was the first and only resolution passed by the Grand Jury, and it was founded on the authority I have mentioned.

asked the Postmaster General, If he is aware that about five-sixths of the passengers from Dublin to Waterford travel viâ Maryburgh, and if, under the proposed agreement for the acceleration of the mails from Dublin to Cork, the Great Western mail will not stop at Maryburgh, these passengers will be compelled to travel viâ Carlow; whether such an arrangement will give an unfair advantage to the Great Southern and Western line over the Central Ireland Railway, which would thereby lose a large share of its present passenger traffic; and, whether he will bear this fact in mind when considering the proposed agreement?

, in reply, said, that, in carrying out the acceleration of the day mail to Cork, Limerick, &c., it was not intended to alter the present day mail train from Dublin at 9 A.M., which would continue to stop at Maryburgh; but the new special train would not call there, a stop being unnecessary for mail purposes. He regretted that the effect of the new arrangement should be in any way unfavourable to the Waterford and Central Ireland Railway Company; but, so far as the day mail to Waterford was concerned, he saw no reason why such an improvement of the service by the present route viâ Carlow should not be affected as should secure as long an interval for replies by return of post as an accelerated service viâ Maryburgh. Inquiries on this point were being made.

asked the Under Secretary Of State for India, Whether his attention has been drawn to an article in The Lancet, published two months ago, in which that high medical authority asserts that—

"As the diet of the Hindoo is almost entirely farinaceous and vegetable, it is a cruel injustice to impose a tax that renders a physiological necessary a high-priced luxury;"

and, whether the Government will take into account the opinion of The Lancet in arranging their future policy with regard to the Salt Tax in India?

, in reply, said, that the Government of India was fully aware of the objections which might be urged against the Salt Tax, and bore them in mind when considering its fiscal changes.

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is the intention of the Government to give effect to the recommendation of the Select Committee of 1871–2 with regard to Union Rating in Ireland; and, if so, whether such legislation will embrace outdoor as well as indoor relief?

, in reply, said, the Government were very anxious to give effect to the recommendation referred to. The system in Ireland should be assimilated to the system in England, both with regard to indoor and outdoor relief.

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether, in view of the large amount of debt which the importation of Coolies has already entailed upon Jamaica, and also, in view of the despatch of Her Majesty's Secretary for the Colonies of the 29th September 1877, relieving the people of the Island from future taxation for this purpose, Her Majesty's Government have any intention of adopting the proposal of the Commissioners, that the importation of Coolies shall be renewed, and supported from the general taxation of the Island?

No decision has yet been arrived at on the proposals of the Royal Commissioners relative to Coolie immigration into Jamaica; and, indeed, it is a question on which the Government would not think it right to give any definite directions until the new Jamaican Legislative Council had an opportunity of considering it at their meeting in September next. I may point out, however, as to the terms of my hon. Friend's Question, that the importation of Coolies has never been stopped, and that, under present arrangements, the expense of hospital treatment for the Coolies is maintained from the general taxation of the island.

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether he can give to the House any information as to the condition of affairs in Bechuanaland; and, whether he will lay upon the Table further Papers relating to that Country, before the Supplemental Estimate is considered?

Further Papers on Bechuanaland are in preparation, and will be laid on the Table before the end of the Session; but not, I fear, in time for the Supplementary Estimate. It would be impossible, within the limits of an answer to a Question, to give the general account asked for; but when the Supplementary Estimate is moved, I shall be ready to state any information we may be in possession of. Meanwhile I may say that we have received a telegram from the Governor of the Cape, in which he informs us that the following Resolution has been carried in both Houses of the Legislature of the Cape Colony—namely,

"That, in the opinion of this House, it is expedient, pending the ratification of the London Convention of 1884 by the Volksraad of the South African Republic, that the Colonial Government be authorised to open communications with the Imperial Government, with a view to submitting to Parliament, next Session, a measure for the annexation to the Cape Colony of the territory of the south-western border of the South African Republic, now under British protection—that is to say, Bechuanaland."

That will include the so-called Republic of Stella-land and Göschen?

Yes; all these territories.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether his attention has been drawn to the following approximate estimate of loss of life in Egypt since the English occupation appears in trustworthy sources of information, to wit:—

I have referred to the authorities which are quoted in the Question, and the numbers which are given in the hon. Member's statement appear to be correctly stated from these authorities. However, except in the case of Baker Pasha's force, and the Battle of El Teb, they appear to be estimates only. We have no means in the War Office of correcting or amplifying these estimates. I do not see there would be any advantage in embodying the estimates referred to in a Parliamentary Return; but it would, of course, be open to the hon. Member to make any use he thinks fit of the information which he has compiled.

asked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether, inasmuch as by the munificence of a private benefactor all difficulties as to the allocation of the space in the new wing of the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art are obviated, he will give instructions for the work to be begun at once?

Yes, Sir; tenders will be invited for this building in a few days.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether any further progress has been made in the selection of the design for the Science and Art Museum, Dublin, and how soon the arrangements are likely to be complete?

, in reply, said, the hon. Member knew that the recommended design proved, on valuation, to involve an expenditure much above the prescribed limit. They had, therefore, been driven, in justice to the other competitors, to inquire into the other designs. Two of these could not be entertained under any circumstances; valuations were in progress as to the other two, which the Committee of Advisers had placed in order of merit. The Board of Works were considering what preliminary work could he done in anticipation of the final decision.

What is the difference between the cost of the selected design and the sum which the Government is prepared to give?

I do not think it would be fair to state that until the other designs have been examined.

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that it is a matter of a very few thousand pounds?

No.

Will the hon. Gentleman state what it is, if he knows it?

It is not fair to other competitors to state what this difference is.

Is it the fact that the competitors, whose designs are now under consideration, are Englishmen, and that the competitor whose design has been set aside is an Irishman? And more particularly, I wish to ask the hon. Gentleman, whether he hopes to be able to state the decision of the Treasury in this important matter before the House rises?

I have no information as to the nationalities of the competitors. I hope the examinations will be completed in time to announce them to Parliament.

I wish to ask the hon. Gentleman, whether it is not the fact that this question, which concerns the education of the Irish people, has been, for the sake of a few thousand pounds, 16 years in contemplation, and has not yet been settled?

I have already told the hon. Gentleman that it is not a matter of a few thousand pounds.

I ask, is it a fact that it has been 16 years in contemplation by the Government?

[No reply.]

asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a Return of the Correspondence with Shipping Associations and Reports from the British Embassy at Paris, on the question of Ship Brokerage in France (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, Commercial, No. 12, 1883)?

There will be no objection to lay upon the Table the Correspondence to which my hon. Friend refers, and it will be at once prepared for publication.

asked, Whether the noble Lord would state that any more energetic steps would be taken to bring this matter, in which the commerce of this country took so great an interest, to a satisfactory conclusion?

I can hardly admit that more energetic steps are necessary, because these negotiations have been carried on in Paris by Mr. Crowe with great ability. No doubt the matter is one of importance. It is now before the Secretary of State, and it may be advisable, if no satisfactory result is soon arrived at, to take some further steps.

(for Mr. CROPPER) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been drawn to remarks made at a meeting last week of the "Central Vigilance Committee," at which His Grace the Duke of Westminster stated that the condition of certain streets of the Metropolis was "notoriously scandalous and disgraceful," for utter shamefulness "not to be equalled in the whole world;" that tradesmen "in some of the principal streets" live under what is really "a Reign of Terror," and, if they took "individual…..or isolated action," they would be in fear of being boycotted; whether the powerlessness of the police in regard to this nuisance is owing to a difference of opinion on the part of the magistrates in regard to the evidence necessary to support convictions for the offence specified in Sub-Section 11 of 2 & 3 Vict. cap. 47, sec. 54; and, whether it may not be possible to obtain a consensus of magisterial opinion on this point?

asked, whether, in view of the unfortunate state of things arising from the suspension of the main provisions of the Contagious Diseases Act, the Government would not restore those provisions, pending the introduction of the long-promised Bill on the subject?

asked, if the right hon. Gentleman was aware of the extent to which innocent young men and innocent old men were accosted by females in the streets?

My attention has long been directed to this subject, and I think it one of very great importance. I am glad to see, by the Question of my hon. Friend behind me (Mr. S. Smith), that he attributes a great part of the evil to the helplessness of the police in the matter. That is entirely my opinion. I believe the condition of the streets will never be made what it ought to be unless further powers are given to the police, as in Glasgow and other towns. Clauses to that effect were introduced into a Bill which passed the House of Lords, and I deeply regret that that Bill cannot pass into law this Session. It is not necessary for the Government to consider the question, because they have embodied their views in the clauses of that Bill. I am glad to see, from the Questions on the Paper, that those views will have the support of the Vigilance Committee; and, with their support, I have very little doubt that the Bill will pass into law, and will have the effect desired.

said, the right hon. Gentleman had expressed the opinion that the police ought to have further powers. He entirely agreed with the right hon. Gentleman; and he wished to ask, whether he could not give effect to that view in a short Bill this Session?

said, he wished he could think that a short Bill would involve a short discussion on this subject. The information he had on that point hardly encouraged him in such a hope. Short Bills sometimes took a long time in passing.

said, that the right hon. Gentleman had not answered his Question, whether something could not be done in the way of restoring the suspended powers of the Acts he had referred to, so as to prevent that condition of things which arose from the withdrawal of the police?

said, that the Government did not propose to do anything of the kind referred to. They considered that the police in towns had ample powers, which they might put into operation if they chose so to do.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that there were several large establishments in which the girls employed slept on the premises five nights in the week, but were not allowed to do so on Saturday and Sunday nights?

said, he had no cognizance of that.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the following extracts from a speech made by the Right honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury, at the Annual Meeting of the "Central Vigilance Committee" at Willis's Rooms on July 16th 1884:—

"There are hundreds and thousands of poor girls, as honest, good girls as ever lived, engaged in their daily occupations in London at a distance from their homes. Often, in the winter season, especially, they have to return home after dark, and they are exposed to every form of temptation. Unless you could hear from their own lips, as far as they dare communicate it to you, what they see or hear, it would seem almost too monstrous to believe. A gentleman called upon me the other day who had been in Regent Street. He said he was at the head of a very large firm, and he had in his establishment from 200 to 300 married women and young single women. He said, 'I am obliged constantly to go as far as I can with these women when they leave their work to see them safe beyond a certain point, because there are people waiting in the neighbourhood for the purpose of alluring them away, and perhaps indulging their horrid inconceivable taste by pouring the most filthy wickedness into the ears of these young girls.' That is the case with reference to one large establishment, and I have heard it with regard to others. If you want to correct the evil you must go to this male solicitation, as well as female solicitation (applause). You must create a strong public opinion, which will prevent the evil practices of these men, many of whom are in a decent position in society, and have ample means. You must prevent these men going out night by night as they do, indulging their beastly proclivities, and corrupting and dishonouring society to the utmost extent possible. You must know that circumstances have very much altered now in respect to the work of these young women, who, as I say, have to work some two or three miles away from their homes. A short time ago the hours of labour were very much limited, in some of the workshops, and they managed to get home in decent time, but now, by the permission of the Secretary of State, with the view to the relief of certain trades, the hours of labour are so prolonged that many of these poor girls cannot leave their workshops until nine or ten o'clock at night. Then they have perhaps three or four miles to go from their work to their homes. What they say is, 'so long as we can keep together we are tolerably safe, but the time comes when we must separate to go in different directions to our homes, and that is the time when we are exposed to these annoyances, too dreadful to describe.' That is the state of things in our streets;"

and, whether he is prepared to consider, during the recess, some remedy for this deplorable state of things?

said, he thought he had substantially answered the Question already.

asked the Secretary of State for War, with reference to his statement that the overcrowding of the married soldiers' quarters in the Cambridge Cottages at Woolwich would at once be remedied, Whether it is the fact that, although negotiations have taken place for renting sixteen houses, in order to afford proper accommodation for the married soldiers, no result has been arrived at, and the overcrowding still continues, causing much inconvenience and danger to the health of the troops and of the inhabitants of the adjacent districts?

Authority has been given to the General Officer Commanding at Woolwich to hire cottages for the purpose of' relieving the married soldiers' quarters; but it is necessary that the sanitary conditions of the cottages should be carefully examined before they are actually taken over. This inspection, and the consequent repairs, will be pushed on as rapidly as possible.

asked the Post master General, When he will be able to return an answer to the Telephone Companies in regard to matters in discussion between them and the Post Office Department?

The United Tele phone Company and its affiliated Companies have submitted to me three different proposals, the consideration of which involves many complicated and difficult details; and I am sure it is of great importance that these proposals should be carefully considered in all their bearings. I have personally devoted all the time to their investigation I could spare, but have not yet been able to complete it. I may add that from four other licensed Companies I have not received any statement; but I have informed them that if they do not at once furnish me with one, I must decide without having their views before me. Although I cannot fix the precise day, I can but repeat the promise that there shall be no unnecessary delay; and I can assure my hon. Friend (Mr. Jacob Bright) that no one can be more anxious than I am that the question should be speedily settled.

asked whether the right hon. Gentleman expected that his decision would be pronounced before the Post Office Estimates were taken?

said, he should do everything he could to speedily arrive at a decision; but he felt that the interest not only of the Post Office and the public, but of the Telephone Companies themselves, required that that decision should not be a hasty one; and therefore, he should not like to give the hon. Member a pledge.

said, that on Monday he would address a Question on the subject to the Prime Minister. He would ask whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that a question was in dispute as to the respective rights of this House and of a Government Department to override the House's decision?

asked the Postmaster (General, Is it a fact that in the town of Cavan the mail closes at six o'clock in the evening, although the train which carries it on does not start from Clones, twelve miles distant, until fifteen minutes past nine p.m. in consequence of the bags from Cavan being now sent, as they were a century ago, by a one-horse car taking two and a-half hours to make the journey, although there is direct communication between both towns by rail which could be accomplished in twenty minutes; is it also a fact that by this arrangement the towns of Arva, Killeshandra, Ballynagh, and Carrigallen have to post their evening letters in the middle of the day, from three to half-past three o'clock p.m., several other minor offices in the district being also equally inconvenienced; whether, within the past two years, the Town Commissioners of Cavan, and representative meetings of merchants, traders, bankers, and other inhabitants of the different towns mentioned, have not by memorials pointed out this great grievance more than once to him, and requested a remedy; his reply being, in one case, that the Railway Company for this short journey claimed an exorbitant price; and in the other, that the matter "would have attention;" whether it is not a fact that a train arrives from Dublin and the west at eight p.m. each evening, by which passengers cannot proceed further because of the breach in the service at this point; and, whether it is in the power of the Government to compel the Great Northern Railway Company to supply this great public service by running a train from Cavan at a quarter-past eight p.m., for mails and passengers, at a reasonable price, in connection with the arrival of the Midland Great Western train each evening, there being no difficulty in arranging for the return morning service, a train being already running, which, by a slight attention to time, can be utilized for this purpose?

It is the fact that the night mail between Cavan and Clones is conveyed by cars, there being no existing trains at hours suitable for the mail service. I will have further inquiry made as to the possibility of coming to some arrangement with the Railway Company; but unless the trains could be utilized for ordinary traffic I fear the cost of running them specially for the mails would be greater than the correspondence for the district affected would warrant.

asked the Postmaster General, Whether it is a fact that a few months ago a person named M'Mullen, who acted as letter-carrier between Ballyconnell and Derrylin, committed several breaches of trust in opening letters containing cheques, coin, etc.; whether, since M'Mullen absconded, a person named M'Garvey has for three months performed the duties; whether there was any cause of complaint against M'Garvey; and, whether it is now proposed to give the appointment to a brother of the former employé M'Mullen?

In reply to the hon. Member's Question, I beg to say that George M'Mullen, the postman referred to, was employed under an allowance to the sub-postmaster of Ballyconnell to provide for the work, and that his services were dispensed with in consequence of his not performing it satisfactorily. The suspicion which had previously fallen on McMullen of tampering with letters was not the cause of his losing his situation. M'Garvey has been employed by the sub-postmaster as a temporary arrangement only, pending the appointment of a permanent postman in M'Mullen's place. William McMullen, who has been nominated and who is about to be appointed, was strongly recommended. So far as I am able to ascertain he bears a very good character, and I do not think that the fact of his brother's performing his work unsatisfactorily ought to stand in his way.

In reply to a further Question from Mr. BIGGAR,

said, he did not know whether the two brothers had lived in the same house; but, in consequence of the misconduct of one brother, he made special inquiries as to the conduct of the younger brother, and people in the neighbourhood informed him there was nothing whatever against his conduct.

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is a fact that there are 792 vacancies for Officers in the Militia, and that some Regiments want more than half their establishment of Officers; and, whether, under these circumstances, the rule will be enforced by which Officers are retired under the age clause, particularly in Regiments where the forced retirement of Officers would cause another vacancy?

The actual vacancies for officers of Militia amount to 795; and in 11 regiments the vacancies amount to half the number of officers. As regards the forced retirement of Militia officers, I can only repeat the answer I gave on the 16th June to the hon. Member for Clare (Mr. O'Shea)—

"Under the Regulations now in force lieutenant-colonels retire at 55, majors and captains at 50 years of age; but in all cases officers are permitted, on the recommendation of the General Officer commanding, to serve five years longer. Having regard to the efficiency of the service and the maintenance of a fair flow of promotion, it would not, in my opinion, be desirable to suspend these Regulations."

I am not aware of any present reason for changing the opinion I then expressed. This serious deficiency is, however, under the consideration of the Department, with a view to the suggestion of some remedy if possible.

asked whether it was worth while to spend so much money on the Militia if they were not to be maintained in an efficient state?

[No reply.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, in view of the dastardly outrages recently committed by armed burglars, he will consider the advisability of immediately introducing a short Bill, giving the Judges power, on conviction, in all cases where weapons, dangerous or destructive to human life have been used, or, (if thought advisable) where they have been found on the person of the burglar, to order flogging, in addition to the punishment already provided; and, whether the punishment of flogging has been found to have a most salutary and deterrent effect, in cases of garotting and robbery with violence?

Sir, this is a matter which has often been considered, and a great deal is to be said on both sides; but I would rather not commit myself to an opinion in the negative. Certainly, the last time when it was proposed to extend to various offences the punishment of flogging, the opinion of Parliament was decidedly adverse.

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the statement reported to have been made by the Spanish Home Minister, in the Spanish Senate, that 5,000 Spaniards had been expelled from Gibraltar in retaliation for the measures adopted by the Spanish Government to prevent an invasion of cholera, is correct?

No, Sir; the action taken by the Gibraltar Government was in nowise one of retaliation, but one of necessity. There would have been, and is, no objection to admit the Spaniards as usual, did the Spanish Government allow them to return each night to Linea. This, however, the Spanish officials will not allow. They have, therefore, been kept out, as, if once admitted, they would not be allowed to return to Spanish territory, and the Government of Gibraltar would be compelled to lodge, feed, and employ these aliens, and in the event of a visitation of cholera would find the city, which is already crowded, saddled with the addition of thousands of Spanish subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to a paragraph in the Hampshire Independent of the 16th instant, which states that, on the preceding Saturday, the whole business of the Isle of Wight Petty Sessions was brought to a standstill, and great inconvenience thereby sustained by the refusal of two magistrates to take their seats on the Bench, although they were within the building at the time; and, whether, if this allegation is true, he will, either himself or through the Lord Chancellor, convey to these gentlemen his disapproval of their conduct?

Before I take any official action, I should have more authentic information of the matter than is contained in a newspaper paragraph. When the circumstances are brought before me, then I shall see what should be done.

asked the Prime Minister, Whether the labours of the Conference had arrived at such a point that he could inform the House whether application was likely to be made to Parliament to sanction any official arrangement?

No, Sir; I cannot give any information at present. The Conference met to-day, and meets again on Monday. I cannot say positively, but I am not without hope, that after that meeting on Monday I may be able to give more definite information on the subject.

said, he wished to ask a Question as to the non-appearance of the Abyssinian Treaty. The other documents were published that morning, but the actual Treaty was not. When would it appear?

, in reply, said, he believed that Paper would be distributed in the course of the day.

I wish to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in reference to the debate which took place in Committee of Supply on Tuesday evening, during which certain pledges were given by the right hon. Gentleman, If he can now inform the House whether the Local Government Board have arrived at any deci- sion; and, if so, what decision, as to the further employment of Rate Collector Elliott?

Sir, the following letter has been received by the Under Secretary from the Blackrock Town Commissioners:—

"Blackrock Township, Secretary's Office, Town Hall, Blackrock, July 23, 1884.—Sir,—In reply to your letter of the 13th ultimo, I am directed by the Commissioners of Blackrock to state, for the information of His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, that the reason which led the Commissioners to realize the securities given by Mr. Elliott at the time of his appointment was as follows:—Finding the rates much in arrear, the Commissioners called on Mr. Elliott for an explanation. He at once informed them that relying upon the practice which had existed ever since Blackrock became a township—namely, that a period of two years was allowed to the collector for the collection of the rates, he had retained in his hands money belonging to the Commissioners which he had collected and was then unable to pay them in cash. He made a full disclosure of the sums so retained, and handed over to the Commissioners house property, which they have reason to believe will, together with the securities referred to, cover the amount, and they obtained from him additional securities to replace those realized, and to provide for his punctuality in future. I am directed to add that the Commissioners have, of course, altered this vicious system of collection which led to these irregularities.—I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, J. M. PORTER, Secretary. To the Right Hon. G. O. Trevelyan, M.P., Chief Secretary for Ireland."

The Irish Government and the Local Government Board have no doubt whatever that Mr. Elliott ought to be removed from his office. This can be done at once by issuing a Sealed Order, under the 33rd section of the 1 & 2 Vict., c. 56; but the Board of Guardians might complain of such a mode of dealing with one of their officers without communicating first with them. The Board of Guardians will accordingly be requested at their next meeting to call upon Elliott to resign, and to inform him that the Local Government Board has determined not to allow him to retain a position of trust in the Poor Law, and that they will be prepared, under the section above referred to, to remove him if he does not resign. I am sorry to make what would otherwise be a premature statement; but considering that the Blackrock Town Commissioners have practically refrained from answering our letter from the 13th June to the 23rd July, and then only did it under pressure, I should hardly be justified in taking any other course, and therefore I think Parliament is entitled to hear, at the earliest moment, our decision.