Lords Sitting of 22 February 1872

MINUTES.
Sat First in Parliament—The Lord Kenmare, after the death of his father.
SELECT COMMITTEE—Second Report—Thanksgiving in the Metropolitan Cathedral.

TREATY OF WASHINGTON—"ALABAMA" CLAIMS.—QUESTION.
EARL STANHOPE: I wish to put a Question to my noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. When on a former occasion my noble Friend was asked whether there was
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any objection to the production of the English Case and the American Case, he said it might be regarded as a breach of etiquette if the American Case were produced here before it was laid before Congress. Undoubtedly, my Lords, I think there was some weight in that objection; but we have now received intelligence that the American Case has been laid before the American Legislature. Under these circumstances, I beg to ask my noble Friend, Whether there is any longer an objection to the production of the American Case? If there be not, I would move for it as an unopposed Return.
EARL GRANVILLE: In reply to my noble Friend I have to state that the presentation of the American Case to the Senate is not the same as its presentation to Parliament, because the Senate is a department of the Administration; but, as General Schenck, the American Minister, has stated to me that he sees no objection to its production here, it will be laid on the Table if my noble Friend moves for it.
Moved, An Address for Case presented on behalf of the Government of the United States to the Tribunal of Arbitration.—(Earl Stanhope.)
Motion agreed to.

VACCINATION LAWS.

  MOTION FOR A SELECT COMMITTEE.
  LORD BUCKHURST, in moving for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the operation and efficiency of the Vaccination Acts, said, the question was one of great importance. The Report of the Registrar General showed that last year there was a very alarming increase in the number of deaths from small-pox; and although it had abated in some districts it was still very prevalent in others. The same Report attributed the increase to defective administration in respect of the Vaccination Laws, and if that were so it was clear that some amendment of the law was required. The Poor Law medical officers had no longer anything to do with public vaccination. A Poor Law medical officer could not now ask the parents of a child to have it vaccinated, or if he vaccinated it he could not demand a fee. The registration of births was defective, and until it was

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  made compulsory the Vaccination Laws would not be efficiently carried out. Considerable care had been taken with the Act of last Session, but he believed it was susceptible of improvement. These were some of the reasons why he asked for the appointment of this Committee, in order that inquiry might be made into the subject, and a good basis formed for legislation.
  Moved that a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the operation and efficiency of the Vaccination Laws.—(The Lord Buckhurst.)
  THE EARL OF MORLEYsaid, that while agreeing with the noble Lord that the subject which he had brought under their Lordships' notice was one of much importance, he did not know that the course proposed by the noble Lord was advisable under existing circumstances. Some of the defects to which the noble Lord had alluded had been cured by the Act of last year. A Select Committee of the House of Commons had spent three months in considering the subject before that Act was passed; and as the statute itself had only been in operation since January last, it was rather soon to judge of its effects and go into another inquiry such as that which had for so long a period engaged the attention of a Committee of the House of Commons. Great changes had been made since last year in the constitution of the Local Boards, and it was hoped that those changes would be attended with very beneficial effects in the administration of the law. He concurred with the noble Lord in thinking that the registration of births was in a very unsatisfactory state. The Committee of last year recommended that such registration should be made compulsory, and the question was at this moment under the consideration of the Government. Under these circumstances, he hoped the noble Lord would not press his Motion.
  THE DUKE OF RICHMONDsaid, he very much concurred in what had fallen from the noble Earl. While he felt that their Lordships were indebted to his noble Friend (Lord Buckhurst) for having brought the question under the notice of the House, he agreed with the noble Earl that after the recent amendments in the Vaccination Laws, it would, perhaps, be premature to refer the subject to another Committee until the country had had more experience of the
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  working of the Act of last year, especially as some further amendments were under the consideration of the Government.
  LORD BUCKHURSTsaid, that after the observations of the noble Duke, he would withdraw his Motion; but, at the same time, he hoped the Government would not lose sight of the subject.
  Motion (by leave of the House) withdrawn.

  THANKSGIVING IN THE METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL.
  Second Report from the Select Committee (with the proceedings of the Committee), made, and to be printed.
  The Lord Chamberlain acquainted the House, That Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to approve of the Lord Chancellor preceding Her Majesty in the Royal Procession to St. Paul's Cathedral on the occasion of the Thanksgiving Ceremony on the 27th instant.
  Resolved, That this House having been informed by the Lord Chamberlain that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to approve of the Lord Chancellor preceding Her Majesty in the Royal Procession to St. Paul's Cathedral on the occasion of the Thanksgiving Ceremony on the 27th instant, do authorize the Lord Chancellor, as representing this House, to attend Her Majesty accordingly.—(The Marquess of Ripon.)
  Ordered, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Lord Chamberlain.
  House adjourned at half-past Five o'clock till To-morrow, half-past Ten o'clock.