Lords Sitting of 14 August 1877

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—Royal Assent— Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 61]; Legal Practitioners [40 & 41 Vict. c. 62]; Building Societies Act (1874) Amendment [40 & 41 Vict. c. 63]; East India Loan [40 & 41 Vict. c. 51]; Metropolitan Board of Works (Money) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 52]; Public Libraries Act Amendment (No. 2) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 54]; Public Record Office [40 & 41 Vict. c. 55]; Fisheries (Dynamite) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 65]; County Officers and Courts (Ireland) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 56]; Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 57]; Police (Expenses) Act Continuance [40 & 41 Vict. c. 58]; Colonial Stock [40 & 41 Vict. c. 59]; Prisons (Scotland) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 53]; Sheriff Courts (Scotland) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 50]; Canal Boats [40 & 41 Vict. c. 60]; Turnpike Acts Continuance [40 & 41 Vict. c. 64]; Expiring Laws Continuance [40 & 41 Vict. c. 67]; Destructive Insects [40 & 41 Vict. c. 68]; Municipal Corporations (New Charters) [40 & 41 Vict. c. 69]; Local Taxation Returns [40 & 41 Vict. c. 66]; Solway Salmon Fisheries [40 & 41 Vict. c. ccxl.]; Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (Artisans and Labourers Dwellings) [40 & 41 Vict. c. ccxli.]; Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (Atherton, &c.) [40 & 41 Vict. c. ccxlii.]
JUDICIAL BUSINESS.—RESOLUTION.
Ordered, That this House do meet on Tuesday the 6th day of November next for the purpose of hearing and determining Appeals and matters connected therewith, pursuant to the provisions of " The Appellate Jurisdiction Act, 1876;" and that during such meeting of the House leave be given to the Appeal Committee to meet and appoint their own Chairman.

PROROGATION OF THE PARLIAMENT—HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH.
The PARLIAMENTwas this day prorogued by Commission.
THE LORD CHANCELLORacquainted the House that Her Majesty had been pleased to grant two several Commissions, one for declaring Her Royal Assent to several Acts agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament, and the other for proroguing the Parliament:—And the LORDS COMMISSIONERS —namely, The LORD CHANCELLOR; The LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (The Duke of Richmond and Gordon); The Secretary of State for India (The MAR-
820
QUESS OF SALISBURY); The EARL OF HARROWBY; and the LORD SKELMERS-DALE—being in their Robes, and seated on a Form between the Throne and the Woolsack; and the COMMONS being come, with their Speaker, and the Commission to that purpose being read, the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills.
Then THE LORD CHANCELLOR pursuant to Her Majesty's Command, delivered HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH, as follows:—
"My Lords, and Gentlemen,
"I AM happy to be able to release you from your attendance in Parliament.
"My relations with all Foreign Powers continue to be friendly.
"The exertions which, since the commencement of disturbances in Eastern Europe, I have not ceased to make for the maintenance of the general peace, have, unfortunately, not been successful. On the outbreak of war between the Russian and the Ottoman Empires, I declared my intention of preserving an attitude of neutrality so long as the interests of this country remained unaffected. The extent and nature of those interests were further defined in a communication which I caused to be addressed to the Government of Russia, and which elicited a reply indicating friendly dispositions on the part of that State.
"I shall not fail to use my best efforts, when a suitable opportunity occurs, for the restoration of peace, on terms compatible with the honour of the belligerents, and with the general safety and welfare of other nations.
"If, in the course of the contest, the rights of my Empire should be assailed or endangered, I should confidently rely on your help to vindicate and maintain them.
"The apprehensions of a serious famine in Southern India, which I communicated to you at the opening of the Session, have, I grieve to say, been fully verified. The visitation which has fallen upon my subjects in Madras and Bombay, and upon the people of Mysore, has been of extreme severity, and its duration is likely to be prolonged. No exertion will be wanting on the part of my Indian Government to mitigate this terrible calamity.
"The Proclamation of my Sovereignty in the Transvaal has been received throughout the Province with enthusiasm. It has also been accepted with marked satisfaction by the Native Chiefs and tribes; and the war, which threatened in its progress to compromise the safety of my subjects in South Africa, is happily brought to a close.
"I trust that the measure which has been passed, to enable the European communities of South Africa to unite upon such terms as may be agreed on, will be the means of preventing the recurrence of similar dangers, and will increase and consolidate the prosperity of this important part of my Dominions.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"I thank you for the liberal supplies which you have voted for the public service.
"I have issued a Royal Warrant to give effect to the provision which you have made for ensuring adequate promotion to the officers of my Army.
"My Lords, and Gentlemen,
"The measures which have been passed relating to the prisons of the
822
United Kingdom will secure economy and efficiency in their management, and, at the same time, effect a considerable reduction in local burthens.
"The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, under the Act to which I have gladly given my assent, will obtain power to extend more generally the benefit of the higher education.
"The Acts for reorganising the Superior Courts of Justice in Ireland, and for reforming and conferring an extensive equitable jurisdiction on the County Courts, will largely improve the administration of the law in that part of the United Kingdom.
"I anticipate the best results from the Act which extends to the Sheriff Courts of Scotland jurisdiction in regard to heritable rights.
"In bidding you farewell, I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest on your recent labours and accompany you in the discharge of all your duties."
Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which,
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
My Lords, and Gentlemen,
By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday the thirtieth day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday the thirtieth day of October next.