Lords Sitting of 8 June 1880

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading— Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (Dublin, &c.) * (80).
Committee—Report—Public Works Loans (74); Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (Ballinasloe, &c.) * (70).
Third Reading—Local Courts of Bankruptcy (Ireland) * (76), and passed.

PUBLIC WORKS LOANS BILL—(No. 74.)
(The Earl of Morley.)
PUBLIC WORKS LOANS BILL—(No. 74.)

  COMMITTEE.
  Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee, read.
  Moved, "That the House do now resolve itself into Committee upon the said Bill."—(The Earl of Morley.)
  LORD WAVENEYalluded to facilities given by the Public Works Loans Commissioners for the granting of loans in Ireland, and urged the Government to press upon the Commissioners the desirability of putting a liberal construction on their rules.
  Motion agreed to: House in Committee accordingly.
  Bill reported without Amendment; Amendments made; and Bill to be read 3a on Thursday next.

CYPRUS—THE CATTLE PLAGUE.

  QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS.
  LORD LILFORDasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for information as to the reported outbreak of cattle plague in the Island of Cyprus, and as to the measures taken in consequence thereof? He regarded the question as one of importance, mainly because of the great increase in the importation of cattle into the Island for the use of the European population. In 1878 there was scarcely any importation of that kind; but in 1879 a very large number of cattle were imported. The Cypriotes themselves had an objection to cow's milk; but the cattle imported were frequently used for draught purposes. Consequently, if diseased cattle were imported, the disease would speedily spread throughout the Island. He had no doubt that the subject had attracted the attention of the local Executive, which, he agreed with the noble Earl who spoke on Cyprus the previous night (the Earl of Camperdown), had most ably administered the affairs of the Island.
  EARL GRANVILLE,in reply, said, that towards the close of last year an outbreak of cattle plague or rinderpest in the Island was reported by the Government, and orders were given by the Privy Council to the Government of Cyprus to take all necessary measures to prevent the spread of the infection. Those orders were carried out in February. Subsequently the Government discovered that the cattle plague existed on the shores of Syria, and they immediately took measures to prevent the importation of cattle thence to Cyprus. He was glad to hear that a Report had since been received in which it was stated that there had been no extension of the disease.

  ARMY—PROPOSED VOLUNTEER REVIEW.—QUESTION. OBSERVATIONS.
  VISCOUNT BURY,in asking the Under Secretary of State for War, Whether it has been decided to hold a Volunteer Review in Hyde Park; and, if so, what day has been appointed for it? said, he understood that since he had given Notice of his Question a similar one put in the House of Commons had received an answer to the effect that the Government had come to the conclusion that a Review could not be held in Hyde Park,

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  but that no obstacle would be thrown in the way of one taking place elsewhere. Of course, not knowing the reasons which had influenced the decision of the Government he could not enter into them; but he was bound to say that great disappointment would be felt by the Volunteers and the general public if the Review were not held. He hoped that even yet it was not too late for the War Department to re-consider the decision at which it was said to have arrived on the subject, and, as it would be impossible to discuss the matter until they had all the information before them, he suggested that the Papers relating to it should be laid upon the Table.
  THE EARL OF MORLEYsaid, he was very sorry that the answer given by the Government on this subject in "another place" did not appear to the noble Lord to be satisfactory. Sometime ago a proposal was made that a Volunteer Review should be held in Hyde Park. That proposal was submitted to the Secretary of State for War, and his right hon. Friend was very anxious to meet the wishes of those who formed the Volunteer Corps of the Metropolis. Both the Secretary of State for War and His Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding- in - Chief recognized the great efficiency and increasing importance of the Volunteer Force in this country, and they were anxious to do everything they could to encourage the spirit of patriotism to which it owed its existence 21 years ago, and which maintained it ever since. The question which they had had to decide was, not whether there should be a Volunteer Review, but where that Review should be held? From a purely military point of view there was no objection to the Review being held in Hyde Park; but other Departments besides the War Office had to be consulted in the matter. A Report from the Home Office and the Office of Works, which had the management of the Park, was submitted some time ago to the Committee of Colonels of Metropolitan Volunteer Corps, and the objections urged by those Departments against holding the Review in Hyde Park appeared to Her Majesty's Government to be of so grave and serious a character, that they felt compelled to come to the decision that Hyde Park was an unsuitable place in which to hold the Review. He did not propose now to enter into any detail as
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  to the objections stated in those Reports to holding the Review in Hyde Park; but he should at once lay on the Table the Correspondence which had taken place upon the subject, and which would show the reasons that had influenced the Government in coming to the conclusion they had felt compelled to arrive at. The Secretary of State for War had that day addressed a letter to the Committee of Colonels of Metropolitan Volunteer Corps, informing them of that decision, and, at the same time, requesting them to consider, as indicated in their original proposal for holding a Review, whether they could not suggest some other suitable locality, and if such a locality could be suggested by the Committee they would have every encouragement and assistance in the matter from Her Majesty's Government, though, for the reasons stated in the Reports referred to, they had been reluctantly compelled to withhold their assent from the holding of the Review in Hyde Park.
  VISCOUNT HARDINGEsaid, that no one admired more than he did what was done by the Office of Works for beautifying the public Parks; but when that Department made an objection to the holding of the Volunteer Review in Hyde Park on the plea that damage would be done to the trees and flowers, one could not help remembering that nothing was said of the damage when roughs held their large meetings there. He admitted the difficulty of preventing the roughs who flocked to such gatherings doing damage; but surely this difficulty was not insurmountable if they had a strong force of police on the spot. He thought it unfortunate that when a great national demonstration was proposed to be held, the Boards of Works Office should come forward and throw impediments in the way. He sincerely trusted that the Office of Works might endeavour to make some arrangements to allow of the proposed Review. There was much disappointment, and he hoped the Government would re-consider their determination, and that the march past would be held.
  EARL DUCIEremembered that on the occasion of the last Review the trees in Hyde Park were seriously injured by persons climbing them. The next morning the trees were in a lamentable condition, their branches broken and mutilated. They did not recover from the

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  damages inflicted for five or six years. The trees were far too numerous to be guarded by the police. He hoped for the sake of the Park that the Review might be held elsewhere.

EDUCATION—THE NEW CODE,

  QUESTION.
  LORD NORTONasked the Lord President of the Council, How soon the new draft Code of Regulations of the Education Committee, presented last Friday, may be expected to be circulated?
  EARL SPENCERreplied, that he had been making inquiry of the printers, and hoped that it would be delivered on Friday next.

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IRELAND) PROVISIONAL ORDERS (DUBLIN, &C.) BILL [H.L.]
  A Bill to confirm certain Provisional Orders of the Local Government Board for Ireland relating to a new street in Dublin, and to waterworks in the town of Fermoy—Was presented by The LORD PRESIDENT; read la; to be printed; and referred to the Examiners. (No. 80.)
  House adjourned at a quarter past Five o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Ten o'clock.