Lords Sitting of 5 May 1887

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—First Reading—Accumulations* (81); Quarries*; Lunacy Districts (Scotland)* (82).
Third Reading—Railway and Canal Traffic (74), and passed.
PROVISIONAL ORDER BILL—Second Reading—Local Government* (70).

AFGHANISTAN—REPORTED DISTURBANCES.—QUESTION.
THE EARL OF FIFE: I wish to ask the noble Viscount the Secretary of State for India, Whether it be true, as reported from. India, that the Khyber Pass is now held by tribes who are fighting against the Ameer of Afghanistan; and, if that be the case, whether that interferes with the arrangements of the Indian Government for keeping open the Pass?
THE SECERTARY OF STATE FOR, INDIA (Viscount Cross): All reports that are received from Afghanistan, unless they are authenticated by positive information from the Viceroy, are to be discounted to a certain extent. Numerous reports have been spread abroad, I think, of a mischievous character, and many of them have turned out to be untrue. With regard to the Question of the noble Earl, I have to say that the Viceroy is in constant communication by telegraph with me, and if anything of importance takes place, he invariably sends me word the moment he hears of it. Up to the present moment I have received nothing whatever from the Viceroy as to the disturbances in the Khyber Pass; but when I saw this subject referred to in the newspapers I thought it so important that I sent a special telegram to the Viceroy regarding it. To that telegram I have not yet received any answer; but I expect one to-morrow, when I may be able to give a reply to the noble Lord's Question.

RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC BILL.
(The lord Stanley of Preston.)

(No. 74.) THIRD BEADING.
Moved, "That the Bill be now read 3a"—(The Lord Stanley of Preston.)
Motion agreed to. Bill read 3a
On Question, "That the Bill do pass?"
On Motion of The Earl of SELBORNE, the following Amendment made:—In Clause 25, page 11, line 19, after ("made") insert—
("Provided that the court of commissioners shall have power to direct that no higher charge shall be made to any person for services in respect of goods carried over a less distance than is made to another person for similar services in respect of the same description and quantity of goods carried over a greater distance on the same line of railway.")
Further Amendment made.
Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.

LUNACY DISTRICTS (SCOTLAND) BILL. [H.L.]
A Bill to make provision for altering and varying lunacy districts in Scotland—Was presented by The Marquess of Lothian; read 1a. (No. 82.)
House adjourned at Vive o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Ten o'clock.