Lords Sitting of 2 March 1896

LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANIES (PAYMENT INTO COURT) BILL.— [H.L.]
A Bill to enable Life Assurance Companies to pay money into Court in certain cases—Was presented by the Lord Macnaghten, read 1a; and to be printed. (No. 21.)

POOR LAW GUARDIANS (IRELAND)— (WOMEN)—BILL.
THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY, in moving the Second Reading of this Bill, said that it was of an extremely brief and simple character. It consisted of one clause only, and merely proposed to assimilate the law of Ireland to that of England in connection with the subject of the qualifications of women to sit on the Board of Guardians. As far as Ireland was concerned, the Measure was of a non-controversial character, because the principle upon which it was founded had received the support of all sections of Irish representatives in the House of Commons. In England before the year 1894 there were 169 women Guardians, and now there were 887, and out of 648 Unions in the country women sat as Guardians in 342. There was a strong feeling in Ireland, especially in Ulster, that there was a certain sphere of work in which the services of women on Boards of Guardians would be of great value. Thus they could look after the pauper women and children, the training of girls for service, and the food and sanitary arrangements far better than men. Seeing that the principle of the Bill had been carried in another place by a majority of 272 to eight he did not think that the matter could be regarded as a controversial one. He begged to move that the Bill should be read a second time. ["Hear, hear!"]
THE EARL OF RANFURLYsaid that on behalf of the Irish Government he did not intend to oppose the Second Reading of the Bill. He saw no reason
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why the law of Ireland should not be assimilated to that of England on this subject. ["Hear, hear!"]
VISCOUNT CLIFDENsaid that he wished the. House to remark that the two noble Lords who had just spoken came from the north of Ireland, which he understood was a wild and savage country near Scotland. [Laughter.] In the south of Ireland this Measure would be a most mischievous and pernicious one. He did not like to see spouting women out of their place and doing men's work. One reason given for this Bill was that the like obtained in England. Certain things might be done in England with impunity that could not be done safely in Ireland. The noble Marquess who had moved the Second Reading of this Bill would scarcely like to see the provisions of the Irish Land Act applied to England, especially in the county of Durham. [Laughter.] The effect of this Bill would be to largely increase the powers of the priests on Boards of Guardians. He should oppose the Motion for the Second Reading of the Bill.
Read 2a (according to Order); and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Thursday next.

CHITRAL.
LORD REAYasked the Under Secretary for India whether any further papers would be presented to Parliament referring to the final settlement made with Chitral; to any arrangements entered into with the tribes through whose territories the road from Peshawar to Chitral was made; stating the expenditure on the road and the estimated annual expenditure on the military posts entailed by the construction of this road; and the estimated annual expenditure on the occupation of Chitral?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (The EARL of ONSLOW): Papers showing the final settlement with Chitral and the tribal agreements are in the Press for presentation to Parliament. The additional annual military expenditure upon the occupation of Chitral and upon the line of communication will be shown in one of the Dispatches included in the return. ["Hear, hear!"]

INDIAN COTTON DUTIES.
LORD REAYasked the Under Secretary for India whether the correspondence between the Secretary of State and the Government of India relating to the alteration in the import and excise duties on cotton, the memorials addressed to the Government of India by the Indian Chambers of Commerce and the Indian Millowners' Associations, would be included in the papers which were to be laid on the table by the Secretary of State?
THE EARL OF ONSLOW: The correspondence with the Government of India and the memorials, so far as they have reached the Secretary of State for India, will be included in the Cotton Duties Papers to be laid on the Table. ["Hear, hear!"]

STATUTE LAW REVISION BILLS AND CONSOLIDATION BILLS.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HALSBURY)THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD HALSBURY), moved, That a Committee of Six Lords be appointed to join with a Committee of the House of Commons to consider all Statute Law Revision Bills and Consolidation Bills of the present Session.
Motion agreed to. The Lords following were named of the Committee:—Lord Chancellor, Earl of Morley, Lord Watson, Lord Herschell, Lord Thring, Lord Welby.
Ordered, That the Committee have power to agree with the Committee of the House of Commons in the appointment of a Chairman.
Then a Message was ordered to be sent to the House of Commons to acquaint them therewith, and to request them to appoint Six Members of that House to be joined with the said Committee pursuant to the Resolution of this House of the 17th of February last and to the Message of the House of Commons of Friday last signifying their concurrence in the said Resolution.
LORD RUSSELL OF KILLOWEN took the Oath.
House adjourned at a quarter before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter past Ten o'clock.