Lords Sitting of 28 March 1898

Preamble
THE LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at a Quarter-past Four of the clock.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
  EARL OF RODEN.
  Report made from the Lord Chancellor that the right of William Henry Earl of Roden to vote at the elections of Representative Peers for Ireland has been established to the satisfaction of the Lord Chancellor; Read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificate from the Examiners that the Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have not been complied with—
PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
  LONDON UNITED TRAMWAYS.
  The same was ordered to lie on the Table.
  YEOVIL CORPORATION BILL. [H.L.]
  The consent of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales in right of his Duchy of Cornwall signified; Bill reported from Select Committee, with Amendments.
  POWELL DUFFRYN STEAM COAL COMPANY BILL. [H.L.]
  Second Rending (which stands appointed for this day) put off to Thursday next.
  LEICESTER FREEMEN BILL. [H.L.]
  Second Reading (which stands appointed for this day) put off to the second sitting day after the Recess at Easter.
  PATRIOTIC ASSURANCE COMPANY BILL. [H.L.]
  Read third time; Passed, and sent to the Commons.
  GREAT ORME TRAMWAY AND TRAMROAD BILL. [H.L.]
  Read third time; Passed, and sent to the Commons.
  MIDLAND RAILWAY (WEST RIDING LINES) BILL. [H.L.]
  Standing Order No. XCII. considered (according to order), and dispensed with, with respect to a Petition of Messrs. Read, Holliday, and Sons, Limited; Leave given to present the said Petition.
  STIRLING GAS BILL. [H.L.]
  Reported from Select Committee, with Amendments.
REPORTS, ETC.
  COLONIES (ANNUAL)—No. 225, JAMAICA: REPORT FOR 1896–97.
  Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.
  CYPRUS—ANNUAL REPORTS FOR 1896–97.
  Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.
  NAVAL MANŒUVRES, 1897.
  Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS.
  Orders of Secretary of State for the Home Department, dated 23rd March, 1898—

  1. Requiring occupiers of certain factories, workshops, and other places to keep lists of outworkers;

  2. Extending to certain classes of factories and workshops the provisions of Section 39 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1878, which prohibit children, young persons, and women from taking meals, or remaining during meal-times, in certain parts of the factories or workshops.

  Laid before the House (pursuant Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  IRISH LAND ACTS.
  *THE EARL OF ARRAN (Viscount SUDLEY): My Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I rise to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are yet able to say when the evidence given before Sir Edward Fry's Commission on the working of the Irish Land Acts and Land Purchase Acts will be laid before Parliament; and whether the Report itself is under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government with the view of taking action with regard to it? The Report of Sir Edward Fry's Commission has been now for a considerable time before the House, and from the various interests that were represented on that Commission it seems pretty clear that to have arrived at a unanimous Report must have involved a good deal of compromise, and it therefore appears to me to be a matter of great importance that the evidence upon which that Report was based should, as soon as possible, be put before Parliament. My Lords, as I said before, the Report itself has been a long time before Parliament, and as the evidence must have accrued de die in diem, and have been dealt with as it accrued, it seems a matter of surprise that it should be so long before being in the hands of Parliament.
  1040
  With reference to the second part of my Question, I should like to say that it has always appeared to me that the incidence of taxation, in Ireland at any rate, for a time to come, will depend upon the action of the Sub-Commissioners, and I am strengthened in that view by a rather remarkable passage in a speech made by the Chief Secretary of Ireland in another place, and on another matter, to which it would, of course, now be improper to refer. The right hon. Gentleman said—
  "When rents came to be re-fixed the tenant will be able to throw some portion, perhaps the whole portion, of the burden on the landlord."
  I am quoting from the Times report. Now, my Lords, this is a very remarkable statement, because it amounts to this, that whatever safeguards may be in another way brought to guarantee the interests of the minority, the Sub-Commissioners have now, and practically always will have, the power of nullifying them. Now, it appears that the very fairest and the very strongest tribunal which the wisdom of Parliament and Her Majesty's Government can devise, ought to be established to exercise these enormous powers. To anyone who has read the Report of Sir Edward Fry's Commission, and to those whose knowledge of the subject enables them to read between the lines, it is clear that the Commission is of opinion that the present tribunals require a great deal of reform, and it would be a matter of relief to a great number of persons if they knew that Her Majesty's Government were considering this matter.
  THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (Viscount CROSS): My Lords, I will answer the Question of the noble Earl on behalf of the Government. My answer is that the evidence given before the Royal Commission, of which Sir Edward Fry was the president, will, it is expected, be laid before Parliament at an early date. It is printed, and it is only waiting for the revision of the digest. With regard to the last part of the Question, the Report of the Commission requires careful consideration by the Government and the Irish Land Commission; but no conclusion can be arrived at until the evidence is available for reference.

  EASTER RECESS.
  THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (The Duke of DEVONSHIRE): My Lords, in moving the adjournment of the House, it may be for the convenience of your Lordships that I should state that it is hoped that this House may be able to adjourn for the Easter Recess on Friday next. It is possible, however, that, in order to pass the Bill which it is expected will come up from the other House on Thursday, it may be necessary that the House should meet again next week; but it is hoped that we may receive the Bill in time for the House to adjourn on Friday.
  THE EARL OF KIMBERLEY: Can the noble Duke say for how long the House will adjourn?
  THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL: Until the 21st.
  House adjourned at 4.36.