Lords Sitting of 8 August 1901

EARL OF LEITRIM.
Report made from the Lord Chancellor, that the right of Charles Earl of Leitrim 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.
EARL OF LEITRIM.
  INTRODUCED.
  Evelyn Viscount Cromer, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., K.C.S.I., C.I.E., His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General in Egypt, and a Minister Plenipotentiary in the diplomatic service, having been created Viscount Errington of Hexham, in the county of Northumberland, and Earl of Cromer, in the county of Norfolk, was (in the usual manner) introduced.
PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
  DEVONPORT CORPORATION (GAS) BILL.
  Reported with Amendments.

  DOVER CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]
  SMETHWICK CORPORATION BILL [H.L.].
  LOWESTOFT CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]
  RIPON CORPORATION BILL [H.L.].
  Commons' Amendments considered and agreed to.

  LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (SPITALFIELDS MARKET) BILL.
  Order of the Day for the Third Reading to-morrow discharged. The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the promoters do not intend to proceed further with the Bill; ordered that the Bill be not further proceeded with.
  LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL (GENERAL POWERS) BILL.
  The consent of His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall and York, in right of his Duchy of Cornwall, signified, and Bill reported with Amendments.
  SOUTHPORT WATER (TRANSFER) BILL [H.L.]
  The CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES reported that the consent of the proprietors of the Southport Waterworks Company in special general meeting assembled to the Bill as amended by the Commons had been proved; Commons' Amendments considered and agreed to.

  CROMER WATER BILL.
  MOND GAS BILL.
  Returned from the Commons with the Amendments agreed to.

  TRAMWAYS ORDERS CONFIRMATION (No. 1) BILL [H.L.]
  Returned from the Commons agreed to, with Amendments; the said Amendments to be considered to-morrow.
  HARPENDEN DISTRICT GAS BILL [H.L.]
  Returned from the Commons agreed to, with Amendments; the said Amendments considered and agreed to.
  SOUTHAMPTON AND WINCHESTER GREAT WESTERN JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL.
  Reported from the Select Committee with Amendments.

  EDINBURGH CORPORATION ORDER CONFIRMATION BILL.
  STIRLING CORPORATION ORDER CONFIRMATION BILL.
  KILMARNOCK CORPORATION ORDER CONFIRMATION BILL.
  Read 3a (according to Order), and passed.

  PRIVATE BILLS—AMENDMENT OF STANDING ORDERS.
  THE CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (The Earl of MORLEY): My Lords, I beg to move the Amendments to the Standing Orders set forth on your Lordships' Paper. I do not think there is anything in the Amendments involving any question of principle. Therefore I need not refer to them in detail; but I shall be glad to answer any questions which noble Lords may wish to put to me on the subject.
  The alterations in the Standing Orders were agreed to; Standing Orders amended accordingly, and to be printed as amended. [No. 188.]

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.

  TRADE REPORTS (ANNUAL SERIES).
  No. 2680. Germany (Frankfort-on-Main).
  No. 2681. Italy (Genoa).
  No. 2682. Japan (Hakodate).
  No. 2683. China (Pakhoi).
  No. 2684. Italy (Sardinia).
  No. 2685. Persia (Azerbaijan).
  No. 2686. Egypt (Alexandria).

  COLONIES (ANNUAL).
  No. 328. Turks and Caicos Islands. Report for 1900.
  REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS (IRELAND).
  Thirty-ninth Report of the Inspector, for the year 1900.
  BOILER EXPLOSIONS.
  Report to the Secretary of the Board of Trade upon the working of the Boiler Explosions Acts, 1882 and 1890, with appendices (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper [Cd. 302]).
  MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT, 1894.
  Return of all British ships ordered by the Board of Trade or its officers, during the period from 1st July, 1900, to 30th June, 1901, to be provisionally detained as unsafe by reason of the defective condition of their hulls, equipments, or machinery, or by reason of overloading or improper loading, in pursuance of the provisions of Section 459 of the Act, giving the names of the owners of those ships which have been dismantled, broken up, or converted into hulks, etc., also of all foreign ships ordered to be provisionally detained during the same period as unsafe by reason of overloading or improper loading, in pursuance of the provisions of Section 462 of the same Act; together with summaries showing respectively the total number of ships ordered to be detained as unsafe, from 1st July, 1900, to 30th June, 1901, and since the 1st October, 1876, distinguishing between those cases in which the ships were found safe or unsafe (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper [Cd. 303]).

  LIGHT RAILWAYS ACT, 1896.
  Orders made by the Light Railway Commissioners and modified and confirmed by the Board of Trade—

  I. Authorising the construction of a light railway—

  1. In the urban district of Barrow-ford, in the county palatine of Lancaster.

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  2. In the county of Lancaster, from Blackpool to Garstang.

  3. In the county of Essex, between Chipping Ongar Station on the Great Eastern Railway and Great Bardfield.

  4. In the borough of Colne and the urban district of Trawden, in the county palatine of Lancaster.

  5. In the borough of Nelson, in the county palatine of Lancaster.

  6. In the West Biding of the county of York and in the counties of Nottingham and Lincoln, from Tickhill to Haxey.

  7. In the West Riding of the county of York, between Wales and Laugton-en-le-Morthen.

  II. Amending—

  1. The Great Western Railway (Pewsey and Salisbury) Light Railway Order, 1898, and the Pewsey and Salisbury (Devizes Branch) Light Railway Order, 1898.

  2. The Lizard Light Railway Order, 1898.

  3. The Bridlington and North Frodingham Light Railway Order, 1898.

  NATIONAL GALLERY (IRELAND).
  Report of the Director to the Board of Governors and Guardians, for the year 1900.
  ARMY (SPECIAL PENSIONS).
  Return for the year ended 31st March, 1901, of pensions specially granted under Articles 730, 1170, and 1207 of the Army Pay Warrant.

  SOUTH AFRICA.
  1. Report from Brigadier-General Dixon on the operations at Vlakfontein on 29th May, 1901.
  2. Army—State of the Volunteer Service Companies raised in 1900.

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD.
  1. Thirtieth Annual Report, 1900–1901.
  2. Supplement containing the report of the Medical Officer for 1900–1901.
  3. Bubonic Plague—Reports and
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  papers on, by Dr. R. Bruce Low; with an introduction by the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board.

  RAILWAYS.
  General Report to the Board of Trade on the capital, traffic, and expenditure of the railway companies of the United Kingdom, for the year 1900.

  STATISTICS.
  I. Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom in each of the last fifteen years, from 1886 to 1900. Forty-eighth Number.
  II. Statistical Abstract for the Colonial and other Possessions of the United Kingdom in each of the last fifteen years, from 1886 to 1900. Thirty-eighth Number.
  Presented (by Command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  FORESHORES.
  Treasury Minute, dated 5th August, 1901, directing the application of moneys received by the Board of Trade in the year ended 31st March, 1901, in respect of the rights and interests of the Crown in the foreshores of the United Kingdom.

  SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE ACT (IRELAND) 1877 (RULES).
  Additional rule and schedule made by the Lord Chancellor and the Land Judge.
  Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  HOUSE OF LORDS (SALARY, PAY, PENSION, OR ALLOWANCE).
  Return respecting; laid before the House (pursuant to Order of 8th March last); and to be printed. [No. 187.]

DEATH OF HER IMPERIAL MAJESTY THE EMPRESS FREDERICK OF GERMANY.
THE PRIME MINISTER AND LORD PRIVY SEAL (The Marquess of SALISBURY): My Lords, I rise to move that an Address of sympathy be presented to His Majesty on the death of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Frederick of Germany. The history which has given rise

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to this motion is a pathetic one. When the then Princess Royal, afterwards German Empress, left these shores in 1857, there was no person, either of contemporary experience or in history, before whom a brighter prospect extended itself of life and of all those things that could make life desirable. She had a devoted husband, himself one of the noblest characters of his generation, who probably centred upon himself more admiration than any man in his rank or in any rank in Europe. She had every prospect of becoming the Consort of the absolute Emperor of the greatest of the Continental Powers. She had every hope that she would share fully in his illustrious position, and in no small degree in the power that he wielded. This was before her eyes for nearly thirty years, and at the time she had all the enjoyments which were derived from her own great abilities, her own splendid artistic talents, and from the power which she exercised over the artistic, aesthetic, and intellectual life of Germany. She occupied a quite unexampled position. And then suddenly came the blow, first on her husband, and then on herself, of that fell disease which probably is the most formidable of all to which flesh is heir. Her dream of happiness, and usefulness, and glory was almost suddenly cut short. The blow which struck her husband struck herself in even greater degree; and she felt—she could not fail to feel—how deeply she shared in all the disappointment, all the suffering, which attached itself then to his history. And as her life went on, after he had been Emperor only for a few days, and while she was spending her life in retirement, necessarily thinking of the past which had been taken away from her, her health too failed. As she fell under the same blow, she passed through years of suffering to which the sympathy of all who were connected with her or who knew of her was richly paid. And after these many years have passed, the end has come at last. We have every reason to sympathise deeply with His Majesty and with the German Emperor in the terrible loss which they have sustained, and for the sad and pathetic history in which they have played a part, or, at all events, in which they have been sad and powerless observers. She was deeply valued in this country by those who knew
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her, and they were very many. Her artistic and intellectual charms were, we all know, of no common order, and she spread her influence over all who came within her reach. Her gradual disappearance from the scene was watched with the deepest sorrow and sympathy by numbers in her own country and this. There never was a case where our tender of sympathy could be made with more sincerity than in the present instance. I would that it could be of any practical, advantage. We have only to assure our Sovereign how deeply we feel for the sorrow which he has sustained, and to assure also the son of this distinguished, lady how fully we sympathise with the bereavement which he has undergone. We can only do it with the assurance of our great sincerity and of our regret that to this point this lamentable history should have come.
Moved, "That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty to express the deep concern of this House at the great loss which His Majesty has sustained by the death of His Majesty's sister, Her Majesty the Empress and Queen Frederick of Germany and Prussia, Princess Royal of Great Britain and Ireland, and to condole with His Majesty on this melancholy occasion; and to pray His Majesty that he will be graciously pleased to express to His Imperial Majesty, William, German Emperor, King of Prussia, the profound sympathy of this House with the Imperial and Royal Family; to assure His Majesty that this House will ever feel the warmest interest in whatever concerns His Majesty's domestic relations, and to declare the ardent wishes of this House for the happiness of His Majesty and His Family.—(The Lord Privy Seal, M. Salisbury.)
*EARL SPENCER: My Lords, the noble Marquess has, with the eloquence and the appropriate language which always falls from his lips, moved the Address which you have before you. I can add nothing to what the noble Marquess has said; and yet at the same time it is right that those who sit on the opposite side of the House should make expression on this solemn occasion of their views of the motion. It falls to my lot as the temporary leader of this side

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of the House to do so. I wish the task were in better hands. In moments of this sort we have first to consider those from whose family a beloved member has been removed; and next it is our duty, as far as we can, to record our own estimation of the life and work of the person who has left us. The whole nation joins with us in mourning the death of this illustrious lady, who, though adopted by marriage into a Royal family abroad, was born a Princess of this land. Her Imperial Majesty had no ordinary character. Brought up with the greatest care and solicitude by her Royal and devoted parents, she early showed and had ever since showed the highest accomplishments, not only in art, but in literature. She was herself an artist of no small merit, and her power of criticism and of influence in art was even of a higher order. But in this age which has been so remarkable for the enormous number of persons who have joined in endeavouring to alleviate the sufferings of the human race, whether in peace or war, I will venture to think that no one stands in a higher position than that occupied by the Empress Victoria of Germany. During these wars in which her illustrious husband played such a splendid part she exerted herself to do all that she could to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded; and she has ever in peace used her endeavours to pro mote the same objects among the suffering poor of her country. No one, I am sure, will be remembered in future with more affection and devotion on this account than her late Majesty. She was always sympathetic and energetic with regard to other matters. There was nothing which stirred her sympathies and energies more than the education and improvement of the sex to which she belonged. She did much in that respect in her adopted country. But we cannot consider her life without remembering the beautiful simplicity and earnestness of it. She was devoted to duty. Although she suffered intensely, as the noble Marquess has said, during her life, not only when her noble husband was afflicted with the terrible disease which cut him off, and through whose illness she showed heroic devotion, but through the sad months and even years during which her own malady afflicted her she showed a patient endurance
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which, I am sure, will always remain an example for mankind. I cannot but refer to her great charm in private as well as in public life. It so happened that very early in my life, before her Royal Highness was married, I was honoured by making her acquaintance. I need hardly say that it is only on rare occasions that I have had the privilege of continuing that acquaintance but even within the last few years I have from time to time seen Her Majesty, and I shall always recollect, as one of the most delightful memories of my life, the charm and interest of her conversation. I do not wish to say more about this illustrious lady. This is the third occasion within thirteen months on which we have had to approach His Majesty the King to condole with him on a grievous loss in his family. Brother, mother, sister, to all of whom he was devoted, have been taken from that family circle where we know all the members are devoted to each other. We cannot find often in human life such frequent sorrows in such a short time. We give our earnest and warmest sympathy to His Majesty in the sorrow which has now befallen him. The whole of the nation, I am sure, will join with us in doing so; and I am quite sure that we shall also rejoice that in this address we approach His Imperial Majesty the German Emperor, who has just lost his illustrious mother. Not only do we admire him in the great position which he holds at the head of the German nation, but we always shall remember with deep gratitude the affection and attention that he showed during those sad days which preceded the death of our Queen. We therefore join heartily in the Address which the noble Marquess has moved, and which I have the greatest pleasure in seconding.
On Question, agreed to, nemine dissentiente. Ordered that the said Address be presented to His Majesty by the Lords with the White Staves.

MILITIA AND YEOMANRY BILL.
Read 3a (according to Order); Amendments made; Bill passed, and returned to the Commons.
LOAN BILL.
Read 2a (according to Order): Committee negatived; and Bill to be read 3a to-morrow.

LAND LAW (IRELAND) ACT, 1881.
VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWN: My Lords, in rising to move for the Return standing in my name, I will not go into the questions at issue or give the reasons which have induced me to ask for the Return. In consequence of an alteration made in the form of the Return at the request of the noble and learned Lord the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, I think it better to postpone my remarks until a future occasion. I can only express the very deep regret I feel that in spite of the fact that the Fry Commission laid great stress on the question of fixing true value, the records have not been kept sufficiently well to allow of all the important questions which I placed on the Paper being replied to; and I hope the noble and learned Lord will give some assurance that in future all such matters will be recorded in the books of the Land Commission as shall give that information to those interested which they have the most elementary right to ask for.
Moved, That there be laid before the House a Return giving (as far as possible) the following particulars of each case in which the "true value" of the tenancy has been ascertained by the court under the provisions of Section 1 (3) of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1881:—(1) Names of Assistant Commissioners (or Land Commissioners) by whom each case was decided; (2) record number (if any); (3) date of order; (4) name of tenant; (5) name of landlord; (6) county; (7) townland; (8) extent of holding (statute measure); (9) rent when order was made; (10) amount of "true value" fixed.—(The Viscount Templetown.)
*THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND (Lord ASHBOURNE): My Lords, I am glad that my noble friend modified the form of the Return for which he has moved. When I saw the motion on the Paper I had a conversation with the noble Viscount, and I explained to him that the holidays of the Land Commission, as well as of other bodies, had now commenced, and that therefore the information was very difficult to obtain. As far as I could ascertain—and I was most anxious to give the fullest possible information
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—they were not in a position to give the information, the request for which he has kindly omitted from the form of the Return. As to the recording of such information in future, I have no doubt the Land Commission will read the remarks of my noble friend, and give them fair consideration.
On Question, agreed to.

IRISH LAND COMMISSION—WALKER v. LORD GOSFORD.
VISCOUNT TEMPLETOWN: I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether the Irish Land Commission can see their way to set down for re-hearing at their next sittings in Armagh or Dublin (whichever shall be first held) the case of John M. Walker (tenant) and the Earl of Gosford (landlord), so that there may be a decision without further delay upon the important questions of general application which were raised in that case by the judgment delivered by Mr. W. F. Bailey, Legal Assistant Commissioner, at Portadown, on 12th February, 1900, as reported in the Daily Express (Dublin) of 17th February, 1900.
*LORD ASHBOURNE: I quite recognise the significance and importance of the questions involved, for my noble friends the Duke of Abercorn, Lord Clonbrock, and others have gone fully into them in previous debates this session. This is a matter which the Land Commission must decide. I have no right to offer any opinion, but if an application were made to the Land Commission, pointing out the great importance of the case, it is possible that they would, if reasonably in their power, consent to take it out of its order.

PROTECTION OF WILD BIRDS IN IRELAND.
THE EARL OF MAYO: I beg to ask the noble and learned Lord, the Lord. Chancellor of Ireland, whether directions will be given to the Royal Irish Constabulary to enforce the existing laws relating to the protection of wild birds in Ireland.
LORD ASHBOURNE: In July, 1899, my noble friend asked the Irish Government

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for information with reference to the protection of wild birds, and he was then told that the constabulary were specially and fully instructed by general circular in May, 1899, to enforce the Wild Birds Protection Acts. I believe that has been loyally carried out. I have endeavoured, since the question was put upon the Paper, to find how the matter stands. Since the issue of the circular six prosecutions have been instituted by the police for breaches of the Acts, and convictions were obtained in all those cases. That, however, is not all that has been done, for during the same period 211 warnings have been given to first offenders throughout the country in the terms of the circular.

GUN LICENCES IN IRELAND.
THE EARL OF MAYO: I also beg to ask whether directions will be given to the Royal Irish Constabulary to enforce the existing laws as prescribed by the Gun Licence Act, 1870, which provides (Section 3), that every person who uses or carries a gun shall pay for it, for a licence, the sum of 10s. The matter is an important one in Ireland, for any officer may ask for the production of a licence. Breaches of the Act of 1870 are a daily occurrence, and take place under the eyes of the constabulary. A satisfactory answer to the question would be most important, because under a 10s. licence a great many people in Ireland imagine that they have a free right to go all over the country and shoot game.
LORD ASHBOURNE: I am not sure that my noble friend's question is addressed with precision to the point he has in view. I have tried to get all the information available, and I have been told that the constabulary are directed to co-operate with the officers of Inland Revenue in the enforcement of the Gun Licence Act of 1870. So far as I am aware there has been no failure of duty on their part in respect to the enforcement of either of the Acts.
THE EARL OF MAYOremarked that the excise officers were so occupied with the spirit duties that they had no time to enforce this Act.

AGRICULTURAL RATES ACT, 1896, ETC., CONTINUANCE BILL.
Brought from the Commons; read 1a; to be printed; and to be read 2a on Monday next. (The Lord Balfour.) (No. 189.)
House adjourned at Five of the clock, till to-morrow, Three of the clock.