Lords Sitting of 15 August 1904

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  VAGRANCY.
  Report to the right hon. Walter H. Long, M.P., President of the Local Government Board, on methods of dealing with vagrancy in Switzerland, by H. Preston Thomas, Esquire, Local Government Board Inspector. Presented (by Command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION (IRELAND).
  Rule made by the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland for the Examination in Music;
  Additional rule made by the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland as to the French course.

  LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1888.
  Part I. Orders under Section 57 of the Act, as confirmed by the Local Government Board, of the following county and county borough councils:—
  Brecon.—For uniting the parishes of Llandefailog-Trergraig and Llanfillo to form the parish of Llanfillo;
  Burton-upon-Trent (County Borough).—For uniting the parishes of Burtonupon-Trent, Burton Extra, Horninglow, Stapenhill, and Winshill to form the parish of Burton-upon-Trent;
  Cardiff (County Borough).—For uniting the parishes of St. John, St. Mary, Roath, and Canton to form the parish of Cardiff;
  Chester.—For the conversion of the rural parish of Handforth into the Handforth Urban District;
  Cornwall.—For the conversion of a portion of the rural parish of Antony into the urban district of Torpoint, and for the constitution of that portion of the parish a new parish, to be known as the parish of Torpoint;
  Derby.—For transferring a part of the township of Great Longstone to the parish and urban district of Bakewell;
  Derby.—For the division of the parish of Pleasley into the two parishes of Pleasley and Shirebrook;
  Derby and Stafford.—For transferring part of the parish of Rolleston to the township of Marston-on-Dove and the rural district of Repton;
  Essex.—For altering the boundary between the parishes of South Weald and Great Warley, and the rural districts of Romford and Billericay;
  Glamorgan.—For uniting the parishes of Neath Higher and Neath Middle to form the parish of Neath Higher;
  Hertford.—For transferring part of the parish of Watford Rural to the parish of Watford Urban and the urban district of Watford;
  Lancaster, West Riding of Yorkshire and Burnley (County Borough).—For uniting the township of Heyhouses with parts of the townships of Goldshaw Booth, Higham with West Close Booth, Northtown, Read, Pendleton, and Wiswell to form the township of Sabden;
  Leeds (County Borough)—

  (a) For uniting the townships of Armley, Bramley, Wortley, and Farnley to form the township of Armley and Bramley;

  (b) For uniting the townships of Holbeck and Beeston to form the township of Holbeck;

  (c) For uniting the townships of Leeds, Headingley - cum - Burley, Potternewton, and Chapel Allerton to form the township of Leeds;

  Leicester.—For uniting the parishes of Thurmaston North, and Thurmaston South to form the parish of Thurmaston;
  Lincoln (Parts of Holland and Parts of
  Lindsey).—For transferring parts of the parish of Coningsby to the township of Langriville;
  Middlesex.—For the conversion of the rural parish of Feltham into the Urban District of Feltham;
  Monmouth.—For the conversion of the rural parish of Mynyddislwyn into the urban district of Mynyddislwyn;
  Norfolk.—For the definition of the boundaries of the parish and urban district of New Hunstanton;
  Somerset.—For the division of the parish of Meare into the parishes of Godney and Meare;
  Southampton.—For the conversion of the rural parish of Fleet into the urban district of Fleet;
  Stafford.—For the division of the parish of Sedgley into the parishes of Sedgley and Coseley;
  Stafford.—For the conversion of the rural parishes of Wolstanton, Silverdale, and Chesterton into the Wolstanton United Urban District, for the extension of the urban districts of Kidsgrove, Smallthorne, and Tunstall, and for the abolition of the Wolstanton Rural District.
  Stafford, Worcester, and Birmingham (County Borough).—For uniting an area formerly part of the parish of Beoley with the parish of Redditch;
  Suffolk, East.—For the conversion of parts of the rural parishes of Carlton, Colville and Oulton into the urban district of Oulton Broad, and for the division of the parishes into the parishes of Carlton Colville, Oulton, and Oulton Broad;
  Westmorland.—For the conversion of part of the rural parish of Shap into the urban district of Shap, and for the division of the parish into the parishes of Shap Rural and Shap Urban;
  Yorkshire, North Riding of.—For altering the boundary between the townships of Snape and Well;
  Yorkshire, West Riding of.—For transferring a part of the township of Newallwith-Clifton to the urban district and township of Otley:
  Part II. Order under Section 59 of the Act, as confirmed by the Local Government Board, of the following county council:—
  Middlesex.—For amending the county of Middlesex (Cowley and Hillington East) Confirmation Order, 1895, and the County
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  of Middlesex (Yiewsley) Confirmation Order, 1895.
  Part III. Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890:—
  Borough of Swansea.—Statement of further modification permitted by the Local Government Board to be made in the improvement scheme confirmed by the Board by Provisional Order dated 19th June, 1876, which was confirmed by the Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (Artizans and Labourers Dwellings) Act, 1876, subject to provisions of that Act.
  Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.

  CONSOLIDATED FUND (APPROPRIATION) BILL.
  Brought from the Commons. Read 1a. Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX. having been suspended) Bill read 2a. (The Earl Waldegrave). Committee negatived. Bill read 3a, and passed.
  CUNARD AGREEMENT (MONEY) BILL;
    CAPITAL EXPENDITURE (MONEY) BILL.
    Brought from the Commons. Read 1a. Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX. having been suspended) Bills read 2a (The Earl of Selborne). Committees negatived. Bills read 3a, and passed.
  EXPIRING LAWS CONTINUANCE BILL;
    REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS (SCOTLAND) BILL;

      INDIAN COUNCILS BILL;
      WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BILL;
      BISHOPRICS OF SOUTHWARK AND BIRMINGHAM BILL.
      Read 3a (according to order), and passed.

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN (AMENDMENT) BILL [H.L.]
Commons Amendments consider (according to order).
THE LORD CHANCELLOR (The Earl of HALSBURY): My Lords, since we last met I have had an opportunity of examining these Amendments. They

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are more or less verbal Amendments, with the exception of one which appears to me to be a very great improvement of the Bill, and I have no hesitation in recommending your Lordships to agree with them.
Moved, "That this House do agree with the, Commons Amendments."—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

ANGLO-FRENCH CONVENTION BILL;
  ISLE OF MAN (CUSTOMS) BILL;

    IRISH LAND BELL;
    PRISONS (SCOTLAND) BILL;
    PUBLIC WORKS LOANS BILL.
    Read 3a (according to order), and passed.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY BILL.
Bill read 3a (according to order).
THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (The Earl of SELEORNE): My Lords, before this Bill passes I have a verbal Amendment to move which is consequential upon an Amendment made in the other House and which was omitted by accident. As they stand the words are meaningless.
Amendment moved to the Bill—
"In Clause 5, Sub-clause 1, lines 1 and 2, to leave out the words 'except with respect to the grant of licences.'"—(The Earl of Selborne.)
On Question, Amendment agreed to.
Bill passed, and returned to the Commons.

NATIONAL SCHOOLS IN IRELAND.
LORD EMLY: My Lords, on a recent occasion I called the attention of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland to the delays in connection with the building and repairs of national schools in Ireland. The Question I put to the noble and learned Lord was as follows—
"To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have taken any action, and, if so, what action—and, if not, whether they will take any action in the near future—to terminate the vexatious and mischievous delays almost invariably experienced by managers of national
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schools in Ireland with regard to the building and repairs of said schools."
I thoroughly understand that the Lord Chancellor is only the mouthpiece of the Irish Office, and I do not impute any inaccuracy to him personally; but this was the reply I received—
"There has been no avoidable delay in dealing with applications for grants towards the building of national schoolhouses. The number of applications for building grants received by the Commissioners since the 1st January, 1901, is 286. Within the same period grants have been made according to the existing scales in 168 cases, which include ninety-five grants made in respect of applications received prior to 1901. Twenty-four applications have been rejected; twenty-three have been withdrawn; and in fifty-seven cases investigation is proceeding. In the remaining 109 cases the applicants have decided to postpone their applications pending the decision of the Government on the revised plans and estimates. The Financial Secretary to the Treasury has stated that a decision on the recommendations of the Committee on Building Grants in respect to a revision of the plans and estimates would be deferred until the inquiry into the educational system in Ireland is completed. The Report on that inquiry is at present receiving the consideration of the Government."
Now, from that reply one would imagine that there was no delay whatever. But the contrary is the fact. Mr. Dale, in his Report on Primary Education in Ireland, pointed out very emphatically the scandalous condition of the national schools. Mr. Dalton a senior inspector of national schools, was also referred to the delays occurring in the building and repairs of national schools in Ireland. Then there is the Report of the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, from which I cannot quote direct inasmuch as it is not before your Lordships, as it should be. But the following summary of the Report appeared in The Times newspaper—
"The Commissioners of National Education in Ireland in their Report for 1903, just presented to Parliament, reply to the adverse comments of Mr. Dale, one of His Majesty's Inspectors of Schools in England appointed last year to report specially on the condition of Irish schools. Mr. Dale severely criticised the condition of the primary school buildings in Ireland, and pointed out the serious defects in the schools under the management of the National Board. The Commissioners admit that a large number of schools are in a wretched condition; but they defend themselves on the ground that for many years past they have been urging successive Governments to make adequate provision in the annual Estimates for building and maintaining schools which are

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under the management of the National Board. As the result of these representations, an Inter-Departmental Committee inquired into the whole system in August, 1902, and reported to the Government; but up to the present neither a copy of the Report nor the decision, if any, arrived at by the Government and the Treasury has been communicated to the Commissioners, and nothing has yet been done by the Executive to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee. The Commissioners complain that this inaction on the part of the Government has not merely been indirectly injurious to the provision of suitable schoolhouses, but that it has actually brought to a standstill in hundreds of cases the work of building. Replying to the comments upon the dilapidated state of the school buildings, the Commissioners say that, as a rule, there are no organised local funds for repair and maintenance, and they have no funds at their disposal for such purposes, and no means of enforcing such reforms unless by resorting to the inadvisable expedient of withdrawing the grants, which would punish the teachers and not improve education. The Commissioners hold that these unsatisfactory school buildings are largely responsible for the slow rate of educational progress and for the irregular attendance of pupils. With regard to the progress of primary education in Ireland, the Commissioners claim for the national system that, while in 1831 education was at a very low ebb in Ireland, and even in 1851 47 per cent. of the population was illiterate, in 1901 the percentage of illiterates to the population was only 14 per cent. This is regarded as creditable, in view of the fact that the Board have not had sufficient funds at their disposal to provide suitable schools and to maintain them in a satisfactory condition."
If what the Commissioners of National Education say in their Report be true, the Answer which the noble and learned Lord gave me the other day is inaccurate. I think we are entitled to know who is in the right and who is in the wrong. In an interesting speech in another place Mr. Wyndham made several very important admissions as regards the system of national educational in Ireland. Among other admissions was this one, that it would cost £40,000 to put the national schools of Ireland into a state of sanitary repair, and a further £12,000 to put proper heating appliances into the schools. This means that the little children attending these schools, frequently inadequately clothed and having had but a scanty repast before leaving their homes, which are often a considerable distance from the schools, have to sit shivering, not infrequently in wet clothes, in damp, unventilated, and overcrowded rooms. There is plenty of money obtainable for such purposes as the Uganda Railway and the Tibet Expedition, the latter of
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which is costing £50,000 a month money is gaily forthcoming when the virtuous direction is the lap of purveyors of drink, degradation, and demoralisation; but when it comes to a question of £40,000 to be devoted to such a mean purpose as the putting of the national schools of Ireland in a sanitary condition, Oh, that is regarded as an exorbitant amount? As a manager of national schools myself, I have been trying, without success, to get the Board of Works to undertake the repair of my schools, and what I say may be said by almost every school manager in Ireland. The question is a very serious one.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND (Lord ASHBOURNE): My Lords, if the noble Lord had given me notice that he intended to raise this question I should have fortified myself by inquiries in the proper quarter so as to have given a full answer. I can assure the noble Lord that I will have his statement considered and I am sure that those who are responsible will attend to the matter and see how it really stands.
Honse adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendment agreed to.
House adjourned during pleasure.
House resumed.

COMMISSION.
The following Bills received the Royal Assent:—

1. Consolidated Fund (Appropriation).

2. Railways (Private Sidings).

3. Registration of Clubs (Ireland).

4. Wild Birds Protection Acts Amendment (St. Kilda).

5. University of Liverpool.

6. Electric Lighting (London).

7. Leeds University.

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8. Post Office.

9. Poor Law Authorities (Transfer of Property).

10. Public Health.

11. Expiring Laws Continuance.

12. Reformatory and Industrial Schools (Scotland).

13. Indian Councils.

14. Weights and Measures.

15. Bishoprics of Southwark and Birmingham.

16. Shop Hours.

17. Outdoor Relief (Friendly Societies) (No. 2).

18. Licensing.

19. Prevention of Cruelty to Children (Amendment.)

20. Anglo-French Convention.

21. Isle of Man (Customs).

22. Irish Land.

23. Prisons (Scotland).

24. Public Works Loans.

25. Wireless Telegraphy.

26. Education (Local Authority Default).

27. Cunard Agreement (Money).

28. Capital Expenditure (Money).

29. Dean Forest.

30. County of Suffolk.

31. Post Office Sites.

32. Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 9).

33. Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 10).

34. Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 11).

35. Local Government Provisional Orders (No. 13).

36. Hamilton Gas Order Confirmation.

37. Gas Orders Confirmation (No. 1).

38. Gas Orders Confirmation (No. 2).

39. Gas Orders Confirmation (No. 3).

40. Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (No. 1).

41. Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (No. 3).

42. Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders (No. 5).

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43. Dundee, Broughty Ferry, and District Tramways Order Confirmation.

44. Glasgow Corporation (Police) Order Confirmation.

45. Greenock Corporation Order Confirmation.

46. Newburgh and North Fife Railway (Extension of Time) Order Confirmation.

47. Kirkcaldy Corporation Order Confirmation.

48. Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 2).

49. Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 3).

50. Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 4).

51. Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 6).

52. Electric Lighting Provisional Orders (No. 8).

53. Tramways Orders Confirmation (No. 1).

54. Tramways Orders Confirmation (No. 2).

55. Gas and Water Orders Confirmation.

56. Glasgow Corporation (Tramways, etc.) Order Confirmation.

57. Pier and Harbour Provisional Orders (No. 2).

58. Pier and Harbour Provisional Order (No. 3).

59. Water Orders Confirmation.

60. Aberdeen City Improvements Order Confirmation.

61. Edinburgh and District Water Order Confirmation.

62. Glasgow and South-Western Railway (Darvel and Lanarkshire Railway Transfer) Order Confirmation.

63. Perth Corporation Order Confirmation.

64. Glasgow Corporation (Sewage) Order Confirmation.

65. Ayr Corporation Tramways Order Confirmation.

66. Alexandra (Newport and South Wales) Docks and Railway.

67. Portmadoc, Beddgelert, and South Snowdon Railway.

68. Cardiff Railway.

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69. Derwent Valley Water Board.

70. Great Western Railway.

71. London United Tramways.

72. Tottenham Improvement.

73. Barnet District Gas and Water.

74. Strabane, Raphoe, and Convoy Railway.

75. Surrey Commercial Dock.

76. Thames River Steamboat Service.

77. Torquay Tramways.

78. Tyneside Tramways and Tramroads.

79. Holywood Tramways.

80. Lothians Electric Power.

81. Great Yarmouth Corporation.

82. King's College Hospital.

83. Leeds Corporation (Waterworks) Railway.

84. Manchester Corporation Tramways

85. Manchester Ship Canal.

86. North Wales Electric Power.

87. West Riding Tramways.

88. Felixstowe Gas.

89. Radcliffe Tramways and Improvement.

90. South Shields Gas.

91. London and India Docks Company.

92. Ilford Urban District Council.

93. Newcastle-upon-Tyne Corporation.

94. Saddleworth and Springhead Tramways.

95. Bridlington Corporation.

96. Bristol Corporation.

97. Buxton Urban District Council.

98. Trafford Park.

99. Stretford Urban District Council.

100. Barry Railway (Steam Vessels).

101. Belfast and North-East Ireland Electricity and Power Gas.

102. Belfast Corporation (Tramways).

103. Neath, Pontardawe, and Brynaman Railway.

104. London County Council (Tramways and Improvements).

105. Rotherham Corporation.

106. Selby Urban District Council.

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107. Swindon Corporation.

108. Manchester Corporation (General Powers).

109. Newcastle and Gateshead Water.

110. Bristol Tramways (Extensions).

111. Oakengates and Dawley Joint Water Board.

112. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (Steam Vessels).

113. Levton Urban District Council.

114. Loch Leven Water Power.

115. Clyde Navigation (Works).

116. Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, and Thornaby Tramways.

117. London County Council (General Powers).

118. Carlisle Corporation.

119. Lord Tredegar's Supplemental Estate.

120. De Trafford Estate.

THE KING'S SPEECH.
And afterwards His Majesty's Most Gracious Speech was delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Lord High Chancellor (in pursuance of His Majesty's Command) as followeth:—
"My Lord and Gentlemen,
"My relations with Foreign Powers continue to be of a satisfactory character. I have paid visits to the King of Denmark at Copenhagen and to the German Emperor at Kiel. My reception was in each case of the most cordial description.
"Agreements have been entered into between My Government and that of the French Republic for the settlement of a series of questions involving the interests. of both countries in different parts of the world. These agreements will not only be advantageous in themselves to all concerned, but will have the effect of materially strengthening the ties of friendship which now so happily unite My subjects and the citizens of the French Republic.
"Agreements for referring certain classes of questions to Arbitration have been concluded between My Government and the Governments of Italy, Spain, and Germany.
"The King of Italy has pronounced his Arbitral Award with regard to the Boundary between My Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Brazil, with the result that a long-standing cause of difficulty between the Colony and the neighbouring Republic has been satisfactorily removed. Arrangements will be made at once for putting the Award into effect.
"The military operations in Somaliland have ended in the infliction of a severe defeat upon the Mullah's forces, and, with the exception of a temporary garrison to cover the work of organising the tribes with a view to their own defence, My troops and those of the Emperor Menelek, who were acting in co-operation with them, have been withdrawn.
"Hostilities are, I regret to say, still in progress between Russia and Japan. Upon the outbreak of the war, I issued a Proclamation declaring My neutrality, and enjoining upon all My people the strict observance thereof. Important questions involving the treatment of neutral commerce at the hands of belligerents have arisen in connection with these operations. The issues involved, which are of the gravest moment to the trade of My Empire, will, I trust, be amicably settled, and without prejudice to the vast commercial interests of this Country. My Government will energetically support My subjects in the exercise of the rights recognised by international law as belonging to neutrals.
"The scheme for the reorganisation of the Macedonian gendarmerie has been put into operation, and the Foreign Officers appointed by the Powers are now employed in the areas assigned to them. Their efforts, under the able direction of General de Giorgis Pasha, promise satisfactory results. A scheme for the reform of the tithe system has been elaborated by the Civil Agents, and has been applied experimentally in certain districts.
"On the advice of My Government, I have decided to sanction the introduction of an elective element into the Legislative Council of the Transvaal, and I trust that all classes of My subjects in that Colony will unite in rendering this step in the direction of ultimate self-government conducive to the welfare and development of this part of My Dominions.
"The political mission which, with the concurrence of the Chinese Government, I found it necessary to dispatch into Tibetan territory, in order to secure the due observance of the Convention of 1890 relating to Sikkim and Tibet, has encountered some resistance in its advance. Its safe arrival at Lhasa affords Me the greatest satisfaction, and reflects the highest credit on the officers and men composing the small force employed. I trust that, by conference with the Tibetan authorities, in conjunction with the Chinese representative at Lhasa, terms may be arranged which will facilitate trade and put an end to the difficulty and friction which have arisen on the northern frontier of My Indian Empire.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"I thank you for the satisfactory provision which you made for the requirements of the public service.
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"I have been glad to note the attention which you have given to the important questions affecting the reorganisation of My Army and its central administration. I trust that these reforms will conduce to the defensive strength of My Empire.
"The enactments contained in the measure for reducing the number of existing licences for the sale of intoxicating liquors, and for regulating new grants, constitute a sensible improvement of the present law, and, while calculated to further the cause of temperance and public order, avoid any injustice to those interests which have grown up under the prevailing system.
"My assent has been given to a Bill for securing that the educational reforms embodied in the Act of 1902 shall be impartially applied for the benefit of all children attending public elementary schools in England and Wales.
"A measure has been passed to give approval to the arrangements which are included in the Convention which I have entered into with the Government of the French Republic.
"A Bill designed to facilitate the earlier closing of shops throughout the

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United Kingdom has received My assent.
"In bidding you farewell, I pray that the blessing of Providence may rest upon all your labours."
Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which the Lord Chancellor said:
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"By virtue of His Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's Name, and in obedience to His Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the Third day of November next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the Third day of November next."