Lords Sitting of 30 April 1906

Preamble
Several Lords—;Took the Oath.

PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificates from the Examiners that the Standing Orders applicable to the following Bills have not been complied with:—;Poole Corporation Water; Sutton District Water.
Also the Certificates that the Standing Orders have not been complied with in respect of the petitions for the following Bills:—;Ritz Hotel, Limited; Crellin's Patents.
And also the Certificates that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bills have been complied with:—;Metropolitan Police Provisional Order; Scottish Provident Institution Buildings [H.L.]; Epsom and Ewell Gas; Dowlais Gas; Merthyr Tydvil Gas.
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.
Great Western and Rhymney Railway Companies Bill [H.L.]; Cardiff Railway Bill [H.L.]; Barry Railway Bill [H.L.]; London and North Western Railway Bill [H.L.]. Report from the Select Committee, That the Committee adjourned on Monday, the 9th instant, until Tomorrow; read, and ordered to lie on the Table.
West Cumberland Electric Tramways Bill [H.L.]. The Lord Chancellor informed the House that the Promoters do not intend to proceed further with the Bill. The Orders made on 19th March last and the 3rd instant discharged. Ordered that the Bill be not further proceeded with.
National Assurance Company of Ireland and Yorkshire Fire and Life Insurance Company Bill [H.L.]. Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.
Seed Potatoes Supply (Ireland) Bill; Post Office (Money Orders) Bill; Notice of Accidents Bill; Police (Superannuation) Bill. Brought from the Commons.
Carlisle Corporation Bill; Todmorden Corporation Bill; Great Eastern Railway Bill; Bacup Corporation Bill; Cardiff Gas Bill; North East Lincolnshire Water Bill; Thornton Urban District Gas Bill; Macclesfield and District Tramways Bill; New Mills Urban District Council Bill; Uxbridge Gas Bill. Brought from the Commons; read 1a; and referred to the Examiners.
County of Aberdeen (Monymusk Bridge and Road) Order Confirmation Bill [H.L.]. Wallis' Divorce Bill [H.L.]; Crystal Palace Company Bill [H.L.]; Dover Harbour Board Bill [H.L.]. Returned from the Commons agreed to.
Western Valleys (Monmouthshire) Sewerage Board Bill [H.L.]. The order made on Tuesday, the 13th of March, appointing certain Lords the Select Committee to consider the Bill, discharged.
Great Western and Rhymney Railway Companies Bill [H.L.]; Cardiff Railway Bill [H.L.]; Barry Railway Bill [H.L.]; London and North Western Railway Bill [H.L.]. Report from the Committee of Selection, That the Earl of Verulam, the Earl of Eldon, the Viscount Hill, and the Viscount Colville of Culross be proposed to the House as members of the Select Committee on the said Bills in the place of the Earl of Harrowby, the Lord Monson, the Lord Seaton, and the Lord Somerton (E. Normanton); read, and agreed to.
Clacton Urban District Council Bill [H.L.]; Newport Corporation Bill [H.L.]; West Yorkshire Tramways Bill [H.L.]; Bury Corporation Bill [H.L.]; New-castle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Bill [H.L.]; County of Durham Electric Power Supply Bill [H.L.]; Cumberland Electricity and Power Gas Bill [H.L.]; Report from the Committee of Selection, That the Lord Hamilton of Dalzell be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bills in the place of the Viscount Ridley; read, and agreed to.
Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Bill [H.L.]; Maryport Harbour Bill [H.L.]; Railway Clearing System (Superannuation Fund) Bill [H.L.]; Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Bill [H.L.]; Crediton Lighting and Power Bill [H.L.] Southport and Latham Tramroad (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]; Portsmouth Water Bill [H.L.] Report from the Committee of Selection, That the Lord Ravensworth be proposed to the House as a member of the Select Committee on the said Bills in the place of the Lord Leigh; read, and agreed to.
Hull and Barnsley Railway (Steam Vessels) Bill [H.L.]. The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was withdrawn: the orders made on the 8th of March last and the 3rd instant discharged, and Bill committed.
Haslingden Corporation Bill [H.L.]. The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was withdrawn: The orders made on the 5th of March last and the 3rd instant discharged, and Bill committed.
Truro Gas Bill [H.L.]. The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was withdrawn: The orders made on the 12th of March last and the 3rd instant discharged, and Bill committed.
South Eastern and London, Chatham, and Dover Railways Bill [H.L.]. The Chairman of Committees informed the House that the opposition to the Bill was withdrawn: The orders made on the 8th of March last and the 3rd instant discharged, and Bill committed.
Wallasey Tramways and Improvements Bill [H.L.]. The King's consent signified; and Bill reported from the Select Committee, with Amendments.
Penllwyn Railway and Road Bill [H.L.]. Reported from the Select Committee, with Amendments.
Portsmouth Water Bill [H.L.]. Witnesses ordered to attend the Select Committee.
Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Bill [H.L.]; Clacton Urban District Council
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Bill [H.L.]. Witnesses ordered to attend the Select Committee.
Preston, Chorley, and Horwich Tramways Bill [H.L.]. Read 3a; Amendments made; Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.
South Lancashire Tramways (Extension of Time) Bill [H.L.]; Sheffield District Railway Bill [H.L.]. Read 3a, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

PETITIONS.

  EDUCATION.
  Petitions in favour of maintenance of existing religious teaching in Church of England schools of—;
  1. Parents and guardians of children attending schools at Darwen; Darwen, St. John the Evangelist; Darwen, St. John, Central; Manchester, St.Stephen's; Manchester, Stowell Memorial; Manchester, St. Peter's, Westleigh; Manchester, St. Wilfrid's; Manchester, St. Andrew's; Manchester, Christ Church; Appley Bridge, Manchester; Laugho, Manchester; Hornby, Manchester; Ashworth, Manchester; Dobcross, Manchester; Barrowford, Manchester; Holme-in-Cliviger, Burnley; Chorlton-cum-Hardy; Eccleston; Hulme, St. Michael's; Hulme, St. Philip's; Hulme, St. Mary's; Hulme, St. John the Baptist; Woodford, Chester; Gorton, AllSaints'; Pendleton, John Street School; Oldham, St. Mary's; Newton Heath, All Saints'; Salford, St. Stephen's; Pallow field and Ladybarn; Chorlton-on-Medlock, St. Luke's; Pendlebury, Christ Church; Levenshulme, St. Andrew's; Heywood, All Souls'; Scotforth, St. Paul's; Burnage; Todmorden; Horwich; Adlington; Douglas, near South-port; Walton-le-Dale; Overton; Brindle Heath; Flixton; Lougton, Manchester; Royton, St. Anne's; Royton, All Saints'; Royton, St. Paul's; and Preston, St. James'.
  2. Petitions in favour of Religious Liberty, sound Religious Education for children according to the faith of their parents, and the maintenance of denominational training colleges, of teachers

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  in schools at Holme-in-Cliviger, Burnley; Darwen; Manchester, St. Stephen's; Manchester, Stowell Memorial; Manchester, St. Andrew's; Newton Heath; Chorlton-cum-Hardy; Douglas, near Southport; Eccleston; Hornby, Manchester; Hesketh, near Preston; Laugho, Manchester; Dobcross, Manchester; Whit worth, Rochdale; Gorton, All Saints'; Pendleton, John Street School; Barrowford, Manchester; Newton Heath, All Saints'; Salford, St. Stephen's; Fallow field and Ladybarn; Walton-le-Dale; Todmorden; Preston, St. James'; Royton; Levenshulme, St. Andrew's; Heywood, All Souls'; Scotsforth, St. Paul's; Adlington; Miles Platting, St. Luke s; Brindle Heath; Flixton; Pendlebury, Christ Church; Hulme, St. Mary's; Chorlton-on-Medlock, St. Luke's; Hulme, St. John the Baptist; Droy-lesden; Burnage; Oldham, St. Mary's; and Bury (Elton), All Saints'.
  Read and ordered to lie on the Table.

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS—; RECESS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House that the following Papers, having been commanded to be presented to this House by His Majesty, had been so presented on the following dates by delivery to the Clerk of the Parliaments, pursuant to Standing Order No. CXI., viz.:

MINES AND QUARRIES.
I. General Report and Statistics for 1904—;Part IV. Colonial and Foreign Statistics. Statistics relating to persons employed, output, and accidents at mines and quarries in the British Colonies and in Foreign Countries. (April 10.)
II. Reports of His Majesty's Inspectors of Mines under the Coal Mines Regulation Acts, 1887 to 1896, the Metalliferous Mines Regulations Acts, 1872 and 1875, and the Quarries Act, 1894, for the year 1905. East Scotland District, R. McLaren; West Scotland, R. M. Ronaldson; Newcastle, J. B. Atkinson; Durham, R. Donald Bain; York and Lincoln, W. Walker; Manchester and Ireland, John Gerrard; Liverpool and North Wales, Henry Hall;
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Midland, A. H. Stokes; Stafford, W. N. Atkinson; Cardiff, F. A. Gray; Swansea, J. T. Robson; Southern, J. S. Martin. (April 10.)

BANKING, RAILWAY, AND SHIPPING STATISTICS (IRELAND).
Report on the Banking and Railway and Shipping Statistics of Ireland, for the half-year ended 31st December, 1905. (April 10.)

TRADE REPORTS (I. ANNUAL SERIES).
No. 3549. Chile (Coquimbo).
No. 3550. Austria-Hungary (Trieste).
No. 3551. United States (Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky). (April 10).
No. 3552. Italy (Genoa).
No. 3553. Colombia (Santa Marta), (April 11).
No. 3554. France (Réunion).
No. 3555. Norway (April 19).
No. 3556. Greece (Morea, Aetolia, and Acarnania).
No. 3557. Argentine Republic (Buenos Ayres).
No. 3558. Venezuela (Ciudad Bolivar) (April 19).
No. 3559. Greece (Corfu).
No. 3560. Sweden (Stockholm and Eastern Coast of Sweden). (April 20).
No. 3561. Turkey (Palestine). (April 21).
No. 3562. Egypt (Alexandria). (April 24).
No. 3563. Germany (Leipzig). (April 26).
No. 3564. United States (States of California, Nevada, and Utah, and Territory of Arizona).
No. 3565. Italy (Rome).
No. 3566. Russia (Batoum). (April 27).

II. MISCELLANEOUS SERIES.
No. 646. Persia (Persian Customs Regulations).
No. 647. United States (Turpentine Industry). (April 10).
No. 648. Italy (Agriculture of Tuscany). (April 21).

POST OFFICE.
I. Additional articles to the Money Order Convention between the Post Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Post Office Denmark, dated 20th December, 1905 and 23rd January 1906. (April 10).
II. Agreement between the Post Office, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Ireland and the Royal Imperial Austrian Postal Administration concerning the exchange of money orders.(April 10).
III. Agreement for an exchange or money orders between the Post Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Post Office of Hungary, dated 28th October, 1905, and 16th November, 1905. (April 27).
IV. Agreement for an exchange of money orders between the Post Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Post Office of Switzerland, dated 8th-17th October,1905. (April 27).

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE (OBSERVATORY).
Report of His Majesty's Astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope to the Secretary of the Admiralty, for the year 1905. (April 10).
FIRE BRIGADES AND FIRES, 1903 (ENGLAND AND WALES).
Return relative to Fire Brigades and Fires in England and Wales, for the year 1903. (April 11).
AUSTRIA-HUNGARY (NEW CUSTOMS TARIFF (INTERIM STATEMENT)).
Translation of the New Customs Tariff of Austria-Hungary as modified by commercial treaties with Germany, Russia Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland. (April 11).
INDIA TRADE.
Tables relating to the trade of British India with British Possessions and Foreign Countries, 1900–1901 to 1904–1905. (April 11).
PRISONS (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1877.
Twenty-eighth Annual Report of the Prison Commissioners for Scotland, being the Sixty-seventh Annual Report on Prisons in Scotland (April 11).
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.
Return of grants of land in the East Africa Protectorate from 1st January 1904,to 31st December, 1905 (in continuation of [Cd. 2331] Africa, No. 15 of 1904). (April 19).
UGANDA PROTECTORATE.
Report on a botanical mission through the forest districts of Buddu and the Western and Nile Provinces of the Uganda Protectorate by Mr. M. T. Dawe, officer-in-charge, Forestry and Scientific Department. (April 19).
ELECTRIC POWER AND SUPPLY BILLS.
Memorandum by the Commissioners of Works. (April 19).
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS, HONG KONG, GIBRALTAR.
Further correspondence relating to measures adopted for checking the spread of venereal disease (in continuation of [Cd. 9253], September 1899). (April 19).
NATIONAL GALLERY, &c. (SCOTLAND).
Twelfth Annual Report to the Secretary for Scotland by the commissioners and trustees of the Board of Manufactures in Scotland, for the year ended 30th September, 1905. (April 19).
ROYAL OBSERVATORY, EDINBURGH.
Sixteenth Annual Report of the Astronomer-Royal for Scotland. (April 19).
CROFTERS HOLDINGS (SCOTLAND) ACTS, 1886–1887.
Report by the Crofters Commission being for the year ended 31st December, 1905.(April 19).
TRADE.
Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions, 1905, compared with the four preceding years: Volume I. (Summaries, abstract, and detailed tables of imports and exports). (April 19).
AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION (IRELAND).
Fifth Annual General Report of the Department, 1904–1905. (April 19).
TREATY SERIES, No. 3 (1906).
Treaty of commerce and navigation between the United Kingdom and Roumania; signed at Bucharest, 31st October, 1905. (Ratifications exchanged at Bucharest, 17th March, 1906). (April 23).
REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS (GREAT BRITAIN).
Forty-ninth Report for the year 1905 of the Inspector of Reformatory and Industrial Schools. Part I. List of Schools and detailed Reports. (April 25).

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LOUTING-ILL AND BRAXY COMMITTEE).
Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the Board of Agriculture to inquire into the Aetiology, Pathology, and Morbid Anatomy and other matters connected with the diseases of sheep, known as Louping-III and Braxy.
Part I. General Report.
Part II. Details of Investigation.
Part III. Summary of Suggestions, (April 25).

EGYPT, NO. 1 (1906).
Reports by His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General, on the Finances, Administration, and Condition of Egypt and the Soudan in 1905. (April 25).
EDUCATION (SCOTLAND).
Report and Papers relating to the training of teachers, for the year 1904–1905. (April 27).
IRELAND DEVELOPMENT GRANT ACT, 1903.
Report of the Lord-Lieutenant of all his proceedings under the Act, for the financial year ended 31 March, 1906. (April 27).
LAND LAW (IRELAND) ACT, 1887.
Return of the number of eviction notices filed during the quarter ended 31st March, 1906. (April 27).

RAILWAY AND CANAL TRAFFIC ACTS, 1854–1894.
Seventeenth Annual Report of the Railway and Canal Commission, with Appendix. (April 28).
The same were ordered to lie on the Table.

RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC.
  BOARD OF EDUCATION (ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTY OF NORTHAMPTON ENDOWED CHARITIES).
  Report made to the Board of Education in the result of an inquiry into endowments subject to the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Acts, 1853 to 1894, and appropriated in whole or in part to purposes of elementary education in the administrative county of Northampton or in any part thereof.

EDUCATION (SCOTLAND).
Report of the Committee of Council on Education in Scotland, with Appendix, 1905–1906.
Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table.

FOREIGN JURISDICTION ACT, 1890 (SIAM).
Order passed at the Council held on April 4th, 1906, under the authority of a Royal Commission, entitled "The Siam Order in Council, 1906."
MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT, 1894 (COLLISIONS AT SEA).
Order, passed at the Council held on the April 4th, 1906, under the authority of a Royal Commission, making provision as to lights and signals of fishing vessels in substitution for those contained in Article 10 of the Regulations scheduled to the Order in Council of August 11th, 1884, as amended from time to time.
COUNTY COURTS.
Rules, 1906; explanatory memorandum.
POLICE (COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS, ENGLAND AND WALES).
Reports of His Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary, for the year ended September 29th, 1905.
LOCAL LOANS FUND (ACCOUNTS, 1904–1905).
Accounts of receipts and payments by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, in respect of the capital and income of the local loans fund, for the year ended March 31st, 1905; together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon.
IRISH LAND PURCHASE FUND ACCOUNTS (1903–1905).
Accounts of receipts and payments by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt in respect of the capital and income of the Irish Land Purchase Fund, from November 1st 1903 to March 31st 1905; together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon.
PUBLIC RECORDS (PRISON COMMISSION).
Schedule containing a list and particulars of classes of documents existing or accruing in the office of the Commissioners of Prisons and Directors of Convict Prisons, which are not considered of sufficient public value to justify their preservation in the Public Record Office.
POLLING DISTRICTS (COUNTY BOROUGH OF TYNEMOUTH).
Order made by the council of the county borough of Tynemouth dividing the borough into polling districts.
SHOP HOURS ACT, 1904.
Orders made by the councils of the following city, county, and county borough, and confirmed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department fixing the hours of closing for certain shops in the city and county of Bristol; county borough of Bolton.
PENAL SERVITUDE ACTS, 1853–1891 (CONDITIONAL LICENCE).
Licences granted by His Majesty under the provisions of the Penal Servitude Acts, 1853 to 1891, to which are annexed conditions other than those contained in Schedule A. of the Penal Servitude Act, 1864, to Frederick Sadler, William Jones, James Kitching.

PRISONS, ENGLAND AND WALES (TREATMENT OF SELECTED MALE CRIMINAL PRISONERS).
Draft of rules proposed to be made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department under Section 25 of the Prisons Act, 1877, and Section 2 of the Prisons Act, 1898, appropriating Borstal Prison and part of Lincoln Prison to selected male criminal prisoners, and providing as to the treatment of selected male criminal prisoners between
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the ages of sixteen and twenty-one under special rules.

COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) ACT, 1890.
Account showing receipts and expenditure on account of proceedings under the Companies (Winding-up) Act, 1890, during the year ended March 31st, 1906.
BANKRUPTCY ACT, 1883 (PROCEEDINGS.)
Account showing the receipts and expenditure on account of bankruptcy proceedings during the year ended March 31st, 1906.
GREEK LOAN OF 1898.
Account up to March 31st, 1906.

SUPERANNUATION.
Treasury Minute, dated April 12th, 1906, declaring that Robert William Street, boy, Ordnance Vessel "Prudent" War Office, was appointed without a Civil Service certificate through inadvertence on the part of the head of his department.
Treasury warrant, dated April 23rd, 1906, amending warrant of September, 1887, relating to the grant of gratuities and allowances under Section 1 of the Superannuation Act, 1887.

EGYPTIAN GUARANTEED LOAN OF 1885.
Account up to March 31st, 1906.
PUBLIC RECORDS (IRELAND) ACT, 1867.
Rules made under Section 17 of the Act.

METROPOLITAN POLICE.
Accounts showing the sums received and expended for the purposes of the Metropolitan Police and Police Pension Funds between April 1st, 1905 and March 31st, 1906.
Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and ordered to he on the Table.

UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE ACT, 1877.
Statutes made by the Governing Body of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, on December 29th, 1905, amending certain of the Statutes of the college.
Statutes made by the Governing Body of Merton College, Oxford, on

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December 9th, 1905 (and sealed on December 14th, 1905), altering and amending Statutes III., V., and VIII. of the Statutes of the college.
Statutes made by the Governing Body of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, on (1) April 23rd, 1904 (and sealed on December 13th, 1905), amending Statute 24 (b); and (2) December 2nd, 1905 (and sealed on December 13th, 1905), amending Statutes 24 (b) and 32(a) of the Statutes of the college.
Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and to be printed. (No. 55.)

THAMES CONSERVANCY.
General Report of the Proceedings of the Conservators of the River Thames during the year ended December 31st, 1905, with Statement of the Accounts of the Conservators of the River Thames for that year: Delivered (pursuant to Act), and ordered to lie on the Table.
WESTMINSTER BRIDGE AND THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.
Return respecting: Laid before the House (pursuant to order of the 8th of March last), and to be printed. (No. 54.)
SEED POTATOES SUPPLY (IRELAND) BILL.
Read 1a; to be printed; and to be read 2a to-morrow (The Lord Denman). (No. 56.)
POST OFFICE (MONEY ORDERS) BILL.
Read 1a; to be printed; and to be read 2a to-morrow (The Lord Granard [E. Granard]). (No. 57.)
NOTICE OF ACCIDENTS BILL (No. 58). POLICE SUPERANNUATION BILL (No. 59).
Read 1a, and to be printed.
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY BILL.
Order of the day for the House to be in Committee, read, and discharged.

GERMAN GIPSIES IN SCOTLAND.
LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH: My Lords, before the Motion for the adjournment of the House is put I should like to ask a Question on which I have given private notice. I cannot say that it
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is on a subject of first-class importance, but the matter with which it deals has caused a good deal of inconvenience during the last three or four weeks in that part of Scotland which I know best. About a month ago there was a considerable incursion of German gipsies. I believe they came over to the number of eighty at one time. They marched through various counties commencing on the South bank of the Forth and reaching as far as Stirling, and when I tell your Lordships that they even encamped upon the historic plains of Bannockburn the House will understand how much feeling in the locality was stirred. I am informed that they committed various depredations. Not only did they steal from poultry yards and so on, but they even milked some of the farmer's cows before their owners got up in the morning. They also did a considerable amount of damage, and at last the services of the police had to be invoked. Whether or not it has been possible for the authorities to re-transport them to Germany I cannot say, but there have been reports—;well founded, I believe—;that larger numbers still were coming. I believe it is the fact that a small number came last year and the year before and that they found the country such a land of promise that they circulated reports of their prosperity, and others have since come. A rumour has appeared in the newspapers to the effect that this incursion is likely to continue. The German Government have been passing laws to endeavour to get this class of people to settle down and become orderly subjects, but, resenting this, they are leaving Germany. I do not know whether, under the powers of the much controverted Aliens Act or by representations to the authorities in Germany, His Majesty's Government can do anything to abate a state of things which, though it has, I admit, its humorous side, has also its serious aspect.
THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord TWEEDMOUTH): My Lords, in the absence of my noble friend who represents the Scottish Office, I have been asked to reply to this Question. I think my noble friend opposite will admit that this is rather a far cry from the

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Admiralty. Though we are very ready to protect the country against raids, I am afraid that the prevention of a raid of this sort is even beyond the power of His Majesty's ships. I believe the facts are substantially as stated by my noble friend. These are not persons who would come under the Aliens Act, because, in the first place, they arrived in different ships in numbers fewer than twenty. We have no information that such legislative measures as my noble friend suggested are being taken in Germany. What we are told is that these German gipsies belong to a tribe whose chief lives in Italy, and that they are birds of passage in Scotland on their way to Italy. They are not entirely without means of subsistence, as has been suggested. They have horses and carts of sorts—;I believe not very good ones—;and they are also adepts in certain acrobatic performances. They are wandering about Scotland getting money by horse dealing and by giving acrobatic shows, and I am told that they have been so far successful that they have from time to time made as much as from £3 to £5 a day out of their performances. From what we can gather these people are perfectly peaceable and quiet. It is true that they have, after the fashion of gipsies, been guilty of some petty larcenies, but the offences have not been of a serious character. Though they do not come within the scope of the Aliens Act so far as their entry into this country is concerned, Clause 3 of the Act does give power to deport them if they prove undesirable; but there does not at present seem to be any reason why such action should be taken against them. I think that perhaps too much attention has been paid to them by the police, and that they have been unduly hustled from county to county. I hear further, that some German residents in Glasgow are taking steps to induce them to return to their own country or to go on to their chief in Italy without delay. I do not think this is a matter on which I need detain your Lordships longer, or which is likely to cause much difficulty to His Majesty's lieges.
House adjourned at twenty-minutes before Five o'clock, till To-morrow, at half-past Ten o'clock.