Sitting of 7 August 1874

Preamble
The House met at half after Two of the clock.
CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS—WIGTOWN DISTRICT OF BURGHS.
Mr. SPEAKERinformed the House, that he had received from Lord Neaves, one of the Judges for the time being for the trial of Election Petitions in Scotland, pursuant to the Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868, a Certificate relating to the Election for the Wigtown District of Burghs, to the effect that Mark John Stewart was duly elected and returned as Member of Parliament for the said Wigtown District of Burghs.
ARMY—KILMATNHAM HOSPITAL.

  QUESTION.
  SIR JOHN GRAYasked the Secretary of State for War, If he received any report from the medical or other officers of the Kilmainham Hospital, Dublin, respecting the recent outbreak of typhoid fever in that institution, and its supposed origin; and, if not, will he cause an inquiry to be instituted, and a report to be made, as to the number of cases of typhoid fever that occurred in the hospital this year, the class of residences in which they occurred, the opinion of the medical officer, Dr. Carte, and of the medical gentlemen who were consulted as to the immediate cause of the outbreak, and place such report upon the Table of this House for the information of the sanitary authorities of the Kingdom?
  MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, the Reports relating to the Hospital were not laid before the War Office, but before the Commanding Officer in Ireland. A communication would be made on the subject to the Commanding Officer, who, he had no doubt, would furnish the desired information, and he anticipated there would be no objection to laying the particulars before Parliament.

THE GENERAL ELECTION RETURNS.

  QUESTION.
  SIR HENRY HAVELOCK (for Mr. DODDS)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, When the Re-
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  turn relative to the General Election ordered on the 20th March last, will be presented; and, in case particulars have not yet been received from every county, division of county, and borough, to give the names of the counties, divisions of counties, and boroughs from which particulars have not been received, and to state what course he proposes to pursue with reference thereto?
  MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, that the Returns were now practically complete, with the exception of those relating to the counties of Anglesey and Carnarvon, and the boroughs of Chelsea and Grantham. He hoped the Returns would be ready for circulation in a very short time.

FIRST FRUITS AND TENTHS.

  QUESTION.
  MR. MONKasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, "Whether he has considered the Report of the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury with respect to the abolition of First Fruits, and the re-adjustment of Tenths; and, if so, whether the Government are prepared to take the recommendations contained in that Report into consideration, with a view to legislation next Session?
  MR. ASSHETON CROSS, in reply, said, he could not promise that the Government would bring in a Bill on the subject, as there would be so much to be done next Session; but it was undoubtedly a subject which deserved the attention of Parliament. The hon. Member himself would be rendering great assistance, with a view to legislation upon this subject, if he would submit a Bill embodying his views.

METROPOLIS—THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE BARRACKS.—QUESTION.
LORD ERNEST BRUCEasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether there is any prospect of Her Majesty's Government being shortly enabled to remove the Life Guards' Barracks from Hyde Park to some other situation, so as to widen the important thoroughfare of Knightsbridge, and thus confer a great boon on the public, especially on that important and constantly increasing district of the Metropolis?
LORD HENRY LENNOX, in reply, said, he was afraid he could give no other

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Answer to the Question of his noble Friend than that which was given on the same subject in "another place" last week. The question of the Knightsbridge Barracks was under the consideration of the Government; but even if they should disappear, his noble Friend must not be too confident as to the space being used for the purpose of widening the road to Kensington, as other interests would interfere which might still withhold from his noble Friend the boon he now sought.

PALACE OF WESTMINSTER—THE WATER-GLASS PICTURES.

  QUESTION.
  MR. ERRINGTONasked the Chief Commissioner of Works, Whether it be true, as stated in the "Morning Post" of the 5th instant, that Mr. Richmond, E.A., has examined the two water-glass pictures by the late Mr. Maclise in the Royal Gallery of the Palace of Westminster, and has ascertained that they are not permanently injured; and, whether it be true that the "efflorescence" which exhibited itself some time ago has been removed?
  LORD HENRY LENNOX: Sir, in answer to the Question of the hon. Member for Longford County, I have to say that the "efflorescence" in question on the magnificent frescoes of Maclise of the meeting of Wellington and Blucher commenced to show itself shortly after the picture was completed in 1861, and from that time it has unhappily spread over the whole face of the picture. For myself, I wish I could say positively that the picture is not permanently injured. More than a year ago Mr. Richmond examined the picture, and he stated that in his opinion by a delicate treatment he could remove the "efflorescence" without injury to the rest of the picture. That opinion, however, was contradicted by other artists as eminent as Mr. Richmond, and the matter was allowed to drop. With regard to the second part of the Question, I would only ask the hon. Member to call this afternoon at the Royal Gallery, and he will see for himself most painfully that the "efflorescence" has not been removed.

IRELAND—POLICE FORCE IN TIPPERARY.—QUESTION.
SIR JOHN GRAY (for Mr. MOORE)asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland,
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Whether it is true that whilst the South Riding of County Tipperary is charged at the rate of £1,150 a-year for the maintenance of an extra police force of sixty-one men, not a single man of that extra force is in the county; if he would explain to the House what is the cause of such a state of things, and how long it has existed; and, whether, under those circumstances, he will withdraw the charge altogether?
SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH: It is true, Sir, that the South Riding of the County Tipperary is now subject to an annual charge of about the amount named in the Question for extra police force; but it is by no means accurate to state that not a single man of that extra force is in the Riding. There are a considerable number of vacancies in the total nominal force of the South Riding, but not more than the average number for the whole of Ireland. By 29 & 30 Vict., c. 103, s. 14, these vacancies are distributed proportionately between the free and extra force, and the county is allowed a reduction in the charge for its extra force, corresponding to the number of vacancies held to exist therein. As it would not be equitable that one county should be more fully manned than another, it would become necessary, if the extra force of the South Riding were abolished, to march 46 men, or thereabouts, out of the Riding. It is for these 46 that a charge is being at present made, being the number whose services are thereby secured to the Riding. The amounts charged to the Riding have been calculated as directed by Act of Parliament, and are strictly correct.

ARMY—MILITARY OUTRAGE AT ALDERSHOT.—QUESTION.
SIR WILFRID LAWSONasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he has received any information as to the outrage said to have been perpetrated by soldiers at Aldershot?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, that last night he received a telegram, which had been confirmed by letter, that no outrage had been perpetrated on women, but that certain recruits connected with one of the regiments at Aldershot broke out of the barracks during the night, and attacked some public-houses and some houses of

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bad character in the neighbourhood. I They were arrested by the military police, three of them being handed over to the civil power, and the others to the military authorities.

THE APPELLATE JURISDICTION.

  OBSERVATIONS.
  SIR GEORGE BOWYERsaid, he wished to call attention to what he regarded as the dictatorial nature of a speech which had been made by a Member of the Government in "another place" on the previous day. The noble Lord in question had endeavoured to pledge the Government not to reconsider the question of the jurisdiction of the House of Lords as the final Court of Appeal, but to re-introduce the Judicature 'Bills in the shape in which they had been withdrawn.
  MR. SPEAKERreminded the hon. Baronet that there was no Question before the House.
  SIR GEORGE BOWYERsaid, in that case, to put himself in Order, he would move the adjournment of the House. He believed that the withdrawal of the Bills had given great satisfaction to the Judges and to the Bar both in Ireland and Scotland, and certainly to the Bar in England. In Ireland, the abolition of the appellate jurisdiction of the House of Lords was looked upon as uncalled for, unnecessary, unconstitutional, and revolutionary; and it was considered that the Court which was proposed to be constituted in lieu of the House of Lords was unsatisfactory, and would certainly not carry with it that dignity, weight, and experience which attached to the Upper House. He trusted the Government would not allow themselves to be dictated to by the noble Lord to whom reference had been made, and who, with another noble Lord, had adopted a most dictatorial course.
  Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—(Sir George Bowyer.)
  MR. M'CARTHY DOWNINGwished it to be understood that the hon. Baronet had not expressed the general feeling of the Irish Members, and he trusted that the Government would not listen to the hon. Baronet's suggestion.
  Question put, and negatived.

PROROGATION OF THE PARLIAMENT.
Message to attend The LORDS COMMISSIONERS:—
The House went:—and a Royal Commission to that purpose having been read, the Royal Assent was given to several Bills.
And afterwards Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech was delivered to both Houses of Parliament by The Lord High Chancellor, in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command.
Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which,
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
My Lords, and Gentlemen,
By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Friday the Twenty-third day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Friday the Twenty-third clay of October next.

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—Royal Assent—Prince Leopold's Annuity [37 & 38 Vict. c. 65]; Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 56]; Rating [37 & 38 Vict. c. 54]; Hertford College, Oxford [37 & 38 Vict. c. 55]; Boundaries of Archdeaconries and Brawl Deaneries [37 & 38 Vict. c. 63]; Infants Contracts [37 & 38 Vict. c. 62]; Alderney Harbour [37 & 38 Vict. c. 92]; Real Property Limitation [37 & 38 Vict. c. 57]; Real Property Vendors and Purchasers [37 & 38 Vict. c. 78]; Working-Men's Dwellings [37 & 38 Vict. c. 59]; Police Force Expenses [37 & 38 Vict. c. 58]; Civil Bill Courts (Ireland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 66]; Intoxicating Liquors (Ireland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 69]; Slaughter-houses, &c. [37 & 38 Vict. c. 67]; Attorneys and Solicitors [37 & 38 Vict. c. 68]; Shannon Navigation [37 & 38 Vict.

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c. 60]; Royal (late Indian) Ordnance Corps Compensation [37 & 38 Vict. c. 61]; Evidence Law Amendment (Scotland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 64]; Education Department Orders [37 & 38 Vict. c. 90]; Statute Law Revision (No. 2) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 96]; Conveyancing and Land Transfer (Scotland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 94]; Public Health (Ireland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 93]; Colonial Clergy [37 & 38 Vict. c. 77]; Foyle College [37 & 38 Vict. c. 79]; Vaccination Act, 1871, Amendment [37 & 38 Vict. c. 75]; Church Patronage (Scotland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 82]; Valuation (Ireland) Act Amendment [37 & 38 Vict. c. 70]; Lough Corrib Navigation [37 & 38 Vict. c. 71]; Registration of Births and Deaths [37 & 38 Vict. c. 88]; Sanitary Laws Amendment [37 & 38 Vict. c. 89]; Endowed Schools Acts Amendment [37 & 38 Vict. c. 87]; Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police [37 & 38 Vict. c. 80]; Private Lunatic Asylums (Ireland) [37 & 38 Vict. c. 74]; Post Office Savings Bank [37 & 38 Vict. c. 73]; Great Seal Offices [37 & 38 Vict. c. 81]; Pines Act (Ireland) Amendment [37 & 38 Vict. c. 72]; Expiring Laws Continuance [37 & 38 Vict. c. 76]; Supreme Court of Judicature Act (1873) Suspension [37 & 38 Vict. c. 83]; Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings [37 & 38 Vict. c. 84]; Irish Reproductive Loan Fund [37 & 38 Vict. c. 86]; India Councils [37 & 38 Vict. c. 91]; Public Worship Regulation [37 & 38 Vict. c. 85]; Turnpike Acts Continuance [37 & 38 Vict. c. 95]; Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 5) [37 & 38 Vict. c. clxxxii.]; Elementary Education Provisional Order Confirmation [37 & 38 Vict. c. clxxxiv.]; Tramways Provisional Orders Confirmation [37 & 38 Vict. c. clxxxiii.]; Local Government Board (Ireland) Provisional Order Confirmation [37 & 38 Vict. c. clxxxvi.]; Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation [37 & 38 Vict. c. clxxxv.]

PROROGATION OF THE PARLIAMENT—HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH.
The PARLIAMENT The PARLIAMENT was this clay prorogued by Commission.
THE LORD CHANCELLORacquainted the House that Her Majesty had been pleased to grant two several Commissions, one for declaring Her Royal Assent to several Acts agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament, and the other for proroguing the Parliament:—And the LORDS COMMISSIONERS—namely, The LORD CHANCELLOR; The LORD STEWARD OF THE HOUSEHOLD (The Earl Beauchamp); The EARL OF DERBY (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs); The EARL OF BRADFORD (The Master of the Horse); and The LORD SKELMERSDALE)—being in their Robes, and seated on a Form between the Throne and the Woolsack; and the COMMONS being come, with their Speaker, and the Com-
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mission to that purpose being read, the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills.
THE LORD CHANCELLOR delivered HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH, as follows:—
"My Lords, and Gentlemen,
"The time has arrived when I am enabled to release you from your attendance in Parliament.
"In so doing, my first wish is to thank you for the readiness with which you have made provision for my son Prince Leopold on his attaining his majority.
"My relations with all Foreign Powers continue to be friendly, and the influence arising from those cordial relations will be employed, as heretofore, in maintaining the obligations imposed by Treaties, and in promoting and consolidating the Peace of Europe.
"The Emperor of Russia having made proposals for a Conference to be held at Brussels, the object of which is to lessen, by judicious regulations, the severities of war, I have, in common with other Powers, authorised a Delegate to attend that Conference; but, before doing so, I have thought it right to obtain assurances from all the Powers thus represented, that no proposal shall be brought forward calculated either to alter the recognised rules of international law, or to place restrictions on the conduct of naval operations. The recommendations which may issue from the Conference will have [my careful consideration, but I have reserved to myself full freedom of action in regard to their acceptance or rejection.
" Negotiations have been undertaken for the renewal of the Recipro-

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city Treaty formerly in force between the Dominion of Canada and the United States of America. These negotiations, commenced at the desire and in the interest of the Dominion, have been temporarily suspended by the adjournment of the American Senate. They will be revived at an early date, and it is my hope that they may lead to an increase of commercial intercourse between my colonial subjects and the citizens of the United States.
" I deeply lament the continuance in Spain of disturbances which form a single exception to the general tranquillity of Europe; but, while earnestly desiring the restoration of peace and civil order in that country, I believe that this result will be most surely brought about by a rigid abstinence from interference in the internal affairs of an independent and friendly State.
" The Treaty recently concluded with the Sultan of Zanzibar, having for its object the suppression of East African Slave Trade, has been faithfully observed, and has already done much to put an end to that traffic as carried on by sea. The exertions of my Naval and Consular servants, in that part of the world, will not be relaxed until complete success has been obtained.
" I am thankful to say that the famine in India has, as yet, been attended with little mortality, a result mainly attributable, under Providence, to the precautions taken by my Indian Government. The strenuous exertions of my Viceroy, and of the officers serving under him, merit my high approbation.
" Since the close of hostilities on the Gold Coast, steady progress has been made in the task of pacifying the country and of organising its administration. Treaties of Peace have been concluded with important tribes, and the King of Ashanti has persevered in the discharge of his obligations to this country.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"I acknowledge the liberality with which you have provided for the charges of the State.
"My Lords, and Gentlemen,
"I have seen with pleasure the considerable reductions which you have been able to make in taxation. The total abolition of the sugar duties will not only confer a benefit on the consumers of an article in universal demand, but will also prove of much commercial advantage to the nation. The removal of the duty on horses is another measure well calculated to encourage the trade and industry of the country. Concurrently with these remissions, and with a further reduction of the Income Tax to a rate which is little more than nominal, you have been enabled to make important grants from the general revenue towards services which, though of Imperial concern, have hitherto been defrayed, either exclusively or in an undue proportion, out of local rates. I trust that these measures, when their full effect shall have been felt, will conduce to the general prosperity of the country, and will impart increased elasticity to the revenue.
"Although your Session has been unavoidably curtailed of a third of its usual duration, I observe with satis-

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faction that you have been able to carry measures of general interest and importance.
" I have cordially given my assent to the Act "for improving the health of women, young persons, and children employed in manufactures." By this measure I anticipate that not only will the health and education of the classes affected by it be promoted, but that the relations between the employers and employed in those important branches of industry will be maintained on a footing of enduring harmony and mutual good-will.
" I have readily sanctioned the Act for the reform of the system of Patronage in the Church of Scotland. I trust that the removal of this ancient cause of controversy may both strengthen the Church and conduce to the religious welfare of a large number of my subjects.
" The Act for the better regulation of Public Worship in the Church of England will, I hope, tend to prevent or allay the unhappy controversies which sometimes arise from the difficulty experienced in obtaining an early decision on doubtful points of law, and a definitive interpretation of the authorised form of public worship. Such controversies, oven when they occur between persons loyally desirous to conform to the doctrine and discipline of the Established Church, beget serious evils, and their speedy termination by competent authority is a matter of grave importance to the interests of religion.
" The legal measures which you have passed with reference to the Limitation of Actions for Real Property, the Law of Vendors and Purchasers, and Land Rights and Con-
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veyancing in Scotland, as well as the Acts for regulating the sale of Intoxicating Liquors, and for carrying forward Sanitary Legislation in the United Kingdom, may be expected to be productive of public advantage and satisfaction.
" The Commission issued by me for inquiring into the state and working of the law as to offences connected with trade has been unable to complete its labours in time to admit of legislation during the Session now about to terminate; and I regret that the pressure of business in the House of Commons has made it necessary to suspend the consideration the measures for facilitating the Transfer of Land in England, for re-arranging the Judicature of England and Ireland, and for establishing an Imperial Court of Appeal. These subjects will naturally claim your earliest attention in a future Session.
" In returning to your counties and constituencies, you will have the opportunity of beneficially exercising that influence which is the happy result of our local institutions, and I pray that the blessing of the Almighty may accompany you in the discharge of all your duties.
Thon a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
After which,
THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
My Lords, and Gentlemen,
By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name, and in obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Friday the Twenty-third day of October next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Friday the Twenty-third day of October next.