* Committee-Report - Burghs (Scotland) Gas Supply (124-172); County of Peebles Justiciary District (Scotland) * (158). Third Reading-Crab and Lobster Fisheries (Norfolk) (154); Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (Bingley, &c.)* (136), and passed. Royal Assent-Prevention of Crimes Act Amendment [39 & 40 Vict. c. 23]; Small Testate Estates (Scotland) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 24]; Burghs (Division into Wards) (Scotland) Amendment [39 & 40 Vict. c. 25]: Publicans Certificates (Scotland) [39 & 40 Vict. c 26]; Local Light Dues (Reduction) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 27]; Admiralty Jurisdiction (Ireland) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 28]; Coroners (Dublin) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 93]; Kingstown Harbour [39 & 40 Vict. c. 95]; Smithfield Prison (Dublin) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 96]; Waterford, New Ross, and Wexford Junction Railway (Sale) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 98]; Gas and Water Orders Confirmation (Chapel-en-le-Frith, &c.) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 92]; Oyster and Mussel Fisheries Order Confirmation [39 & 40 Vict. c. 91]; Public Health (Scotland) Provisional Order (Wemyss) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 94]; Local Government Provisional Orders, Bristol, &c. (No. 6) [39 & 40 Vict. c. 97]. Their Lordships met;-And having gone through the Business on the Paper, without debate House adjourned at half past Five o'clock, till To-morrow, Eleven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Thursday, 13th July, 1876. MINUTES.]-NEW MEMBER SWORN-Joseph * * * [227]; Medical Act (Qualifications) * [170]. Considered as amended · Sea and River Banks (Lincolnshire)* [213]; Orphan and Deserted Children (Ireland) * [32]. * Third Reading - Trade Marks Registration Amendment [217]; Isle of Man (Öfficers) * [215]; Turnpike Acts Continuance, &c. * [209], and passed. INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT EXTRA PAY.-QUESTION. MR. MACDONALD asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If his attention has been called to a paragraph headed "Inland Revenue," in the "Civilian " newspaper of the date of the 26th of June 1876, where it is stated that two clerks were allowed to leave the Inland Revenue Office, one for eight months and the other for something less, to serve in the Board of Trade Department or with the Privy Council; whether it be correct, as it is there stated, that during the whole of the time they were with the Board of Trade or the Privy Council they were in receipt of twelve shillings per day, besides their ordinary pay in the Inland Revenue Department; and, if it be customary when an officer may be required in one Department from another, that he or they receive pay for both offices, as if he or they did the work of both? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: I have made inquiries into the case, and I believe that the transaction referred to took place about 10 years ago. In 1866 there was a great and sudden outbreak of cattle plague, and, the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council being under-manned, an application was made to the Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue for some assistance. He lent the services of two gentlemen, one of whom, Mr. Wingrove, who has been dead, I believe, for four years, was employed for eight months. His services were very valuable, giving a great deal of time to the work, and often, I believe, working into the night; and at the expiration of the eight months he was rewarded with £240, which was considered a proper remuneration for the amount of work he had done, taking into consideration, of course, the fact that he was an officer in the public service. As to the other gentleman, who was said to have served for "something less" than eight months, he did, in fact, serve for a fortnight, and he received for such service £5. MR. MACDONALD said, the right hon. Gentleman had not answered the latter part of the Question, which he should therefore repeat to-morrowwhether when officers were transferred from one Department to another it was usual to pay them as if they were doing | in the Army have accepted this offer; the work of both? and, whether the expedient has been prompted by the difficulty of obtaining Officers for the Royal Marines? INLAND REVENUE-ARMORIAL BEAR INGS. QUESTION. MR. J. G. HUBBARD asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether his attention has been directed to the report of a decision recently given in the Vice Chancellor's Court at Oxford, upon the complaint of an Inland Revenue officer, under which two undergraduates (not paying armorial duty) were fined £5 each for the offence of wearing rowing caps decorated with their college crest; and, whether, if the report prove true, such an administration of our fiscal law may not advantageously be restrained? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER: I believe that a fine was inflicted upon two gentlemen under these circumstances, and this fine, originally £5, was reduced to 30s., the tax being 218. There is a great deal of difficulty in determining what is and what is not properly chargeable as armorial bearings, and it is held that the fact of their being placed upon the cap does not make them less liable to duty than if they were upon a ring or elsewhere. These matters, however, have in a great measure to be dealt with on discretion, and I am not at all sure that the wearing of College arms in the cap was contemplated when the tax was imposed. NAVY-ROYAL MARINE LIGHT IN FANTRY.-QUESTION. MR. SAMPSON LLOYD (for Mr. GORST) asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, Whether a Circular has been addressed to about 700 qualified candidates for the Army Entrance Examination now in progress, inviting them to exchange their chance of success in that examination for a Commission in the Royal Marine Light Infantry; whether the inducements to volunteer for the Marines held out by this Circular are-an immediate appointment, exemption from any probationary course of study, and the postponement of the obligation to pass the Special Army Examination until promotion to the rank of Captain, a period of more than twenty years; how many of the Candidates for Commissions Mr. Macdonald MR. HUNT: The hon. and learned Member for Chatham is quite mistaken so far as the first part of his Question is concerned, as no such Circular has been issued by the Admiralty. But they have notified that they offer a certain number of Marine Infantry commissions, in order of merit, to candidates who having been successful in the competition for the announced number of Army vacancies, prefer a commission in the Marines to one in the Line, or who, not having been so successful, are nevertheless, in the opinion of the Civil Service Commissioners, fully qualified for commissions in the Army. The inducement of an immediate appointment and exemption from any probationary course of study is equally held out to officers who are appointed to regiments in India and to West India regiments. Officers joining the Marine Infantry are, however afterwards required to go through what is termed " a garrison course" of study and instruction, and the usual examinations before promotion to the rank of captain. The number of candidates for commissions in the Army who have accepted the offer cannot be ascertained until after the examination is over. At the Army examination last January, when the same course was adapted, 18 candidates stated their preference for the Marines over the Line. Of these, four passed with a sufficient number of marks to have received an Army commission, but two, being over age for the Marines, were not appointed. Fifteen commissions were given altogether to candidates obtained in this way. The present arrangement has been adopted in place of the old system of nomination, as offering a wider and better field from which officers may be obtained, the abolition of Purchase in the Army having diminished the number of applicants for Marine commissions. POST OFFICE-MAILS TO THE UNITED STATES.-QUESTION. MR. BAXTER asked the Postmaster General, If arrangements have been made for conveying the Mails between this Country and North America; and, if he can state to the House what is the nature of them? -six months hence. LORD JOHN MANNERS, in reply, I of Commons dated 24th July 1874, of said, no arrangements had yet been the proceeds of all movable property of made for conveying the mails between those Princes acquired by the local Gothis country and the United States after vernment; why several items which are the present contracts had expired. It included in the earlier inventories of the was not intended, as he thought the Viceroy of India, consisting of debts, right hon. Gentleman knew, to enter into Nos. 181 and 182, due by the East any new contracts, but to send the mails India Company (Parliamentary Return, by the most efficient vessels sailing to No. 298, of Session 1869, page 15), and New York. The existing contracts did payments by private debtors and pronot terminate until the end of the year ceeds of jewels (ibid. pages 48 and 49) are omitted in the account of the enemy's assets; when this Return, which was acknowledged by the Under Secretary of State for India to be incomplete, will be made complete so as to satisfy the whole requirements of the Parliamentary Order; and, whether there is any objection to produce Copies of all Correspondence subsequently to the 1st July 1875 to the present date on the subject of the Kirwee Booty, now on record at the India Office, and not included in any other Parliamentary Return? METROPOLIS-THAMES EMBANKMENT MR. LOCKE asked the honourable and gallant Member for Truro, If steps have been or are about to be taken by the Metropolitan Board of Works to prevent a recurrence of the serious losses occasioned to the inhabitants of the borough of Southwark by the periodical inundation of the River Thames? SIR JAMES HOGG: In reply to the Question of the hon. Member, I beg to state that the Metropolitan Board of Works some months ago prepared a Bill to submit to Parliament, with a view, as far as practicable, to prevent inundations of the Thames. The Bill had to be much considered with regard to the general legislation of the country, as well as to the rights and obligations of owners of properties, and extremely opposite views were taken as to the mode of dealing with the question. These difficulties have caused such delay that it would be hopeless to attempt to proceed with any Bill in the present Session; but the Board will still continue to give attention to the subject, and I trust that some effectual means may be found of remedying the evils complained of. INDIA-THE KIRWEE BOOTY. QUESTION. THE LORD MAYOR (Mr. Alderman COTTON) asked the Under Secretary of State for India, If he would explain to the House why the Return (recently presented to Parliament, No. 213,) of property owned by the Ex-Chiefs of Kirwee is limited in title and contents to the undisputed and admittedly captured property, instead of supplying a full inventory, in compliance with the express terms of the Order of the House LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: The Return alluded to gives all the information required by the Order of the House of the 24th of June, 1871, and if my right hon. Friend will read from pages 48 to 52 of the Return he will there find reasons stated why the items enumerated by him are not comprised by the terms of the present Return. I never stated this Return to be incomplete. In March, 1875, in reply to a Question, I said we had not then received information necessary to fulfil the Order of this Return. In May, 1876, the Return was laid upon the Table of the House; and, taken with other previous Returns, it gives the fullest and most complete information concerning the whole of the property owned by the ex-Chiefs of Kirwee. I have no objection to give any Correspondence not published between the Secretary of State and the prize agents. MR. ASSHETON CROSS: I thought the best way to obtain information on the subject of the hon. Gentleman's Question would be to send a copy of it to Colonel Du Cane, Director of Convict Prisons, and his answer is that no such communication, to his knowledge, has been received with regard to metropolitan prisons. With respect to county and borough prisons, I thought the best way would be to send the hon. Member's Question to the able head of the Prisons department at the Home Office, and he says "A search through the register would be attended with so much difficulty and loss of time that it has not been attempted; but, to the best of my knowledge, no such communication relative to the conduct of Roman Catholic prison chaplains, as the hon. Member refers to, has been received at the Home Office." EDUCATION-GOVERNMENT INSPECTORS AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. QUESTION. DR. CAMERON asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether the Education Department permits Government Inspectors of Schools to undertake for fees the examination of secondary schools, public or private, unconnected with their districts? VISCOUNT SANDON: The Department does not object to a Government Inspector of Schools undertaking for fees the examination of secondary schools, public or private, unconnected with his district, provided that such examinations are conducted by the Inspector in his private capacity, and do not interfere with or impede his official duties. ARMY (INDIA) -ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPLAINS.-QUESTION. MR. WHALLEY asked the Under Secretary of State for India, with reference to increased pay of Roman Catholic POST OFFICE-HOUSE OF COMMONS. Chaplains in the Indian Army, Whether QUESTION. SIR HENRY PEEK asked the Postmaster General, Whether, in view of the fact that a large proportion of Members' correspondence is on the public service in connection with their constituencies, he will consider whether the penny extra payable on letters handed in between 7 and 7.30 p.m. to go from the House of Commons Post Office by the same night's mails might not be discontinued; and, whether he can inform the House how much the extra pence amount to per Session? LORD JOHN MANNERS: The extra penny payable on letters between 7 and 7.30 P.M. is not intended for revenue purposes, but to secure the posting of letters in proper time for transmission by the mails. If there were no such extra charge the great bulk of the letters would be posted close upon half-past 7, and then it would be hardly possible to despatch the mails from St. Martin's-leGrand in proper time. As to the last part of the Question, no account was taken of the number of extra-pence letters. Mr. Whalley it is not the fact that many of them are not English, and cannot even speak English; whether the Duke of Argyll has pointed out the broad distinction between the position of the Clergy of the Churches of England and Scotland and of the Priests of the Church of Rome in India, the former being bound to obey the orders of the Government, and the latter only the orders of their spiritual superiors; and, whether any provision has been made in conceding an increase in pay of £8,570 a-year for insuring discipline and loyalty on the part of Roman Catholic Chaplains? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: I cannot state with absolute certainty whether all the chaplains employed in the Indian Army are Englishmen or not. My impression is that a certain number of them are not, and that some of them speak English badly, or not at all. The quotation from the letter of the Duke of Argyll is correct. The increase to these chaplains' pay was made in consequence of their satisfactory conduct in the past, and the Indian Government have no reason for believing that they will behave differently in the future. to Admiral Hornby by Mr. Penny. I saw them to-day for the first time, in consequence of the Question of the hon. Gentleman. The first was dated Feb GENERAL SIR GEORGE BALFOUR asked the President of the Local Go-ruary 11, 1875, about five months before vernment Board, To explain the cause of the omission from the returns of local taxation of the accounts of Queenborough, and, now that the Queenborough Harbour Bill has passed, whethe arrear accounts will be called for; and, whether steps will be taken to enforce the rendering of the accounts in the future, and to subject the transactions relating to the rates, taxes, and expenses of Queenborough, including the additions under the new Harbour Bill, to a proper audit? MR. SCLATER-BOOTH: Queenborough is one of the old chartered corpo rations which did not come under the Municipal Reform Act. It was not required to keep annual accounts of local taxation. Under the Harbour Bill powers are given to levy certain dues and tolls, of which it will be necessary to render an annual account, as well as of the building fund. The Local Government Board has no power to call for statements of arrear accounts. NAVY-CAPTAIN SULIVAN. QUESTION. MR. ANDERSON asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, If he has made inquiry into the statement of Captain Sulivan that Mr. Penny was in private communication with a Lord of the Admiralty on the subject of the dispute with his Captain; if a communication on such a subject is not irregular sent otherwise than through his commanding officer, and if these letters were received previous to the decision being given; if it be true that Captain Sulivan's removal from his ship has entailed, in addition to other punishment, a loss of increased half-pay, as stated in "Broad Arrow" of 8th July; and, whether anything will now be done in deference to the large minority which supported the Motion of the honourable Member for Poole on Tuesday last? The hon. Member said he would not ask the right hon. Gentleman to commit himself on the last branch of the Question without consideration. MR. HUNT: I have made inquiry, and find that two letters were addressed the Court of Inquiry. It had reference INDIAN MUSEUM IN LONDON. QUESTION. MR. FAWCETT asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the propriety of charging the revenues of India with either the whole or a part of the cost of erecting and maintaining a museum in London has been considered by the Secretary of State for India in Council; and, if any decision has been arrived at, whether there would be any objection to produce it, with the opinions (if any) recorded by Members of Council? LORD GEORGE HAMILTON: The question of erecting or maintaining a Museum in London from the revenues of India has not been by itself considered. Two years ago the want of space at the India Office forced us to consider how we could best house the Library and Museum, and the action of the Indian Council upon the matter is recorded; and if the hon. Gentleman considers it worth publication, I have no |