of the Railway bridges crossing many of the leading streets; and whether it is his intention to take such steps as will insure the erection of screens upon each of such bridges? MR. MILNER GIBSON said, in reply, that the attention of the Board of Trade had recently been called by an individual to the danger referred to in the question of the hon. Member. If road authorities represented to the Board of Trade that danger to persons travelling on any road under their jurisdiction was to be apprehended from horses being frightened by the sight of engines on a railway, the Board of Trade had power, under the Railway Clauses Act, 1845, to order the erection of a screen, if it appeared that the danger could be so obviated; but the Board of Trade could not, under the law, act on the representation of private persons. SALARIES OF THE CUSTOMS' CLERKS. MR. CHILDERS said, in reply, that there were about 600 clerks in the London Customs, and several memorials having been addressed to the Treasury, the case of each had been very carefully inquired into by himself, the Chairman of the Board of Customs, and the Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue. A new scale of salaries was to be substituted for the one now in force, and would be seen in the Estimates for the Revenue Department. He might say in general terms that there were in the warehousing department of the Customs 270 junior clerks and officers. The former were now divided into six classes, with salaries commencing at £75 a year, and rising by £5 a year to £120, and their maximum was £260. It was proposed in future to divide them into three classes, rising by £10 a year after the first two years from a minimum of £80 to a maximum of £300. The principal clerks would rise to £350, instead of £300. The controllers and assistant controllers would begin at £360, instead of £320, and would rise to £500, instead of £450 a year. In the Inspector General's and Examiner's Offices there were about former now began with £75, and only rose by £5 to £170. He proposed to divide them also into three classes, and apply the same arrangement to them as to the clerks in the warehousing department. A main feature of the scheme would be very advantageous to the public service generally, for it was proposed to substitute for a large number of the junior clerks a class who were to be called writers, who would be paid daily or weekly, and who would not be considered in the same station as the gentlemen who were popularly called clerks in the public offices. That plan had already been adopted with great success at the Admiralty, and it was found greatly to increase the flow of promotion. With regard to the outports, he proposed to examine the question with the same minuteness as in London. He had already gone through the Liverpool Custom House, and he hoped during the next month to go through the whole department of the Customs at the outports. There were about 250 or 300 clerks for a Copy of the Treasury Minute which, at these outports. He proposed to move with the Estimates, would give the House all the information it required. SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE said, he wished to ask whether there would be any Minute as to the status of the body of writers? MR. CHILDERS said, that the Trea sury Minute would explain it, but there were details as to increase in wages and superannuation which had not been definitely fixed. THE CATTLE PLAGUE.-QUESTION. SIR ANDREW AGNEW: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, considering the probable fate of the Cattle Plague Bill, he the less objectionable Clauses of both the means to propose a measure embodying this House? measures on the subject that have passed SIR GEORGE GREY: I do not know what the hon. Baronet means by referring to the probable fate of the Cattle Plague Bill. I have heard no report concerning in the House of Lords to refer it to a Select it, except that a proposition has been made Committee. INDIA-EXPEDITION TO BHOOTAN. QUESTION. MR. OTWAY said, he wished to ask 220 junior clerks and chief clerks. The the Under Secretary of State for India, 1199 Colonial Governors {COMMONS} (Retiring Pensions) Bill. 1200 Whether the statement in the newspapers means of communication. It might be of a telegram which has been received with necessary to exclude from the operation of unusual celerity from Calcutta, announcing the Bill short journey trains stopping at the restoration of the guns taken in the expedition to Bhootan, may be considered authentic; and, if so, whether, the guns being restored, and the last stipulation of the Treaty made with the Government of India being thus performed, it may not be considered that all prospect of an expedition into Bhootan is now at an end? every station and the metropolitan railways. The question whether the means were proper and efficient would be left to the Board of Trade. The President of the Board of Trade, he believed, thought it would be better if the Bill, after receiving a second reading, were referred to a Select Committee. If that course were taken, the details of the measure might easily be settled by the Committee in two or three days. MR. MILNER GIBSON said, he had no objection to the introduction of the Bill, but must reserve his opinion as to particular clauses. Motion agreed to. Bill to compel the Directors of Railway Companies to provide efficient means of communication between the Travellers by and the Guards in Answer to Address [23rd February] re-charge of Railway Trains, ordered to be brought ported, as follows :— in by Mr. HENRY B. SHERIDAN and Mr. HARD CASTLE. COLONIAL GOVERNORS (RETIRING LEAVE. MR. BAILLIE COCHRANE moved for I have received your Address, praying that I will give directions that a Monument be erected in the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter, Westminster, to the memory of the Right honourable Viscount Palmerston, with an inscription expressive leave to bring in a Bill to amend an Act passed last Session, called "The Colonial of the public admiration and attachment, Governors (Retiring Pensions) Act." He and of the heavy loss which the Country said, that without trespassing at any length has sustained by his death; and assuring on the attention of the House, he wished Me that you will make good the expenses to point out those features of the Act of last attending the same. year which rendered that measure, although introduced by the Colonial SecreAnd I shall give directions in accord-tary with the very kindest and best intenance with your Address. RAILWAYS (GUARDS' AND PASSENGERS' COMMUNICATION).—LEAVE. MR. H. B. SHERIDAN moved for leave to bring in a Bill to compel the directors of railway companies to provide efficient means of communication between the travellers by and the guards in charge of railway trains. He said, he need not then trouble the House with more than one or two observations as it would be more convenient to take the discussion on the Bill after it was printed. Such a communication as that which his measure contemplated was not only necessary, but it had been adopted in France, and was found perfectly practicable. The Bill provided a penalty for the wanton use of the Mr. Otway tions, perfectly useless. That right hon. Gentleman's Bill bestowed pensions on Colonial Governors who had served for eighteen years, and who were sixty years of age; but no gentleman who had served in the colonies in any other capacity than as Governor was allowed to count the time during which he had resided there. Now, these conditions made the measure inoperative. In the first place, there were not two instances of Governors who had served for more than or even for eighteen years. A Colonial Governor was appointed for a period of six years; it was by the greatest possible interest and favour that he ever obtained three governments; and even if he received three governments, it very rarely happened that he served the whole six years in each. Again, assuming that a Governor was appointed at thirty, and that he had the good fortune to hold three | in Victoria, and in North America showed governments in succession for the full how very mistaken was such a notion. Genterms, he would come home at forty-eight; tlemen were sent out to these posts to but under the right hon. Gentleman's Act represent their Sovereign, with the possihe would have to remain without any pen- bility of having their conduct violently sion whatever for twelve years, until he assailed while they were doing their best, was sixty. He might die of starvation in and their characters blasted by the ignothe meanwhile. It was a great hardship rance or the malevolence of parties at not to allow these gentlemen to count other home. And yet, after they had served Colonial service besides that rendered by their country under such circumstances for them in the capacity of Governor. With- fifteen or sixteen years, they would not out mentioning names, one instance in receive the most trifling pittance on their proof might be quoted. A gentleman of return. The salaries of those gentlemen, great distinction and consideration had who had to represent the Sovereign, were served in different capacities in the colo- not sufficient to enable them to make a nies from 1827 to 1847. In the latter future provision for their families or to inyear he was appointed as Governor of an sure their lives, a thing which, by the way, important colony, and he filled the same could only be done in such climates at very post in different parts of the world from high rates. The Chancellor of the Ex1847 to 1861. Thus he had acted in the chequer, as he had understood, had last colonies as Governor for fourteen years, and year thrown some obstacles in the way of for twenty years before that he had served a more satisfactory settlement of that quesin the colonies in other capacities; yet he tion; because at one time, he believed, it was not entitled to more than a trifling was proposed that other Colonial service pension. The Bill which he now asked besides that rendered as Governor was to permission to introduce was one of a very be allowed to count, but the Chancellor of moderate character. It reduced the time the Exchequer would not sanction it. of service three years-from eighteen years Whether that had been the fact or not, it to fifteen-which rendered the condition as was to be hoped that the right hon. Gento three governments a practical one. It tleman would think better of it now, and, also gave the pension to any Governor the giving to that matter the fair consideramoment he was entitled to it, unless he tion which the justice of the case demandreceived other employment; and it per- ed, would allow the present Bill not only mitted these officers to count all the time to be brought in, but to pass. The hon. during which they had been engaged in the Gentleman concluded by moving for leave Colonial service. It was to be hoped that to introduce the Bill. the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Cardwell), having seen the working of his Act, or rather how little use it was, would not only assent to the introduction of that Bill, but to its passing into law. Since last year there had been a great change in regard to the position of Colonial Governors. Last year he had urged on the House the importance of the duties of those officers, how they ought to be supported by the Home Government, and that justice should be done to those men who devoted their time and their energies to the service of their country in distant lands. Events had since transpired which must have impressed upon the House the great importance and the heavy responsibility attached to those posts. During the discussions of last year some hon. Gentlemen treated lightly the position of Colonial Governors, spoke of them as being, after all, unimportant, as being given to half-pay officers who were not capable of filling great situations. The recent occurrences in Jamaica, MR. CARDWELL said, it was not his intention to offer any objection to the introduction of the Bill; but he must suppose that his hon. Friend would take proper care so to arrange the measure as to make it accord with the rules of the House when he did introduce it. The Bill of last Session had met with greater favour with Colonial Governors than his hon. Friend was aware of. He could not admit that it had been entirely inoperative, because it appeared from the papers which had just been laid on the table that seven Colonial Governors had already received well-merited pensions, so that instead of the measure being considered valueless it had been properly appreciated. He thought it would be better to postpone the consideration of the provisions of the Bill of his hon. Friend till the House had had an opportunity of seeing it. His hon. Friend understood the great difficulty everybody had to encounter with a Bill of this kind, and he could not hold out any encouragement that Her Ma jesty's Government, who had given much consideration to the subject, were prepared to depart from the arrangement made during the last Session of Parliament. Motion agreed to. the municipal institutions of the country. The latter course was adopted. Parliament determined to establish a municipality adapted as far as possible to the peculiar circumstances of the metropolis. He did not think the House would be disposed to Bill to amend an Act passed in the twenty-recede from the conclusion at which it then eighth and twenty-ninth years of Her present Majesty, intituled "The Colonial Governors (Retiring Pensions) Act," ordered to be brought in by Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE and Mr. CAVE. METROPOLITAN LOCAL GOVERN- SELECT COMMITTEE MOVED FOR. MR. AYRTON said, he should not be justified in troubling the House with many observations, because statements had already been made in the House bearing on the conclusion at which he wished to arrive. But he felt it necessary to make a few remarks in order to prevent any misapprehension respecting the motives and objects which he had in view. It was easy to suggest a theory for getting rid of all inconveniences which annoyed the inhabitants of the metropolis, but when the subject was considered practically it was beset with considerable difficulties-not the least of which was the immense magnitude of the undertaking. They had to deal with an area larger than that of any other city some 70,000 acres, with a population approaching 3,000,000, occupying 360,000 houses. The value of the property at stake could only be measured by its rateable value, which amounted to £13,000,000. The real annual value was probably not less than £15,000,000. It was not easy to grapple with such a state of things, but the difficulty was increased when it was known that for 200 years the metropolis had been allowed to grow up and govern itself in the manner which accorded most with the views of the various local bodies. The result was a most extraordinary chaos. Everything connected with local government had degenerated into abuse. The interests of the community were sacrificed for the benefit of private individuals. It was in this state of things that Lord Llanover undertook the task of establishing municipal institutions for the metropolis. The House must be struck with the great ability he manifested. It was open to Parliament at that time either to let the metropolis be governed Imperially and to set up prefects, after the manner of Paris and other continental cities, or to establish bodies more in accordance with our own Constitution and Mr. Cardwell The arrived. But Lord Llanover, contemplating the difficulties of his position, was com pelled to show some deference to opposite opinions, and arrived at conclusions in the nature of a compromise. Instead of giving full scope to municipal institutions he passed a measure containing many peculiar qualifications, and amongst others he reserved to the Government the power of controlling the chief municipal body. By taking that course the worst of all possible systems was established-that of divided responsibility. In the first effort made by the Board the Government attempted to interfere, a collision between the Government and the local authorities ensued, and the result showed the disastrous consequences arising from such a state of things. Lord Llanover was led by speculative individuals into proposing a draining scheme, the estimated cost of which was from £7,000,000 to £11,000,000. Metropolitan Board, taking a commonsense view of the matter, were satisfied with a scheme, the estimated cost of which was about £3,000,000. The right hon. Member for Buckinghamshire (Mr. Disraeli), who was then in office, adopted the wise course of declining to interfere in the municipal affairs of the metropolis. He committed the whole affair to the responsibility of the Metropolitan Board, and repealed those portions of the Act which established any control over their proceedings. The Board had carried out their plan at a cost, owing to the rise in prices, greater than that originally proposed, but at about one-third of the cost of the specula tive scheme suggested by the Government. Since the adoption of that scheme by the Metropolitan Board an instance of divided administration had been seen in the setting up by the Government of a scheme of embankment. Instead of adhering to the wise policy of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Buckinghamshire, a noble Lord present on the Opposition side of the House (Lord John Manners) again interfered, and proposed a scheme for the embankment of the Thames. It was a most ill-considered scheme, in which grave errors existed. The Government, unfortunately, had not to pay the money required from the public revenue, but from local resources. matters, and the metropolis derived great Government did not seem to be impressed benefit from its labours, not the least of with a due sense of the responsibility con- which was to place on the Metropolitan nected with the undertaking. At the time Board and the local boards the duty of he (Mr. Ayrton) pointed it out as an ill- protecting the inhabitants from railway inconsidered plan, that streets had been laid vasion, instead of throwing that responsiout which never could be made, that certain bility on individuals. He would not enter bargains had been made with influential into any minute examination of the recomnoblemen, and that these bargains would mendations of that Committee, or the be set out as schemes which had been extent to which those recommendations had sanctioned by Parliament, and that it been carried out. But the growing extent would be impossible to carry out the plan- of the duties of the Metropolitan Board and yesterday he was sorry to say he had rendered it necessary to take up the subject seen all his predictions fulfilled. The again, in order to arrive at some satisfacMetropolitan Board, not being allowed to tory conclusion with respect to the improceed, had no responsibility. They ac- provement necessary to enable them to cepted the measure of the Government, perform the duties devolving upon them. causing an absolute loss to the metropolis That would be the first object of the Comwhich could only be measured by hundreds mittee. The next object would be to of thousands of pounds. He hoped this inquire into the taxation of the metropolis, result would warn the Government against and that inquiry would not be prosecuted making themselves responsible for local without difficulty. It was easy for a board self-government. However much indivi- to improve the metropolis provided they duals might depreciate the position of those had an unlimited supply of funds; but the who undertook the task of local self- people of this metropolis were unwilling to government, yet in the end they were be taxed for the gratification or caprice of found to be people of common sense and other persons, and there was a steady sound judgment, and better able to deal resistance to the attempts to impose large with the subject than some persons who sums in the shape of local taxation. The were intrusted with the dignity of Ministers Metropolitan Board, wherever it was of State. In submitting his Motion to the charged with any dereliction of duty, or House he had no intention of departing want of zeal in carrying out improvements, from the principle of local government invariably stated that they had not suffi recognized by it at first, and afterwards cient resources at their command, and sanctioned by the Administration of Lord that the local taxation was so extremely Derby. Undoubtedly the task set the heavy that it had reached its utmost municipality was one of great and increas- limit. That statement was to a consiing magnitude and difficulty. No sooner derable extent correct. The total amount was a great municipal body established of local taxation in the metropolis amountthan wants, which had been long neglected, ed to upwards of £2,500,000. were brought under the consideration of was no inconsiderable sum, but if it the House. It found that the easiest mode were thought necessary to gratify the deof dealing with them was to hand them sires of some hon. Members and of some over to the Metropolitan Board. From scientific gentlemen out of the House, esSession to Session grave duties and serious pecially those who dedicated themselves to responsibilities had been imposed upon the the cultivation of art, it was impossible to board. Therefore, it was that the Me- say to what extent local taxation would be tropolitan Board and the subordinate necessary. The taxation of the metropolis boards, although well suited to the was twofold-direct and indirect. Nothing duties first imposed on them, were not could be more inconvenient, or in the end suited to many of the duties which they more disastrous, than to allow local boards now had to discharge. He felt this diffi- to raise money by indirect taxation, beculty so much, that five years ago he cause by that means they obtained large moved the appointment of a Select Com-resources without making the expenditure mittee, which investigated many questions of great importance, but nevertheless its labours came to a close at the end of the Session. He did not complain of the result of the labours of that Committee. On the contrary, it disposed of some important That at once and directly felt by the community. The advantage of direct taxation in local government, on the contrary, was immense, because the ratepayers were thus made alive to the expenditure, and were induced to look after their own interest. The |