OFFICERS.-PETITION. QUESTION. MR. OTWAY said, that the punishment | INDIAN ARMY-GRIEVANCES OF INDIAN of flogging was now generally regarded as barbarous and out of date. No flogging was allowed in the Indian army. It had been abolished by Lord William Bentinck. As it would be scarcely alleged that the British soldier was inferior to the Sepoy, it would be difficult to maintain that English, Scotch, and Irish soldiers could not be managed without that punishment. MR. NEATE said, that in reference to an observation of the hon. Member for Northamptonshire (Mr. Hunt), he would ask that hon. Gentleman what became of the Conservative "platform" to-day? COLONEL PERCY HERBERT said, that in these days when the maximum of corporal punishment which officers had power to inflict had been reduced from 150 lashes to fifty, the Hounslow case was no longer in point. MR. P. A. TAYLOR said, that the arguments now used to keep up the fifty lashes were exactly similar to those which had been formerly used in support of 500, 800, and 1,000. Question put, part of the Bill." "That the Clause stand The Committee divided:-Ayes 52; Noes 21 Majority 31. Remaining clauses agreed to. House resumed. THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGH presented Petitions of Major General W. F. Beatson, Bengal Army, and Captain F. A. Dickins, Bengal Army, complaining of the Loss of Advantages sustained by reason of the Amalgamation of the British and Indian Armies, and praying for Relief, and asked the Secretary of State for India, Whether he has yet been able to come to any conclusion with respect to the suggestions offered by the late Royal Commission for the remedy of the grievances complained of by Indian Officers? EARL DE GREY AND RIPON said, no one knew better than the noble Earl the great importance as well as the great diffi culty of this question; and he thought from what had fallen from him he anticipated the answer he was about to give. As a very short time had elapsed since he entered upon the duties of the important office he now filled, he was not yet in a position to state his conclusions as to the course that might be taken upon the Report of the last Commission with respect to Indian officers. He was very well aware of the importance of avoiding unnecessary delay in coming to a conclusion upon this question; at the same time, he was sure the noble Earl and their Lordships would agree with him when he said it was not one to be dealt with hastily or without due consideration. Bill reported, without Amendment; to As soon as he should have been able to be read the third time To-morrow. investigate the facts he would lose no time in communicating to their Lordships the conclusion at which he had arrived. ABYSSINIA-IMPRISONMENT of BRITISH SUBJECTS.-QUESTION, LORD CHELMSFORD: The noble Earl the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has, I understand, just received a telegram relating to the captives in Abyssinia. I think it will be a source of great satisfac tion and comfort to the friends and relatives of the prisoners if his Lordship can communicate any intelligence that can encourage any hope of a speedy termination of their long and severe sufferings. THE EARL OF CLARENDON: Owing to the great interest the noble and learned Lord opposite has taken in the fate of the Abyssinian prisioners, I informed him last night that I had received a telegram whils sitting in this House, and I communicated to my noble and learned Friend the substanes of its contents. My noble and learned was not the eldest daughter of the SoveFriend said that, as the information would reign, a smaller sum was granted to her afford comfort to the friends of the captives, than had been granted to the Princess he thought it would be desirable that I Royal. It is now proposed to give exactly should state it publicly to-day; and I have, the same annuity to the Princess Helena therefore, brought it down. It isupon her marriage as was granted to the Princess Alice, that sum being a dowry of £30,000, and £6,000 a year. The three Royal marriages already concluded-those of the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice-have produced unalloyed domestic happiness, and I trust that the Princess Helena will meet with the same amount of happiness in the union which is about to take place. I may venture to recall to your Lordships' attention the fact, which must be known to all, that while the Princess Alice exhibited remarkable qualities both of mind and character at the time when her Royal mother met with a great calamity, yet as she left this country shortly afterwards in consequence of her marriage, which had been arranged before the death of the Prince Consort, the Princess Helena did after that time "Information was received last night from Cairo that Mr. Rassam had written on the 28th of December to Colonel Staunton (our Consul General in Egypt) to the effect that, two days previously, he had got a letter from King Theodore, by which Mr. Rassam was invited to go to the King's Court. The King had sent an escort to accompany him, and had given him every facility for the journey. Mr. Rassam intended to start King on or before the 10th of January. Things look promising, and the King's messenger gave every hope of the speedy liberation of the captives." Of course, until the prisoners have been actually set at liberty, we cannot be quite sure of their fate; but certainly things look hopeful and promising. on the above date, and calculated to meet the THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGH: I quite agree with the noble Earl that there is no certainty on the subject. PRINCESS HELENA'S ANNUITY BILL. she being the eldest unmarried daughter (Earl Russell.) (NO. 39.) SECOND READING. of the Queen-everything in her power to alleviate the sorrows of her Royal mother and comfort her by her society during her Order of the Day for the Second Read-prolonged seclusion. Every one who has ing read. had an opportunity of witnessing this is aware of the singular affection with which Her Royal Highness discharged those duties towards the Queen. I think the happiness of the Princess will be greatly increased by the fact that, while she is about to be married to a Prince on whom she has bestowed her affections, she may hope to have the happiness of residing in this country and of continuing those filial attentions to her illustrious mother which she has hitherto found to be both a pleasure and a duty to discharge. I have now, therefore, to move that the Bill be read a second time. EARL GRANVILLE: In the absence of my noble Friend at the head of the Government, in consequence of indisposition --from which, however, I am happy to say he is fast recovering-I have the honour to ask your Lordships to agree to the second reading of this Bill. The object of it is to provide an annuity for the Princess Helena. I think it is almost unnecessary for me to state that with our undoubted love of our constitutional limited monarchy and our national institutions, and even apart from any respect we may have for the personages who compose the Royal Family, we must feel it our duty, owing to a sense of dignity on the part of the coun--(The Lord President.) try, to make due provision for the Members of that illustrious Family. Your Lord ships are aware that the Queen has given up the estates which formerly belonged to the Crown; but it was not intended when those estates were surrendered that the Crown should have a smaller income than it enjoyed previously. There are already two precedents in regard to measures of this character. The first is that of the Princess Royal, and the second that of the Princess Alice. In the case, however, of the Princess Alice, as Her Royal Highness Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a." LORD CHELMSFORD: In the absence of my noble Friend the Leader of the Opposition, I venture to say that I think there will be no opportunity for my noble Friend to exercise the function which devolves upon him on occasions of this kind. I do not, however, hesitate to say that there is not a noble Lord on either side of the House who will not cordially join in the proposition that has been made. On Question, agreed to; Bill read 2 accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. PRINCE ALFRED'S ANNUITY (No. 40.) (Earl Russell.) SECOND READING. Order of the Day for the Second Reading read. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Friday, March 9, 1866. Mr. William Orme Foster and Mr. Bromley Third Reading-Marine Mutiny; Pensions* ILLNESS OF MR. SPEAKER. The House being met, the Clerk, at the Table, informed the House of the unavoidable absence of Mr. Speaker, and read the following Letter, which he had this day received :— EARL GRANVILLE: With regard to this Bill, I may state that it is recommended to your Lordships' attention as being based on the general principle to which I have already alluded. There is not, however, a precedent for this, as was the case with the previous Bill; but I hope your Lordships, considering the great. wealth of many individuals of different ranks and classes in this country, will not think £15,000 a year an exorbitant sum to give to his Royal Highness, even during his unmarried life. This proposal is not intended to affect His Royal Highness's marriage, nor is it made in contemplation of any contingency which may at some future time change his position with reference to foreign countries. The younger branch of the Royal Family enjoy a singular popularity in this country. His Royal Speaker's House, March 9, 1866. Highness Prince Alfred has been well Sir, I beg you will express to the House my educated by the late Prince Consort. He great regret that I must ask leave to absent my has visited almost every part of the world self from the service of the House to-day. I -in Europe, Africa, and America-and trust that the pain from which I have been sufhe has not only visited them but he has fering will be much relieved by rest till Monday, learnt and remembered much, Besides and that I shall resume my duties on that dry-I this he has mastered various foreign lan-have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient Servant, guages, he has acquired a considerable amount of scientific knowledge, and is as good a classical scholar as many of those who have received their education at our great public schools. I venture to think that these facts bear upon the feelings of respect and attachment which we all entertain towards the members of the Royal Family. I am sure your Lordships will have great pleasure in concurring in the Motion which I am about to make-a Motion which is in accordance with our common sense of duty, with the dignity of the country, and with the respect due to the Crown. J. EVELYN DENISON, Speaker, To Sir Denis Le Marchant, Bart. Clerk of the House of Commons. Whereupon Mr. Dodson, the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, proceeded to the Table as Deputy Speaker; and after prayers, counted the House, and Forty Members being present, took the Chair, pursuant to the Standing Order of the 20th day of July 1855. PRIVATE BILLS-STANDING ORDERS. MR. THOMAS HUGHES said, he rose Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2." to move certain Amendments of Standing -(The Lord President.) On Question, agreed to; Bill read 2 accordingly, and committed to a a Committee of the Whole House on Monday next. House adjourned at a quarter past Orders and certain new Standing Orders of which he had given notice. His Motion related to the destruction of the dwellings of the labouring classes consequent on the construction of railways and public works. His object was to provide a remedy for the great evil of overcrowding in the metropolis and other large cities consequent on the destruction of the houses of the poorer classes through the compulsory powers "And shall specify by a denoting mark against each name which, if any, of the persons named in such book of reference as owners or reputed belong to the labouring classes; and all weekly owners, lessees or reputed lessees, and occupiers, tenants and lodgers shall be deemed to belong to the labouring classes." Of course, a difficulty arose in defining given by certain Acts of Parliament. He which all believed to be necessary. He would not dwell on the evils of overcrowd- first proposed to move an addition to ing and the urgency of the case, because Standing Order 52 as follows: these were facts which were universally admitted. There were now two Bills before the House acknowledging the evil and at tempting to provide a remedy, their object being to enable local authorities to build up as many houses as might be destroyed by the companies. But though good as far as they went, it was quite necessary to supplement them by a compulsory enactment, providing that those companies which did the mischief and destroyed the houses of the poor without giving them compensation should be compelled, as a part of their scheme, to restore the dwellings and to calculate the cost of the restoration as part of the cost of their line, just as they would calculate the cost of making a cutting or a tunnel, or building a viaduct. He felt bound to say that he had been met in this matter in a very oreditable spirit by the companies chiefly affected. He had seen representatives of the chief companies in the metropolis, and they stated that they were ready to accept the obligation, and that it was only putting the saddle on the right horse to make those who were responsible for the overcrowding provide a remedy by erecting fresh dwellings for those whom they displaced. They quite admitted the principle, and were ready to adopt it. The only question was how it could best be carried out. He admitted it would be impossible to impose on the railway companies these compulsory obligations this Session, but they might be very easily carried out in subsequent Ses sions. To enable the House to see to what the evil was growing he would quote some information which a friend of his who had access to all the statistics had furnished. The number of persons who by the admission of the companies would be dispossessed in the present year was 17,815. These were actually admitted, and when they added a percentage which were never included in such Returns, he might safely say, and be within the mark, that 20,000 persons would be evicted. He had no idea when he first undertook the question of the difficulties with which it was surrounded; but having consulted persons competent to judge in these matters, he had prepared the Amendments and Standing Orders which were on the paper, and if the House should think fit to adopt them they would, he believed, provide the remedy which they were seeking, and VOL. CLXXXI. [THIRD SERIES.] "And whose rent shall not exceed 10s. weekly." formal, to be added to Clause 62-—namely— Then came a few words, which were merely "Including the building of dwellings for memvided." bers of the labouring classes, as hereinafter pro lists to be provided should be tested in Of course, it would be necessary that the add to Standing Order 133 the followsome way, and therefore he proposed to ing - It shall be competent to a Committee to and houses are situate which are sought by any admit any inhabitant of a parish in which lands Bill to be taken, to be heard on the question whether the book of reference deposited in relation to the Bill specifies correctly which of the persons named in such book of reference as owners occupiers belong to the labouring classes." or reputed owners, lessees or reputed lessees, and He proposed to leave out clauses which and which were likely to pass this Session. related to Bills now before Committees, He did that upon the suggestion of the railway companies, who said they could the Bills before the House this year, but not possibly meet his views in detail in willing to accept a general clause, providing even with respect to these Bills they were tion which might be hereafter passed on that they should be bound by any legislathe subject. Therefore the difficulty as to the general provisions for the future as to year was, in fact, removed. Then came the carrying out these Resolutions, and they were marked on the paper from A to F. The first provided that this the "The company, person, or corporation to whom hereby given to them of taking lands or houses of which any persons belonging to the labouring classes are owners, lessees, or occupiers, until the power is given shall not exercise the power 3 M company, person, or corporation shall have built one or more dwellings sufficient for the accommodation of such persons, and have obtained the certificate of two justices, or à metropolitan police magistrate, that such dwellings have been provided to his satisfaction, and in accordance with the provisions hereinafter contained." The object of that was to provide that new buildings should be erected before the old ones were taken down, and thus to prevent the breaking up of neighbourhoods, by which small shopkeepers were often utterly ruined. The next clause merely defined what sort of dwellings should be builtthat there should be proper sewerage, lighting, and ventilation, and a certain space of cubic feet for each person. Clause C provided that "The proposed site and the said plans of the dwellings so to be built shall in every case be submitted for the approval of Her Majesty's Chief Commissioner of Works, who shall have power to fix the site and to enforce the conditions laid down in the last clause, but not otherwise to alter the proposed plans." It was desirable that there should be some public officer, whether the Chief Commissioner of Works or another was immaterial, who should have charge in this matter, but it was not necessary that he should have further powers than the clause proposed to give. He proposed by Clause D to give the companies compulsory powers to take land for the purpose. At present they had only power to take land for the purposes of their line; but if they were to be obliged to restore houses they must be enabled to take land with that object. Clause E provided "If the company, person, or corporation shall offer to any owner, lessee, or occupier of any lands or houses to be taken under the provisions hereof, one or more room or rooms in the dwellings to be provided as aforesaid at a specified rent, and for a specified time, the bonâ fides of such offer shall be inquired into by the tribunal, persons, or person who, under the provisions of The Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845,' shall fix the compensation to be paid to such person, and the said offer shall be taken into consideration in fixing the amount of such compensation." The reason of the clause was this. It was quite possible that many persons evicted might not be disposed to occupy the new houses, and might clamour for compensation instead, and this clause was to protect the companies against unjust demands. By the next clause he proposed to bring all persons who might be dispossessed under the protection of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845. The clause provided that Mr. Thomas Hughes "All persons occupying lands and houses to be taken under the provisions hereof, being members of the labouring classes, shall be entitled to compensation under the provisions of The Lands Clauses Consolidation Act, 1845,' although the company, person, or corporation may, after having purchased the interests of the owners or lessees thereof, have given notice to such persons to quit, and the term fixed by such notice may have expired." That was no new principle, it was only returning to an old usage of the House, for before the passing of the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act the House was much more careful of the wants and comforts of the poor than it had been since. He trusted the House would see its way to pass the present Resolutions and amend the Standing Orders, or would, at any rate, take the matter into its most serious consideration. The noble Lord the Member for Haddingtonshire (Lord Elcho) had stated that a remedy already existed in the Standing Orders of the House of Lords, but on examining them he (Mr. T. Hughes) found that they merely provided for a few week's notice to quit, which, of course, was of no use in dealing with the evil complained of. The railway companies had met him in a fair and candid spirit, and if, as it had been stated, he used strong language on a former occasion he was sorry for it. He begged to move the addition to Standing Order 52. Amendment proposed, To add, at the end thereof, the words "and shall specify by a denoting mark against each name which, if any, of the persons named in such book of reference as owners or reputed owners, lessees or reputed lessees, and occupiers, belong to the labouring classes; and all weekly tenants and lodgers shall be deemed to belong to the labouring classes."-(Mr. Thomas Hughes.) Question proposed, "That those words be there added." COLONEL WILSON-PATTEN said, it was unnecessary for the hon. Member to offer any observations as to the merits of the object which he had in view. It had been an object with that House, but more especially with the other House of Parliament, for many years past to obtain some stricter regulations with respect to dealings with the houses of the labouring classes. There was a Standing Order of the other House much more stringent than any which the House of Commons possessed to enable the Legislature to make any enactments which it might think fit for the accommodation of the labouring classes. He would express his regret that within a short time |