4. The armed force, whether line, brigade depôt, first class army reserve, militia, yeomanry, volunteers, or pensioners whom the colonel commandant is authorised to inspect or call out for drill purposes in his sub-district, or for aid, if necessary, to the civil power: 5. The armed force and of what description in a sub-district under the orders of its colonel of concentration of troops, if any, travelling, to what extent the clergy were being officers mess, and other miscellaneous expenses turned from landowners into fundholders, attendant on the Brigade Depôt system: that the subject was one which had a and he regretted to be obliged to add deep and painful interest for many of the clergy at this moment. Owing to agricultural depression in the last two or three years, many of the clergy were placed in most embarrassing and distressing circumstances, and in a few instances there had been great distress. The subject had been under consideration in the Upper House of Convocation, commandant : 6. Whether the first class army reserve men are concentrated in a sub-district at the Brigade Depôt stations for their seven days annual instruction, and, if not, where and by whom drilled, and in what drill: 7. Number of recruits since 1871 tried for fraudulent enlistment, that is for having sworn, although under age, in their attestation papers that they were of the proper age; and what steps have been taken to prevent the award of "bringing money' for fraudulent enlistments: 8. Any battalion, which on account of the Linked Battalion system and of the necessity of its being at home in order to relieve its linked or other battalion at the termination of its foreign service, or on account of any other cause, has been ordered home in breach of the rules of the Regulation Foreign Service Roster before the completion of its foreign service: 9. Return in continuation of a Return to an Address of the House of Lords, dated the 28th of February 1876: 10. Return of Double or Linked Battalions at home being stationed in the district or subdistrict of their Brigade Depôt or Centre: 11. Any reports of the opinions of general officers commanding districts at home or in command of troops abroad of the disadvantages of the under age of the men under their command: 12. A Return of the First Class Army Reserve men who have volunteered lately, specifying whether they were in civil employment or with out it. (The Lord Strathnairn.) and the Return he now asked for-and which could, he was informed, be produced without difficulty-would be of great value. He begged to move for the Return of which he had given Notice. EARL STANHOPE, on the part of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, said, they had not the least objection to give the Return asked for. Motion agreed to. Return ordered to be laid before the House. CONVENTION (IRELAND) ACT RE- (The Lord O'Hagan.) SECOND READING. Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read. LORD O'HAGAN, in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said: My Lords, the position of this Bill relieves me from the necessity of offering argument in its favour to your Lordships. CHURCH OF ENGLAND-GLEBE LANDS. It aims to repeal an Act which is ex ceptional, affecting Ireland only, and in many of its provisions practically obsolete. Exceptional legislation can be justified only by the clearest necessity, which cannot be alleged in this case, and obsolete Acts should not be allowed to cumber the Statute Book. You are aware that the Convention Act was passed in 1793 by the Irish Parliament, at a time of great excitement, when the spirit of panic was abroad. The French Revolution had alarmed the world, and Ireland was disturbed by its influence. The Act was designed to encounter the dangers supposed to be then impending, and especially to prevent a particular Convention of delegates which was threatened at Athlone. It was represented by the Attorney General of the time as in principle only declaratory; but, in its operation, it | PUBLIC BILLS-Resolution in Committee-Ordered -First Reading-Linen and Hempen Manu- * * Select Committee-Medical Act (1858) Amend- * Committee- Report Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Orders Confirmation (Cashel, &c.) [141]: Local Government (Ireland) Provisional Order Confirmation (Downpatrick) [140]; Metropolis (Whitechapel and Limehouse) Improvement Scheme Amendment [184]; Inclosure Provisional Order (Matterdale Common) * [171]; Inclosure Provisional Order (Redmoor and Golberdon Commons) [172]; Inclosure Provisional Order (East Stainmore Common) [174]; Local Government Provisional Orders (Aspull, &c.) * [151]; Volunteer Corps (Ireland) * [5-200]. was made to act more extensively in later days. Some of the best men in the Irish Legislature resisted it. The Duke of Leinster, Lord Charlemont, and Lord Arran placed a solemn Protest against it on the Roll of the Irish House of Lords. Mr. Grattan opposed it with all his strength; but it was carried, and still remains the law of the land. It has outlived the circumstances which gave it birth, and any justification for maintaining it which they afforded. Parliament no longer fears assumption of its powers or usurpation of its functions, and against any possible assault upon them the Common Law of the land gives ample security. In the first instance, this Bill was introduced into the other House to simply repeal the Convention Act. It was debated at length, and, as I am informed, the Chief Secretary of the Lord Lieutenant intimated that if it was withdrawn, and another substituted with a clause clearly affirming the principle which makes punishable such assumption or usurpation as I have MR. BAXTER asked the Under Sedescribed, the Government would offer no opposition to it. It was amended cretary of State for India, If he can exaccordingly, and passed the House of plain why the Return relating to EccleCommons without opposition or objec-siastical Salaries in India, ordered by tion. In that position of things, I have no need to detain your Lordships further, and you will have no difficulty in giving a second reading to the Bill. Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a." -(The Lord O'Hagan.) Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Monday the 16th of June next. House adjourned at half past Six o'clock, a quarter before Five o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, * QUESTIONS. INDIA-RETURN OF ECCLESIASTICAL this House so long ago as the 5th of July 1877, has not yet been presented, and if he can undertake to lay it upon the Table at the latest before the close of this Session? MR. E. STANHOPE: I regret very much that so great a delay has occurred in the production of this Return. In accordance with the promise given in December last, I caused an inquiry to be addressed to India on the subject. The answer was that the Returns from the local Governments had been found to be unsatisfactory and wanting in uniformity, and that, therefore, fresh Returns had been called for. I presume that the mode of calculating the attendance of Government officials at Divine worship has given rise to some difference of opinion; but I hope that it will not be long before the Return can be pre MINUTES.] - NEW MEMBERS SWORN-The sented. SELECT COMMITTEE-Poor Removal, nominated. TREATY OF BERLIN-THE 23RD AR- OF TURKEY.-QUESTION. SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL asked the TICE; Class VI.—SUPERANNUATION AND RE- Under Secretary of State for Foreign TIRED ALLOWANCES, AND GRATUITIES FOR Affairs, Whether, since the renewed representations of Her Majesty's Go- | certain Tory journals, and exclude the vernment, any steps have been taken by representatives of a Liberal journal; if the Porte to give effect to that part of a chairman of a Board of Guardians the 23rd Article of the Treaty of Berlin, can of himself refuse to receive a notice which provides that local institutions of motion admittedly legal, and within analogous to those of Crete (or as sub- the rights of any individual guardian to sequently stated of Eastern Roumelia) propose, and so prevent any subject to shall be granted to the several Provinces which he may object from being forof European Turkey for which separate mally brought before the Board; and, provision is not made? whether a clerk of the peace, who is clerk to the magistrates, and from the nature of his office incapable of acting as a magistrate, is nevertheless legally qualified to act as an ex officio Poor Law Guardian? MR. BOURKE: Sir, in consequence of the representations which have been made by Her Majesty's Government on this subject, Sir Henry Layard has been informed that the Porte intends immediately to submit to a Local Commission the question of the organization of these Provinces, which under the Berlin Treaty are not specifically provided for. We have also reason to believe that at this moment an organic Statute has been passed for Eastern Roumelia which is at present under the consideration of the Porte with the view to making it applicable to those Provinces which have been alluded to by the hon. Member who asks the Question. MR. CALLAN asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to certain proceedings at the Monaghan Board of Guardians on the 30th of April, May 7th and 21st, and the correspondence between Mr. MacAleese, the proprietor of the "People's Advocate," and the Local Government Board, Ireland, with reference to the exclusion of the reporter of that journal from the board room of the Monaghan Board of Guardians, whilst the other two local being Tory journals are admitted to report the proceedings thereat, and the refusal of a Mr. Jesse Lloyd, the chairman presiding on the 30th of April, to receive the following notice of motion: MR. J. LOWTHER, in reply, said, his attention had been called to the matter, and he understood that the question of the admission or exclusion of any person, whether a representative of the Press or otherwise, rested entirely with the Board of Guardians itself, and was not in any way within the jurisdiction of the Local Government Board. As to the power of the Chairman of the Board of Guardians of himself to refuse to receive a notice of motion, he (Mr. J. Lowther) apprehended that he had no such power. However, he understood that a notice of motion identical in character with the one referred to in the Question was brought before a meeting of the Guardians specially summoned for the purpose, and it was rejected by a majority. As to the last part of the Question, that related to a legal point upon which he did not feel justified in expressing an opinion; but perhaps the hon. Gentleman would put the Question to his right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General for Ireland. MR. CALLAN: Sir, I beg to give Notice that to-morrow I shall ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether a clerk of the peace who is clerk to the magistrates, and from the nature of his office incapable of acting as a magistrate, is nevertheless legally qualified to act as an ex officio Poor Law Guardian, referring specially to the 13th section of the County Officers (Ireland) Act of 1877 ? SOUTH AFRICA THE ZULU WAR- Notice, but which, should he prefer it, I shall be happy to put again to-morrow. I should like to know, Whether the latest despatches from South Africa mention any fresh overtures for peace having been made by the Zulu King; and, if so, whether he will state to the House the result of the negotiations which have taken place? what Business they intended to take on Thursday? THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, in reply said, the Army Discipline and Regulation Bill was to be taken to-morrow at the Morning Sitting, and on Thursday they proposed to resume the adjourned discussion on Indian Finance. MR. CALLAN: Sir, I should wish to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer a Question which would convenience Irish Members very much to have answered. It is, Whether it is his intention to bring forward the Irish Estimates, or the Scotch Universities Votes before this day week? SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON: Sir, the promise which has already been given does not apply to all the Irish Estimates, nor to the Votes for the Scotch Universities. It is proposed to take the Irish Law Votes. SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH: Hon Members may probably have seen the telegram published by my right hon. and gallant Friend the Secretary of State for War in this morning's newspapers. That I think is practically correct. It appears that some messengers came from Cetewayo to General Crealock stating Cetewayo's strong desire for peace; but they did not appear to have been authorized by the Great Council or by the King to offer any terms of peace, or to be of the rank ordinarily sent for such a purpose. I believe Lord Chelmsford directed General Crealock to tell these messengers that he had informed previous messengers that any message was to be sent to him at General Wood's camp, that he was ready to recive any message under a flag of truce, and that something more than words would be re- SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON: quired, alluding, of course, to the terms I suppose I am the Member of the Goof peace dictated to Cetewayo in Decem-vernment referred to. At all events, ber last, and anticipating some reply to these proposals. PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS GREECE AND CYPRUS.-QUESTIONS. SIR CHARLES W. DILKE asked, When the Greek and Cyprian Papers would be delivered to Members? MR. BOURKE, in reply, said, the Cyprian Papers would be delivered tomorrow or the day after; and the Greek Papers at the end of next week, or the beginning of the week following. SIR JULIAN GOLDSMID asked, When the Egyptian Papers would be delivered? MR. BOURKE hoped they would speedily be circulated. PARLIAMENT BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.-QUESTIONS. THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON asked, If it was to be understood that the Army Discipline and Regulation Bill would be proceeded with at the Morning Sitting on the morrow (this day); and, if the Government could state MR. CALLAN: I understood that before the Recess some Member on the opposite side stated that none of the Irish Estimates would be taken on the first night after the Recess. Might I ask if that is so? what I did say was that I would take none of the Votes objected to by certain hon. Members for Ireland; but with regard to the Irish Law Votes I made no promise. I gave no pledge whatever and I would not take the Law Votes of Class III. In fact, I did say I would take Class III. as it stood. ORDERS OF THE DAY. SUPPLY-CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES. [Progress.] SUPPLY-considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) CLASS III.-LAW AND JUSTICE. (1.) Motion made, and Question proposed, "That a sum, not exceeding £129,351, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come the 31st day of March 1880, for the Expense of in course of payment during the year ending on the Maintenance of Juvenile Offenders in Reformatory, Industrial, and Day Industrial Schools in Great Britain, and for the Salaries | the Scotch schools were paid 4s. 6d. per and Expenses of the Inspectors of Refor- head. He should be prepared, on the matories." part of the Treasury, to raise the sum MR. JAMES STEWART said, that of 4s. 6d. to 58. in cases where the Inin the absence of his hon. Friend the spector of Reformatories, having satisfied Member for Paisley (Mr. W. Holms), himself that the school was an efficient he would move the reduction of the item one, had certified that it was founded of £112,000 for Industrial Schools in before 1872. He could not place the England by the sum of £6,891. It Scotch schools in a different position would be remembered that last Session with regard to schools founded after that exception was taken to this Vote on the date, which were paid at the rate of ground that there was no valid reason 38. 6d. per child. why the allowance for children in the industrial schools for Scotland should be less than the allowance made in England. The hon. Gentleman the Secretary to the Treasury (Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson) stated, then, that the Government were prepared to take the matter into their consideration, and upon that understanding the Scotch Members did not press the matter to a Division. He (Mr. James Stewart) thought it was incumbent on the Scotch Members now to do more than they did last year, because they felt disappointed that the Vote should not have been equalized, and the payment for children in Scotland placed on the same footing as that for children in England. He, therefore, begged to move the Amendment which stood on the Paper in the name of his hon. Friend the Member for Paisley. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Item of £112,000, for Industrial Schools, England, be reduced by the sum of £6,891."—(Mr. James Stewart.) SIR GEORGE CAMPBELL said, they could not ask more than that the Scotch schools should be placed precisely on the same footing as the English schools. He desired to know from the hon. Gentleman the Secretary to the Treasury, whether the English schools were to be subjected to the same condition as the hon. Gentleman had just stated would be imposed as regarded the Scotch schools in respect to the payment of 58. per child, and whether a certificate was required before the payment was made? SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON said, that was the rule under which the English grant was made; and all he could say was that, in making this addition to the Scotch rate, these schools would be subjected to the same condition that the English schools were subjected to-that was, that there must be a certificate of efficiency. Already the Treasury to the industrial schools at Edinburgh had sanctioned an increase at this rate and Glasgow; but it had never been carried out. MR. C. S. PARKER thanked the hon. Baronet for the concession he had made. He was sure that the Scotch Representatives were satisfied with the concession as now explained, and he hoped that the new arrangement would take effect immediately. MR. JAMES STEWART said, after the explanation of the hon. Baronet the Secretary to the Treasury, he would withdraw his Amendment. SIR HENRY SELWIN-IBBETSON submitted that when this question was under discussion last year, he expressed the intention to look into the case with the view of seeing whether this payment ought not to be raised in Scotland to the amount paid in England. As the result of the inquiry he had made, he was prepared, on behalf of the Treasury, to accept the recommendation of the Inspector of Reformatories in favour of any school that was placed in this invidious position. The case really stood MR. W. H. JAMES asked for an exin this way-In 1861 the Scotch refor-planation of the diminution to the extent matory schools were paid at the rate of of £1,000 in the grant to the Day In48. per child, which grant was raised industrial School. As far as he was 1867 to 4s. 6d., at which figure it now aware, there was only one school of the stood. With regard to the English scale, all schools that dated before 1872 were in receipt of 58. for every child of the same age as those children for whom Motion, by leave, withdrawn. kind established throughout the whole of England, and it would be re-assuring if the hon. Baronet could state that it was being carried on successfully, and |