mittee, to ask some questions of the working men themselves, in order to ascertain what their views upon the matter were; and, therefore, he thought his hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow (Mr. Anderson) had done well in bringing the question forward. Then, again, he did not look very favourably upon the alliance between the Metropolitan Board of Works and the City of London. He did not think that the Metropolitan Board of Works was the most popular Body in London at the present time; and he did not think it would do much good to prevent public opinion being heard before the Committee. He should certainly support his hon. Friend if he carried his Motion to a division. He was bound to say very much in consequence. The House divided :-Ayes 73; Noes 171: Majority 98.-(Div. List, No. 124.) Bill committed. QUESTIONS. that, under the circumstances of the case, ALKALI WORKS ACT, 1881-REPORTS it would be the duty of the Committee to ascertain the best means by which the Railway could be ventilated. OF INSPECTORS. Notice was given of this Question. The printing is being expedited; but the printers tell me it will be a fortnight before proofs can be obtained, which seems a long time. No delay that can be avoided shall take place, and arrangements will be made that in the coming year the Reports shall be presented at an earlier date. SIR R. ASSHETON CROSS asked MR. ALDERMAN W. LAWRENCE said, the President of the Local Government the Corporation of London, the Com-Board, When the Reports of the Inspecmissioners of Sewers, and the Metro- tors under the Alkali Works Act, 1881, politan Board of Works were all agreed will be in the hands of Members ? that the best way to bring this matter SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, to a speedy termination would be to The Reports of the Inspectors under the refer it to an ordinary Committee in the Alkali Works Act, 1881, were in the usual way. Those who opposed the in-hands of the printers shortly before troduction of the Bill now moved that the Committee should be appointed in a different way from the usual way, and it was plain that their object was to delay the measure. His hon. Friend the Member for Southwark (Mr. Thorold Rogers) said there were millions of people travelling by this Railway, and it was the duty of the House to see that they were not smothered by the smoke which the Railway Company emitted from their engines. At the same time, his hon. Friend pointed out that the ventilation might be conducted in a better manner than it was at present. No doubt, the Railway could be ventilated in a different manner from that which was now adopted. He therefore hoped the House would not be led away by those who opposed the Bill, and that they would not, by adopting the Motion of the hon. Member for Glasgow (Mr. Anderson), shunt the Bill to another Committee. MR. STEWART MACLIVER said, that his hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow had travelled for a good many years upon this Railway, and he did not see that his hon. Friend had suffered Mr. Thorold Rogers NAVY-DOCKYARD SHIP FITTERS. MR. BROADHURST asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it is the intention of the Admiralty to make any alteration with regard to the ship fitting branches; and, whether it is contemplated to withdraw the shipwrights' apprentices from the fitting shops in the two dockyards where, under the new system, they have been introduced? MR. CAMPBELL - BANNERMAN: Sir, the Report of the Committee, presided over by the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, which has inquired into the Constructors' Department, deals with the two questions raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke. I hope that that Report will very shortly be laid on the Table, and it will supply a much more complete reply to my hon. | stances vary. My hon. Friend will see Friend's inquiry than I could give in that it would not be wise to treat all answer to him at this time. I would exactly the same. We are waiting furtherefore ask him to await its produc- ther explanations on the subject. tion, and I trust there will be very little delay. EGYPT-EGYPTIAN EXILES IN CEYLON. MR. LABOUCHERE asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he has received a Letter, signed by the Egyptian exiles in Ceylon, regarding their view of the engagements entered into between Her Majesty's Government and them on the occasion of their pleading guilty to the charge of rebellion against the Egyptian Government, together with a copy of a Letter on the same subject from Mr. Mark Napier, also a Letter from Toulba Pacha in regard to a change in his place of exile; whether he will lay these Papers upon the Table of the House; and, whether any steps are being taken to secure to the exiles the minimum allowance which the Governor of Ceylon has stated is requisite for them, viz. £50 per month to each family? LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: Yes, Sir; these Papers will be laid upon the Table. It is under consideration, in distributing the additional £500 recently awarded to the prisoners, to distinguish the different cases so far as possible, and to assist those most in need. Her Majesty's Government are in communication with Sir Edward Malet and the Governor of Ceylon in the matter. MR. LABOUCHERE asked whether the houses free of rent which these exiles now occupied would be taken from them? LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: That is a further question which will be taken into consideration in connection with what I have just now stated. MR. LABOUCHERE: Are we to understand that no effect is to be given to the views of the Governor of Ceylon that these exiles ought to have from £40 to £50 a-year allowed them in place of the rent of these houses? LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE : A distinction will be drawn according to their circumstances. We are informed on very good authority that one of these exiles is well off; in fact, their circum MR. E. STANHOPE: Is it true that the first act of the Governor of Ceylon, on returning to the Island after a three months' leave of absence, was to give a banquet to Arabi Pasha and his fellowprisoners? LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE : I have no information on that point. SIR HENRY HOLLAND: Will the noble Lord say whether a Copy of the despatch of the Governor of Ceylon will also be laid on the Table? LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE: I must ask my hon. Friend to give Notice of that Question. LAND LAW (IRELAND) ACT, 1881 — IRISH LAND COMMISSION-SECTION 60-"CHAINE v. NELSON." MR. TOTTENHAM asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the recent decision of the Common Pleas Division of the High Court of Justice in Ireland, in the case of Chaine v. Nelson, had the effect of altering the view taken of the sixtieth section of the Land Act by the Land Commissioners, and showing that their action under this section had been ultra vires; whether a special Circular was issued by them on 21st May, intimating that, in consequence of the decision of the Court of Common Pleas, the date of the judicial rent commencing to accrue is the gale day next after the actual decision fixing such rent, and not earlier; if it is the case that, notwithstanding such Circular, the Sub-Commissioners, or some of them, continue to use the form of order as previously; and, what steps it is proposed to take to modify the orders already made, but now decided to have been illegal? MR. TREVELYAN: I understand, Sir, that the personal opinion of the Land Commissioners remains unchanged; but they, of course, accept the decision of the Common Pleas Division so long as it remains unaltered on appeal. With regard to the Circular of the 21st of May, the circumstances are that numerous inquiries having been made as to the effect of the decision, the Commissioners thought it right to prepare a Minute showing that effect. The Order to which the hon. Member refers directs and determines no question relating to the judicial rent. It merely uses the words of the 60th section of the Act of 1881. MR. TOTTENHAM: The right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of my Question, which refers to Orders already made. MR. TREVELYAN: I presume the Commissioners are awaiting the result of the appeal, which, I am told, will be determined very shortly. PUBLIC HEALTH-VACCINATION DEATH IN ST. PANCRAS WORKHOUSE. MR. HOPWOOD asked the President of the Local Government Board, If his attention has been called to the proceedings at an inquest on Saturday last respecting the death of Herbert Walsh, vaccinated in St. Pancras Workhouse by the public vaccinator, in which a medical witness attributed the death of the child to the cessation of mother's milk caused by the mother having been re-vaccinated without her consent being asked the day after the child's birth; to the statement of the public vaccinator that in re-vaccinating mothers a few hours after their confinement he was acting under the advice and with the knowledge of the Local Government Board; whether the child was vaccinated when only eight days old; whether the Local Government Board approve of the re-vaccination of a woman, with or without her consent, so early after her confinement while nursing her infant, or of the vaccination of an infant so young; and, whether the Board will issue directions to restrain a practice attended with such results? SIR CHARLES W. DILKE: Sir, the Board have obtained a copy of the depositions taken at the inquest respecting the death of Herbert Walsh. It was stated by a medical practitioner at the inquest that he was of opinion that the vaccination of the mother caused the flow of milk to cease, and the verdict of the jury was to the effect that the child died from inanition or wasting, caused by the absence of the mother's breast milk and want of proper nourishment. On the other hand, three medical men, including Dr. Sharkey, assistant physician at St. Thomas's Hospital, and Dr. Henderson, pathologist of St. Mary's Hospital, who were examined at the inquest, could see no connection between Mr. Trevelyan the suppression of the milk of the mother and the vaccination; and, in fact, there was no cessation of the milk for a month after the time when the woman was vaccinated. The mother was re-vaccinated on the day after her confinement. She was admitted into the workhouse in labour, and was delivered early in the afternoon of the same day. There had consequently been no previous opportunity of re-vaccinating her. The labour was a natural one, and the mother was progressing favourably; and the medical officer was satisfied, from his previous experience, that the operation could be performed without injurious effect. With regard to the question whether the consent of the woman to the re-vaccination was obtained, the medical officer in his evidence at the inquest stated that the mother knew that she was going to be vaccinated, and raised no objection; and that in cases where objection has been made he has not vaccinated. The Board have not advised the re-vaccination of mothers a few hours after their confinement, and the Board have no reason to suppose that this is general practice. The child was vaccinated when eight days old. As regards the re-vaccination of mothers on the day after their confinement, the Board have been content to leave this to the discretion of the medical attendant, who can best estimate the risk of small-pox encountered by the woman during her stay in the lying-in ward. The Board have not had occasion to announce their approval or disapproval of the practice; but, under ordinary circumstances, would think it better that any required re-vaccination should not be associated with the accidents of the lying-in room. With regard to the vaccination of infants a few days after birth, I would refer to my answers to Questions on the 20th of February and the 6th of March. With respect to the case of the mother referred to in the Question, the Board will communicate with the medical officer. ARMY PAY DEPARTMENT-THE COMMITTEE ON DRESS OF THE ARMY. COLONEL O'BEIRNE asked the Secretary of State for War, Why the Army Pay Department is the only Department that has not an officer to represent it on the Committee which is now sitting, under the presidency of Colonel Harri son, R.E., for the purpose of remodelling month; but as the Medical Vote was the equipment and the uniform of the comparatively small in amount, and as Officers of the Army; and, whether it is the discussion to be raised upon it a fact that there are now 278 Officers would probably take a considerable serving in the Army Pay Department? time, he proposed to postpone the Vote SIR ARTHUR HAYTER: Sir, there until the next following evening on are no Departmental officers on this which the Army Estimates were put Standing Committee for remodelling down. As to the date on which Vote 4 the equipment and uniform of officers would be taken, he hoped to be in a of the Army; but if a question affect- position to make a statement to the ing a Department be under consideration, House on the night this month which, the Committee has power to associate as he had stated, would have to be with it ad hoc a member of the Depart- dovoted to the obtaining supplies for ment concerned. In reply to the second the Army. Question of my hon. and gallant Friend, I have to say that on the 1st of May there were 282 officers serving in the Army Pay Department. MR. GIBSON asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether, having regard to the grave charges and insinuations freely brought in evidence before Lord Morley's Committee, and in the Press, against Medical Officers in the late Egyptian war, he will take care that the Vote in the Army Estimates relating to the Medical Service of the Army (Vote 4) is taken at a time when those interested in vindicating the conduct of those officers will have ample opportunity of doing so; can he now name the day on which that Vote will be taken; and, will adequate notice be given of the day selected for taking the Vote? THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, that it would be necessary for the requirements of the Public Service to obtain some Votes for the Army during the course of the present PUBLIC HEALTH - METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL. MR. W. M. TORRENS asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he will by acquiescence sanction the renewal of litigation by the Metropolitan Asylums Board, with the owners of property and residents of Hampstead, respecting the use of the hospital there for fever or small-pox patients? SIR CHARLES W.DILKE: Sir, the Lord Chancellor, in delivering judgment, said "I think that there ought to be a new trial in this case, because the verdict of the jury upon the main issue does appear to me to have been founded upon a state of evidence which is not to my mind satisfactory, having regard to the nature and importance of the question to be determined." The heavy expense which the litigation involves is much to be regretted. The Board have reason to believe that an endeavour has been made to arrive at a compromise, but that the offer has not been entertained by the plaintiffs. In the event of the case proceeding, no sanction on the part of the Board is nccessary to enable the managers to defend the action brought against them, and the matter is not one in which the Board have any authority to interfere. INLAND NAVIGATION, &c. (IRELAND)— BRIDGE ACROSS THE SHANNON. MR. BIGGAR asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Is he aware that the Grand Juries of Leitrim and Roscommon have levied and have now on hand a considerable part of the sum requisite to construct à bridge over the Shannon at Upper Drumkerriff near Drumshambo, and if he will use his influence with the Grand Juries to have this reform carried out, the present dilapitated bridge being on the leading road from Enniskillen to Boyle, and also said bridge causes such an obstruction of the river that much land is consequently often flooded? MR. TREVELYAN: I understand, Sir, that this matter is in the hands of a Joint Committee, consisting of members of each of the Grand Juries concerned and the respective County Surveyors. This Committee was not satisfied with the plans originally prepared. Fresh plans are being prepared with all possible despatch, and it is expected that the work will be actually commenced at an early date. MR. KENNY asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it be true that a young female pauper named Keenan, servant to the matron of the Belfast Workhouse, and under her immediate control, was seduced by a male pauper named Reid, the result of which was a child was born; is it true that Reid was married to another female pauper, prior to Keenan's seduction, named Beckett; is it a fact that Keenan and her child, and Reid and his wife, continue paupers in the workhouse although able-bodied and fit for work, and that Reid holds a position of trust as pauper assistant in the workhouse, which enables him to have access to various parts of the institution; will he, as President of the Local Government Board, cause an inquiry to be made as to how many similar cases of imposition exist in the Belfast Workhouse, and is he able to say whether the guardians have taken any steps to discontinue relief to these recipients, or to prevent a repetition of such disgraceful conduct? MR. TREVELYAN: No, Sir; no such communication has been received. In answer to the Question of the hon. Member for Ennis (Mr. Kenny), I have to say that it is true that a woman named Keenan had an illegitimate child, but there is no ground for supposing that the father of the child was in the workhouse. Charges of the character mentioned were made against a pauper named Reid by another pauper named James Cullen, who immediately afterwards left the workhouse, and has not since come forward to substantiate his charges, although every effort has been made to find him and bring him before the Guardians for the purpose. His statements were wholly unsupported, and their truth was distinctly denied by the persons concerned when the Guardians inquired into the matter last September. It is not the case that Reid holds a position of trust as a pauperassistant. At the time when the charges referred to were made against him he was removed from the position which he formerly held, and has not since been restored to it. He has lately been admitted into the infirmary. MR. KENNY: With reference to the Question of the hon. Member for Armagh (Mr. J. N. Richardson), I may state that I am in communication with the gentleman who supplied me with information on that subject, and I expect to be able to substantiate the charge in a few days. At the same time, I have not the slightest doubt of the accuracy of the statement contained in my Question. TRADE AND COMMERCE-NEW TURKISH TARIFF BRITISH IMPORTS INTO TURKEY. MR. MONK asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he is able to make any further communication to the House respecting the imposition of an Eight per Cent. Valorem Duty on British Manufactures introduced in the Ottoman Dominions? MR. J. N. RICHARDSON, before the right hon. Gentleman answered the Question, wished to ask him whether he LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICE : had yet received from the hon. Member Sir, Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at for Ennis (Mr. Kenny) the substantia- Constantinople having reported that the tion which he said he would endeavour British merchants in Turkey have not to obtain of the very serious charges protested against the imposition of the implied in the Question which the hon. 8 per cent ad valorem duties, he has been Member put on June 1 against the Lur-instructed that, provided that the British gan Board of Guardians and the officials merchants do not object, he may accept of the Lurgan Union? those duties, while making a reserve on Mr. Biggar |