incurred by them when conducting a prosecution under the ordinary law?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet) (who replied) said, the facts were substantially as stated. With regard to the action of Mr. Vanston, the Constabulary had no knowledge of his having got a summons on his own behalf, as it was unnecesBary. The Constabulary acted under the direction of the Divisional Magistrate. The question of the expenses of Mr. Vanston and his witnesses would, if within the magistrate's jurisdiction, be dealt with at the hearing of the

case.

LABOURERS (IRELAND) ACTS-ACTION

OF BOARDS OF GUARDIANS.

MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.) asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What is the procedure of the Local Government Board, in reference to representations, under the Labourers Acts (Ireland), which are not adopted by the Board of Guardians to which they are made, in order to satisfy itself as to the accuracy, or otherwise, of the allegations made in such representations; and, whether, in the event of such representations not being adopted by the Board of Guardians, any independent inquiry is made, upon appeal to it, by the said Board; and, if not, why not?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet) (who replied) said: The procedure in cases such as those referred to in the Question is governed by Section 10 of the Labourers' Act, 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. 60), which provides that, in the event of a Sanitary Authority not acting upon a representation made to them, the Local Government Board may, "if they think it necessary, ," direct a local inquiry to be held and a Report to be made to them as to the correctness of such representation. The Local Government Board, upon receipt of a complaint that a representation has not been acted upon by a Sanitary Authority, usually bring the matter again under the notice of the Sanitary Authority; but, up to the present, the Board have not found it necessary in any case to direct an inquiry to be held.

LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ARTACTION OF LIGHT ON WATER COLOUR PAINTINGS.

SIR ALGERNON BORTHWICK

(Kensington, S.) asked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether the Report of the Committee, appointed more than a year ago to inquire into the action of light on watercolour paintings, can now be made public; and, if not, what is the reason for the delay?

THE VICE PRESIDENT (Sir WILLIAM HART DYKE) (Kent, Dartford): No Report has yet been received; and I am informed that this is due to the fact that no reliable conclusions could be arrived at without a laborious investigation requiring both time and sunlight. A preliminary Report by the scientific experts will probably be ready in the course of two or three months.

LAW AND JUSTICE (ENGLAND AND WALES)-MANSFIELD (DERBY)

POLICE COURT.

MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that, on Thursday the 3rd instant, all business at the Mansfield (Derby) Police Court was delayed for one hour and 40 minutes by the fact that only one magistrate was present and a second could not be found; whether it is the fact that, on the 16th of December last, a similar delay was caused by the same neglect of the magistrates to attend to their public duties; and, whether, having regard to the extreme inconvenience to the public of such delays, he will bring the matter under the notice of the Lord Chancellor ?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.): I am informed by the clerk to the Justices at the Mansfield Police Court that on Tuesday, the 1st instant, the business of the Court was delayed by the fact that only one magistrate was present. This, I am told, was due to a misunderstanding. There had been five Justices present at the licensing meeting on the previous day, and the clerk understood that two of them meant to attend the next day. It is a fact that only one Justice was present on the 16th of December last. The clerk, who has been 28 years in the

service of the Court, tells me that the occasions on which there has been a failure of Justices in attending have been very rare indeed. Under these circumstances, I do not see sufficient reason to call the attention of the Lord Chancellor to the matter.

UNITED STATES-INFRACTIONS OF
THE ALASKAN FISHERY LAWS.

MR. GOURLEY (Sunderland) asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If his attention has been called to the reported arrival of the Canadian schooner Pathfinder, at Victoria, Columbia, from American waters with 3,000 seal skins, having eluded detection by the United States cruisers; if so, whether, if not already issued, Her Majesty's Government will cause to be published notices prohibiting British subjects against these infractions of the Alaskan Fishery Laws; how many British vessels have been captured for alleged illegal seal fishing, and whether any of them have been released or condemned, or the masters fined; if the vessel recently captured, and which was ordered to proceed to an American port, but instead of doing so went to a British port, will, with her crew, be transferred to American jurisdiction; and, whether it is true that her Majesty's Government intend arranging for a reference of the Behrings Straits fishery disputes to a separate Commission; or, is it intended to refer them to the Commission already arranged with the United States Government?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N.E.): Her Majesty's Government have no information respecting the proceedings in the case of the Pathfinder; but unless she had been engaged in fishing within three miles of the coast she would not-in the view of Her Majesty's Government-have rendered herself liable to lawful seizure. Reports have been received of the seizure of seven vessels in all, three last fishing season and four in the present year; but orders were given by the United States Authorities for the discontinuance of all pending judicial proceedings, and for the discharge of the vessels and persons seized, reserving any questions involved. As was stated to the hon. Member for Mid Cork (Dr. Tanner) on the 5th instant, Her Majesty's Govern

ment are in communication with the Government of the United States on the subject of these seizures. I am not prepared, at present, to state what course Her Majesty's Government will take as to dealing with this question.

HAYTI-TREATMENT OF BRITISH

SUBJECTS-MR. COLES.

MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton) asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether his attention has been drawn to the article in The Times of Tuesday on the treatment of British subjects in Hayti; whether he can say if the facts, so far as they relate to the case of Mr. Coles, are correctly stated in that article; whether the Government have taken any, and what, action to obtain reparation for Mr. Coles; and, whether the Government will now lay upon the Table the Papers relating to the matter?

OF

THE UNDER SECRETARY STATE (Sir. JAMES FERGUSSON) (Manchester, N. E.): Generally speaking, the facts, as stated in the article in The Times, may be accepted as correct. Her Majesty's Government, having most carefully considered the matter in consultation with the Law Officers of the Crown, came to the conclusion that, under the circumstances of the case, they were entitled to demand the release of Mr. Coles; but not to claim compensation on account of his having been put upon his trial. The correspondence relating to this matter could be laid upon the Table; but I hardly think that it would be worth expense, as it would give no further and material information.

WAR OFFICE-RETIREMENT OF CIVIL

SERVANTS-MR. JAMES SMEATON.

MR. BRADLAUGH (Northampton) asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the rule that Civil Servants employed under the War Office are compulsorily retired at the age of 60; and, if so, whether Mr. James Smeaton, now employed under the Assistant Adjutant General for recruiting, is aged 74, and receives salary as chief clerk, notwithstanding that he has for three years been excused from the most important duties of the office?

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WAR DEPARTMENT (Mr. BRODRICK) (Surrey, Guildford) (who replied) said:

LICENSING LAWS-THE QUEEN'S
JUBILEE NIGHT-EXTENSION OF
HOURS AT OKEHAMPTON.

MR. BURT (Morpeth) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the Mayor of Okehampton, sitting along with two other magistrates, declined to grant an extension of hours to the "White Hart" Hotel on Jubilee night; whether, when Jubilee night arrived, the Mayor, dining at the said hotel, being requested to do so by his associates of the dinner, there and then granted an extension of time; whether the police interfered with the festivities, and took out summonses against the landlady of the hotel and a few of the guests on the occasion; whether the police have hitherto got the summonses signed by any magistrate in the district; and, whether he proposes to take any steps to prevent a failure of justice in this matter?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.): I am informed by the Mayor of Okehampton that the facts are correctly stated in the first and second paragraphs of the Question. The police, upon being shown the order for the extension of time, took no action on the occasion; but subsequently applied for summonses against the land lady and others, which a magistrate, to whom the application was made, refused to sign. In view of the exceptional circumstances of the occasion, and the fact that the entertainment was principally for the committee who had been engaged up to a late hour in the arrangements for the Jubilee festivities, I do not think that the matter is one in which I ought to question the discretion of the magistrate.

was arrested on the 20th August last, at the instance of Mr. Gallagher, the bailiff to a solicitor named Bass in the City of Cork, on the occasion of O'Connor's eviction; whether the Constabulary are, in cases of eviction, to take their orders from the bailiffs; whether Mr. O'Connor has been detained in prison for a considerable time in consequence of Gallagher's charge; whether it is a fact that, when brought before two Resident Magistrates at the Ballincollig Courthouse on Saturday last, under subsection 2 of the Criminal Law and Procedure Act, the magistrates decided to discharge Mr. O'Connor; and, whether orders will be given to the Constabulary not to proceed in the same way in future?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet) (who replied) said, that Daniel O'Connor was very violent, and threatened to take the bailiff's life.

O'Connor was arrested; but not at the instance of Gallagher. He was remanded; but the Resident Magistrate admitted him to bail, which he refused to accept. On a point of procedure, the case was dismissed by the two Resident Magistrates before whom it came, no rule being marked.

LAW

AND POLICE (IRELAND) — ALLEGED MISCONDUCT IN THE CORK THEATRE.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.) (for Dr. TANNER) (Cork Co., Mid) asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If he can state why the police have failed to obtain the real names and addresses of the men whose conduct in the Cork Theatre on the night of the 29th August stopped the performance of the play; whether the men alluded to alleged they were County Magistrates, and gave their address in Cork as the County Club; and, whether, if it be ascertained by the police that they, or any of them, are magistrates, the Lord Chancellor's attention be directed to the matter?

MR. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.): Perhaps my right hon. and gallant Friend would, at the same time, answer my Question, No. 32?

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN)

batons; and, whether, next day, the Irish Government, by a telegram, removed Constable M'Caffrey from Coleraine to the City of Derry?

MR. J. O'CONNOR (Tipperary, S.): Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the Mayor of Cork protested strongly against the conduct of the police on this occasion; and is he aware that the police are not acting in accordance with the Mayor's orders in the preservation of the peace of the City of Cork? COLONEL KING-HARMAŇ: I do not quite see what the hon. Member meane. MR. J. O'CONNOR: Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that on the following day, at the Police Office, the Mayor of Cork protested against the inaction of the police in this matter; and is he aware that, as a rule, the Mayor of Cork and police are not in harmony with regard to keeping the peace of the City of Cork, and the police are not giving the Mayor the support he requires?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN: I am not aware that the Mayor made any protest; nor am I aware that there is any want of accord between the police and the Mayor.

ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY- THE RIOTS AT PORTRUSH-CONSTABLE M'CAFFREY.

MR. SEXTON (Belfast, W.) asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Constable M'Caffrey, a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary, stationed for some years past at Coleraine, was a witness for the Crown in the recent criminal cases arising out of the attack on an excursion party of Belfast Foresters at Portrush; whether, on his return to Coleraine after having given evidence, he was assailed by a crowd which had gathered in the railway station to await the arrival of the train, and was taken out of the sta

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) (Kent, Isle of Thanet) (who replied) said, that the Inspector General of Constabulary reported that Constable M'Caffrey was a witness in the case referred to. There was a large crowd waiting at the Coleraine Railway Station for the arrival of the train by which he and some other constables returned. He was not assaulted, but marched with the other constables on duty at the station outside the platform. Some stones were afterwards thrown, which struck some of the constables, but did not injure them. Constable M'Caffrey was removed to Derry by the District Inspector, who considered that the hostile feeling against him would interfere with the efficient discharge of his duty.

MR. SEXTON: Do the Government approve of the action of the County Inspector; and is there any precedent for the removal of a constable from one part of Ireland to another in consequence of an attack upon him by a mob?

COLONEL KING-HARMAN: I think many precedents will be found for removing a constable where a hostile feeling exists to such an extent as to prevent his being efficient in the discharge of his duty.

CENTRAL ASIA-AFGHANISTAN—THE

ESCAPE OF AYOUB KHAN FROM
TEHERAN.

DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid) asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, What intelligence has been obtained as to the flight of Ayoub Khan; whether he has taken refuge on Russian territory, or reached Kuolak; and, whether, in the event of his raising a fresh insurrection in Afghanistan, the Government are prepared to give armed support to the Ameer?