V. Light railways in the borough of Wolverhampton and Wednesbury and the urban districts of Willenhall, Darlaston, Coseley, and Bilston, in the county of Stafford. VI. Light railways in the urban districts of Bilston, Willenhall, and Coseley in the county of Stafford. VII. Light railways in the municipal and county borough of Gateshead and the urban district of Whickham in the county of Durham. VIII. Light railways in the county of Worcester between Bromsgrove Railway Station, Bromsgrove Town, and Lickey End. IX. Light railways in the county of Northampton, in the city of Peterborough, and the parishes of Walton and Peterborough Without, in the rural district of Peterborough. (25th September.) TELEGRAPH MONEY ORDERS. Additional Articles for the carrying out of the Convention of the 4th March, 1872, relative to the exchange of money orders between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of Italy. (1st November.) POLICE (METROPOLIS). Report of the Commissioners of Police of the Metropolis for the year 1899. (1st November.) EVICTIONS (IRELAND). Return of Evictions in Ireland for the quarter ended 30th September, 1900. (1st November.) ARMY (MILITARY PRISONS). Report of the discipline and management of the military prisons for 1899. (1st November.) AGRARIAN OUTRAGES (IRELAND). Return for the quarter ended 30th September, 1900. (2nd November.) HONG KONG. Report on new territory at Hong Kong. (5th November.) MINES (FIRE-DAMP EXPLOSION AT CWM PIT, MERTHYR TYDVIL). Report of a Committee appointed by the Secretary of State for the Home De partment to investigate and report on the causes and circumstances of an explosion of fire damp which took place at Cwm Pit, Merthyr Tydvil, on 14th May, 1900. (8th November.) JUDICIAL STATISTICS (SCOTLAND) Report for the year 1899. (8th REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL METEOROLOGICAL COUNCIL. PETERHEAD HARBOUR. Reports respecting Peterhead Harbour Works (in continuation of [C.-20.]). (13th November.) MERCHANT SHIPPING (MERCANTILE Report of a Committee appointed by the Board of Trade to examine the claims and suggestions received for exemption from light dues, or for alteration of the existing scale or rules. I.-Report. (15th November.) BOARD OF EDUCATION. (Special Reports on Educational Sub+ jects)— I. Volume 4. Educational systems of the chief colonies of the British Empire (Dominion of Canada, Newfoundland, West Indies). II. Volume 5. Educational systems of the chief colonies of the British Empire (Commonwealth of Australia, New Zea land, Ceylon, Malta). III. Volume 6. Preparatory schools, their place in English secondary education. Report on Technical and Commercial Education in East Prussia, Poland, Galicia, Silesia, and Bohemia; by James Baker, F.R.G.S. (29th November.) The same were ordered to lie on the Table. SOUTH AFRICA. Further correspondence relating to affairs in South Africa (in continuation of [C.-261] and [C.-264], July, 1900). ARMY. Return of military forces in South Africa, 1899-1900. TRADE UNIONS. Report by the Chief Labour Correspondent of the Board of Trade on trade unions in 1899, with comparative statistics for 1892-1898. Presented (by Command), and ordered to lie on the Table. LUNACY ACT, 1890. Rules dated 29th October, 1900. INDIA (LOANS RAISED IN ENGLAND). Return of all loans raised in England under the provisions of any Acts of Parliament chargeable on the revenues of India outstanding at the commencement of the half year ended on the 30th September 1900, with the rates of interest and total amount payable thereon, etc. BANK OF ENGLAND. Return of the amount of notes issued more than forty years which have not been presented for payment, and which have been written off from the total amount of notes issued from the Issue Department of the Bank of England. SUPERANNUATION. I. Treasury Minutes declaring that professional or other peculiar qualifications, not ordinarily to be acquired in the public service, are required for the due and efficient discharge of the duties of 1. Assistant Inspector of Railways, Board of Trade. 2. Medical Inspector to the Local Government Board for Scotland. 3. Legal Adviser to the Local Government Board for Ireland. 4. Junior Inspector, Scotch Education Department. II. Treasury Minutes declaring that the following persons were appointed without a civil service certificate through inadvertence on the part of the heads of their departments, namely: 1. Edmund Sterriker, rural postman, Malton Post Office (15th August, 1900). 2. Mrs. Eliza Thomas, postmistress, Kidwelly Post Office (14th September, 1900). 3. Robert Black, rural postman, Newton Stewart Post Office (3rd October, 1900). 5. 4. John Hales, postman, Stanmore Post Office (27th October, 1900). Thomas Spittle, turner, Royal Gun Factory, War Office (14th November, 1900). 6. Charles Dennis, artificer, Royal Small Arms Factory, War Office (21st November, 1900). POST OFFICE (TELEGRAPHS). Telegraph (Foreign Written Telegram) Regulations, 1900. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT, 1889. Treasury Minute, dated 26th NovemAuditor-General to examine and audit the ber, 1900, directing the Comptroller and account of fees taken in Ireland under Measures Act, 1899. Section 19 (2) of the Weights and PUBLIC RECORDS (SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE). Schedule containing a list and particulars of classes of documents existing, or in ordinary course about to exist in the central office, and in the district registries, which are not considered of sufficient public value to justify their preservation in the Public Record Office. PHARMACY (IRELAND) ACTS, 1875 AND 1890. Order in Council, dated 13th August, 1900, approving of a regulation made by the Pharmaceutical Society. INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION (IRELAND). Time-table of examinations for the year 1901. AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION (IRELAND) ACT, 1899. 1. Rules under Section 3 of the Act. 2. Amended rules for the administration of loans under the Sea and Coast Fisheries Fund (Ireland) Act, 1884. FACTORY AND WORKSHOP (PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT) WAREHOUSES IN FACTORIES OR WORKSHOPS WHERE BRIGHT OR BURNISHED METAL GOODS ARE MADE. Order, dated 6th September, 1900, made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department in pursuance of| 3. Licence to be at large granted by Section 65 of the Factory and Workshop Her Majesty to Joseph Drinkwater under Act, 1878, and Section 39 of the Factory the provisions of the Penal Servitude and Workshop Act, 1895, permitting the Acts, 1853 to 1891, to which are annexed warehouses in factories where bright or conditions other than those contained in burnished metal goods are made to be Schedule A of the Penal Servitude Act, treated as separate factories or workshops 1864. as far as regards the period of employ ment of children, young persons, and Women. WINTER ASSIZES (IRELAND). Four Orders in Council, dated 2nd November, 1900, for holding Winter Assizes in Ireland. DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACTS, 1894 Two Orders, dated 8th day of November, 1900, entitled respectively the Liverpool (Birkenhead) Foreign Animals Wharf Revocation Order of 1900, and the Liverpool (Birkenhead) Foreign Animals Wharf Order of 1900. INEBRIATE ACTS, 1879 TO 1899, RULES Rules for Retreats licensed under the Inebriates Acts, 1879 to 1899, dated 18th October, 1900, approved by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in substitution for the rules dated 10th August, 1888. POLLING DISTRICTS (COUNTY OF 1. Order made by the County Council constituting a new polling district, to be called the Llwyngwril Polling District. 2. Order made by the County Council of Southampton altering certain polling districts in the county. PENAL SERVITUDE ACTS, 1853 TO 1891, CONDITIONAL LICENCES. 1. Licence granted by Her Majesty to Frederica Furneaux, a convict under detention in Aylesbury Prison, permitting the said Frederica Furneaux to be at large on condition that she enter the Elizabeth Fry Refuge, Hackney. 2. Licences to be at large, to which are annexed conditions other than those contained in Schedule A of the Penal Servitude Act, 1867, granted to 1. Patrick Greenan; 2. Charles Costello. 4. Licence granted by Her Majesty to Fanny Wroughton, a convict under detention in Aylesbury Prison, permitting the said Fanny Wroughton to be at large on condition that she enter the Elizabeth Fry Refuge. MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT, 1894. 1. Of the 12th November, 1900, ap- 3. Of the 12th November, 1900, approving certain byelaws made by the Clyde Pilot Board relating to the Pilotage Fund of the Clyde Pilotage District. 4. Of the 17th day of September, 1900, making certain rules concerning the lights or signals to be carried and concerning the steps for avoiding collisions to be taken by vessels navigating the River INDIAN EXPENDITURE (ROYAL COMMISSION). Mersey and the sea channels or approaches thereto, between the Rock Lighthouse and the furthest point seawards to which such sea channels or approaches respectively are for the time being buoyed on both sides. WINTER ASSIZES ACT, 1876. Seven Orders in Council of 7th August, 1900, relating to the ensuing winter assizes. UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLAND) ACT, 1889. University Court Ordinance No. 2 (Edinburgh, No. 2). University of Edinburgh; Foundation of the Sir William Fraser Chair of Ancient History and Palæography. Laid before the House (pursuant to Act), and to be printed. (No. 2.) UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND 1. Statutes made by the Governing Body of Jesus College, Oxford, on the 16th day of March, 1900, amending the schedule to the statues of the college relating to King Charles the First's Trust. 2. Statute made by the Governing Body of St. John's College, Oxford, on 9th December, 1899, amending Statutes III. 1., III. 14., V. 4. (a), and XV. 2. of the statutes of the college. 3. Statute made by the Governing Body of New College, Oxford, on the 21st day of March, 1900, and sealed on the 24th day of March, 1900, amending Statute III., clause 18, of the statutes of the college, relating to the residence of probationer fellows. 4. Statutes made by the Governing Body of Exeter College, Oxford, on the 16th day of March, 1900, amending Statutes II. and V. of the statutes of the college. 5. Statute made by the Governing Body of Worcester College, Oxford, on the 24th day of January, 1900, amending Statute III. 16. of the statutes of the college. Laid before the House (pursuant to Member, he is to withdraw during the Act), and to be printed. (No. 3.) time the matter is in debate; and that all Resolved, That no Peer of the Realm, except such Peers of Ireland as shall for the time being be actually elected, and shall not have declined to serve, for any county, city, or horough of Great Britain, hath any right to give his vote in the Election of any Member to serve in Par liament. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That it is a high infringement of the liberties and privileges of the Commons of the United Kingdom for any Lord of Parliament, or other Peer or Prelate, not being a Peer of Ireland at the time elected, and not having declined to serve for any county, city, or borough of Great Britain, to concern himself in the election of Members to serve for the Commons in Parliament, except only any Peer of Ireland, at such elections in Great Britain respectively where such Peer shall appear as a candidate, or by himself. or any others, be proposed to be elected; or for any Lord Lieutenant or Governor of any county to avail himself of any authority derived from his Commission, to influence the Election of any Member to serve for the Commons in Parliament.”—(Mr. A.J. Balfour.) Members returned upon double in those days did not make due provision Returns do withdraw till their Returns for the legal conduct of elections, and the are determined. common law was all that could be relied upon for the protection of electoral rights. But in these days, I venture to say, the Sessional Order is entirely out of date. It has, indeed, been systematically disregarded during the recent General Election, and if I were to detain the House by quoting the instances in which, to my own knowledge, it has been absolutely set at defiance I should have to break through the rule of extreme brevity which I have laid down for myself. If I took each county in its turn I could show that the Order has been everywhere infringed. To begin with, I believe there is scarcely a county division the political organisation of which has not for its chairman or president a Member of the House of Lords. Some high office in the organisation-and this applies equally to both political parties-is sure to be filled by a Member of that House. I will start with the county of Northumberland. In that county a letter written by a peer-and he not an obscure one— was very largely used. The letter was not of the nature of a manifesto such as party leaders are supposed to be entitled to issue regardless of resolutions of this kind, but it was a letter addressed specifi cally to a candidate standing for a particular constituency. It was written by no less a person than the late Prime Minister. Lord Rosebery, in my judgment, had a perfect right to write the letter, and in doing so he was only following his Own precedent in the Leith election in 1894. Moreover, every Prime Minister, being a peer, who has held office during the last quarter of a century has done precisely the same thing. We know, of course, that Lord Beaconsfield did it in Buckinghamshire, and Lord Salisbury's efforts in a similar direction and in fact going beyond it have not escaped our notice. I may observe that this letter from Lord Rosebery did not do duty merely in the constituency which was being contested by the gentleman to whom it was addressed. It was used in adjoining constituencies as a wrapper, and sent immediately before the polling, together with the poll cards, to all electors, and I have no doubt that other Members as well as myself were recipients of copies of the document. Now I pass on to other parts of the country, mentioning, however, only very *MR. JAMES LOWTHER (Kent, Thanet) I beg to move to eliminate from the Sessional Order all words except such as relate to Lords Lieutenant of counties alone. It is not my intention to detain the House for more than a few moments, but it would scarcely be respectful, I think, to the new Parliament if I assumed that it was acquainted with the arguments which have been addressed to its predecessor on this subject. I nevertheless trust I may be excused from going at any length into matters which have been frequently discussed. Moreover, the systematic manner in which, from one end of the kingdom to the other, this Sessional Order has been disregarded during the recent General Election places the matter in a different light to what it has occupied before. This Sessional Order-without going into the question from a constitutional point of view-may no doubt in times remotely past have had some of the advantages claimed on its behalf. The statute laws |