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tend "by himself, his counsel, attorney, or agent," which opened a wide field of expense. He must insist that the prosecution would afford a man the means of investigation, as in the case of the ordinary Courts of Law, in which no one dreamt of recompensing a person accused, except in so far as he had a right of action against anyone who had maliciously prosecuted him. In fact, the new principle proposed in the clause was a dangerous one, and, if once introduced, the Committee might depend on it that it would soon be extended.

MR. STAVELEY HILL said, in order to show its absurdity, that on the principle of this clause they ought to compensate a man who was charged with negligent driving in the public streets.

MR. BOUVERIE said, much could be advanced in favour of the abstract proposition that a person unjustly accused of an offence should be compensated for the trouble he had been put to in defending himself; but it was inexpedient to introduce so novel a point in a Mines Regulation Bill. But this clause was being discussed without any real foundation, and he submitted that it was impossible to deal with it satisfactorily until the Committee had settled the nature of the certificate with which the clause dealt.

MR. GOLDSMID asked in what position the Home Secretary would be if Parliament refused to grant the money to pay the compensation in any case?

MR. BRUCE said, that seeing the provision under notice was so objectionable to the Committee, he was prepared to omit the words giving compensation, but was not prepared to make any fresh proposition relating to the certificate at present.

MR. PEASE said, it was idle to suppose that the coal owners would bear the penalty. The whole cost of the Bill would fall on the consumers of coal, and the effect of the measure had been felt already in increased prices, the result of shorter hours of labour.

On the Motion of Mr. BRUCE, Clause amended, by striking out the words relating to the compensation and costs of inquiry.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 31 and 32 agreed to.

Mr. Gathorne Hardy

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Amendment agreed to.

MR. STAVELEY HILL proposed, in line 16, to leave out "ten,' and insert "twenty." The object of the Amendment was to provide that no person except an Inspector under the Act should be entitled without the consent of the owner of the mine to see the plan sent in to the Secretary of State, until after the lapse of 20 years from the date of its abandonment.

MR. GOLDNEY said, he trusted that if the limit of 10 years was to be altered at all, one year would be substituted. The clause would be of no use if 20 years were inserted.

MR. WOODS thought 10 years was rather too short a time within which to restrict the knowledge of a disused mine to the Inspector alone, and he hoped the Secretary of State would accede to an enlargement of the period.

MR. COLLINS said, he could not see what right anybody had to know what was going on upon another man's property, either above or below ground, provided the mine was not dangerous to the public.

MR. ASSHETON said, he could not see why, if the maps were to be made, they should be locked up.

MR. BRUCE said, there was opposition the Bill, a plan could be seen by the on the part of owners of mines. Under Inspector of the district or with the consent of the owner of the mine, and there was no reason to suppose that permission to inspect plans would be refused by the owners to any person who had good reason for asking to see them. He had

experienced no opposition on the part of the mining interest to the clause as it stood; but he was bound to consider the objections of owners to any greater amount of publicity.

MR. BROWN suggested that the prescribed term should be five years.

MR. ASSHETON said, he must persist in asking for an explanation of the object of locking the plans up at all.

MR. HERMON said, an error in the tracings would subject an owner to a penalty or imprisonment for an offence under the Bill, and that would be rather hard for an inadvertent mistake committed in an effort to assist the Secretary of State.

Amendment negatived.
Clause agreed to.
House resumed.

Committee report Progress; to sit again upon Monday next.

COLONIAL GOVERNORS PENSIONS BILL-[BILL 176.]

(Mr. Bonham-Carter, Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen, Mr. Baxter.)

COMMITTEE.

Bill considered in Committee.

(In the Committee.)

Clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.
Clause 3.

MR. BAILLIE COCHRANE proposed in page 2, line 2, to leave out the word "fifteen," and insert "twelve," with the view of enabling an annual increment of pension to be given to Governors after 12 years' service.

Amendment proposed, in page 2, line 2, to leave out the word "fifteen," in order to insert the word "twelve.". (Mr. Baillie Cochrane.)

MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN said, he must oppose the Amendment. The Bill passed in 1865 gave Colonial Governors a maximum pension after 18 years' service, and a minimum after 12. There was a jump from 12 to 18, but no intermediate step. Now, it seemed to the Colonial Office that if a man had served 15 years, it was rather hard that he should still receive only the minimum pension, and, therefore, it was now proposed to give an annual increment after 15 years' service, but calculated in such a way as to throw no additional charge

on the public Revenue. But his hon. Friend's Amendment, by proposing to reduce the terms of years, would at once impose an additional charge on the public.

MR. RYLANDS, in opposing both the Amendment and the clause, said, he must maintain that the result of the scheme proposed by the Government would be to entail on the public an additional charge.

MR. SCLATER-BOOTH said, he failed to see how, if this measure was intended to confer a pecuniary benefit upon Colonial Governors ceasing to be employed, it could fail to be a charge upon the public funds.

Question put, "That the word 'fifteen' stand part of the Clause."

The Committee divided:-Ayes 134; Noes 8 Majority 126.

On Question, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill?"

MR. RYLANDS said, the observations which had been offered had proved so clearly that the Bill was one which would increase the public charge that he proposed to divide against the clause.

MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN said, that the clauses of the Bill had been carefully considered by the authorities at the Treasury, who thought them quite satisfactory.

MR. RYLANDS said, in that event, some explanation ought to be given by the Treasury. He should move to report Progress.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again." (Mr. Rylands.)

Question put.

The Committee divided: - Ayes 20; Noes 111 Majority 91.

On Question, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill?"

Question put.

The Committee divided:-Ayes 108; Noes 22: Majority 86.

Clause 4.

MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN said, he proposed to negative the clause, because he doubted whether it did not create a charge on the Imperial Exchequer, reserving the right, if it did not, to introduce a clause on the Report.

(No. 2)* (134).

MR. BAILLIE COCHRANE said, | Report-Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation there was very little good in the Bill before, and that if this clause were taken out the Bill would be worthless.

MR. R. N. FOWLER said, he regretted the course of the discussion, be

*

Third Reading-Union of Benefices Act Amendment (21); Review of Justices' Decisions* (164), and passed.

cause it indicated a "shabby" disposi- FRANCE-DEPORTATION OF POLITICAL

tion towards an important service.

Clause negatived.

Preamble agreed to.

House resumed.

PRISONERS.-OBSERVATIONS.

THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDE called the attention of their Lordships to the Correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and the Government

Bill reported; as amended, to be con- of France respecting the deportation of sidered upon Monday next.

Communists to this country. He said, that although the French Government had undertaken that this practice should be discontinued, yet the Papers that had Bill read a second time, and committed to a been laid upon the Table on the subject

VICTORIA PARK BILL.

Select Committee of five Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection.

Ordered, That all Petitions presented during the present Session against the Bill be referred to the said Committee; and such of the Petitioners as pray to be heard by themselves, their Counsel or agents, be heard upon their Petitions, if they think fit, and Counsel heard in favour of the said Bill against the said Petitions.

Ordered, That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers, and records; Three to be the quorum.-(Mr. Ayrton.)

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were most unsatisfactory. Nothing could
be more absurd than for the French Go-
vernment to put these Communists who
had been landed in this country on the
footing of political refugees or exiles
who had voluntarily come among us, and
it was with extreme reluctance that the
French Government had yielded to the
remonstrances of the noble Earl the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
These Communists were either paupers
with whom the French Government did
not know how to deal, or they were cri-
minals. The latter was for the most
part the case, for under the name of
Communists they had been guilty of
It was ri-
plunder, arson, and murder.
diculous, therefore, to argue, as M. de
Rémusat had argued, that England was
bound to receive these men, because we
afforded a refuge to political refugees,
properly so called. The Government of
the United States adopted measures to
prevent the emigration of paupers to
that country, and he thought it would be
well for Her Majesty's Government to
consider whether a change might not be
effected in our laws for the purpose of
keeping off objectionable persons from
the shores of England.

EARL GRANVILLE replied that the Correspondence which had been presented to Parliament showed the opinion of Her Majesty's Government on this subject, and that he had not failed in representing those opinions to the French Government, and a passage in one of Lord Lyons's despatches showed that the President admitted the validity of our remonstrances. It was supposed that the Correspondence had closed upon the whole matter. It turned out, how

ever, that that was not the fact, inas-events-for these Communists. The Commuch as he had recently received a communication from a railway manager (Mr. Knight) connected with the SouthEastern Railway Company, conveying the information that another group of 12 French Communists had been landed in England. He (Earl Granville) thereupon felt it to be his duty to give instructions to Lord Lyons on the matter. Lord Lyons immediately communicated with M. de Rémusat, the French Minister, who seemed astonished, and said that the French Government would much regret it if it had really occurred; and he assured Lord Lyons that an inquiry would be at once instituted, with the view of preventing the recurrence of such a proceeding. When that inquiry terminated it would, of course, be his (Earl Granville's) duty to inform their Lordships of the result. As to the suggestion of the noble Marquess that there should be a change in the law, he was afraid his noble Friend had not taken into account the difficulties which were sure to present themselves in the framing of such regulations as might be desirable. THE EARL OF MALMESBURY thought that in the communications between the two Governments on the subject of those deportations his noble Friend the Foreign Secretary had shown great judgment and considerable forbearance. On the other hand, it should be admitted that the French Government must be placed in great difficulties as regarded the disposal of their prisoners, who were almost overwhelming in numbers. He wished, however, to call attention to an episode which had occurred while these communications were being exchanged. His noble Friend having stated in the course of the Correspondence that none of these Communists could be admitted into this country without a visa from the British Minister, it appeared that a M. Bocquet, who had been sentenced by a French Court to five years' imprisonment for the part he had taken in the doings of the Commune, managed to get back to this country, from which he had gone away during the war, and to get restored to his Professorship in London University College School, which he had previously filled for 10 years. There could be no doubt that M. Bocquet got back from France with the connivance of some of the French officials. There ought to be no morbid sympathy-in this country, at all

munists of Paris as a body surpassed all former criminals who had ever committed atrocities in France-including even those who shed so much blood during the Reign of Terror. It was impossible to put men, for whom there was no name bad enough, on the same footing with the Poles or the Italians, who were exiled because they had fought for their country against the foreigner, or with other refugees who had struggled for their political opinions. Had these Communists the least feeling of honour they would have respected the misfortunes of France when the Prussians were at the gates of her capital; but, instead of that, they brought about a civil war while the Prussians were still on French soil-and, indeed, there was no assassination at which they stopped short from the day when they murdered two innocent Generals till that on which they put to death the Archbishop of Paris and the other hostages. They ended their misdeeds by destroying by fire their own capital city. It was impossible to feel sympathy for such men. There was one sentiment deeply rooted in the heart of all Revolutionists, and it was that of intense vanity. M. Bocquet, not content with having been received with open arms at London University College, and restored to the place which had been "kept open" for him, must write a letter to The Times, in which he gave an account of himself. It appeared that he came to this country after the troubles in 1848-that remarkable period of political revolutions—and almost immediately afterwards obtained the appointment of Professor of French in the London University College School. Having described all he had suffered in a French prison, M. Bocquet stated that he left England to assist in the defence of Paris against the Prussians. That was all right enough; and if he had come back to England after the Prussians had entered Paris, no one would have grudged him the restoration of his employment; but M. Bocquet remained in Paris, was Mayor of the Fifth Arrondissementthat of the Pantheon--and commandant of a battalion of the National Guards; and afterwards, as he stated in his letter, "being an old Republican," he, "as a matter of course, acted with the Republican force "against the Royalists at Versailles." The Royalists thus alluded

to were the Republican Government, at the head of which was M. Thiers! What seemed particularly strange was a statement in the Correspondence that Mr. Stansfeld, one of the Members of the Government, was reported to have said to another gentleman that neither Lord Granville nor he (Mr. Stansfeld) had any right or wish to refuse a visa to M. Bocquet, although the Papers showed that Lord Granville had positively

done so.

PALACE OF WESTMINSTER-THE

The House met at Two of the clock.

ENDOWED SCHOOLS ACT (1869).
QUESTION.

MR. SALT asked the Vice President of the Council, Whether, inasmuch as the Endowed Schools Act, 1869, expires in the present year (unless renewed for another year by Her Majesty in Council), he proposes to introduce a Bill during the present Session to prolong the period of the operation of that measure; and, if so, whether he proposes to alter or to

FRESCOES OF THE VICTORIA GALLERY. extend the powers granted to the Com

QUESTIONS.

VISCOUNT HARDINGE asked Her Majesty's Government, Whether the attention of the Chief Commissioner of Works has been called to the condition of Mr. Maclise's Frescoes in the Victoria Gallery, and whether any Report has been made on the subject?

THE DUKE OF ST. ALBANS said, the attention of the Chief Commissioner had been directed for some time to the decay which was manifesting itself in the frescoes of Mr. Maclise, and an investiga

missioners under the Act?

MR. W. E. FORSTER said, he must refer the hon. Member to the answer he gave to a similar Question some time ago, when he said that the Government would make use of the power given to them by the Endowed Schools Act, and issue an Order in Council renewing the not the intention of the Government to power for one year. It was, therefore, introduce a Bill during the present Session on the subject.

tion was now going on to ascertain how GALWAY ELECTION PETITION-JUDGthat decay could be arrested.

VISCOUNT HARDINGE asked, Whether the House would be informed of the nature of the investigation?

LORD REDESDALE observed that evident symptoms of decay were manifesting themselves in the frescoes in such of the corridors as were much exposed to the action of the air.

THE DUKE OF ST. ALBANS said, that Mr. Abel, the chemist, was making the chemical investigation. The process proposed for arresting the decay was that of Mr. Wright, which had been employed in other cases with satisfactory results.

House adjourned at Six o'clock, to
Monday next, Eleven o'clock.

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MENT OF MR. JUSTICE KEOGH.

QUESTIONS.

VISCOUNT CRICHTON asked the First Lord of the Treasury, If his attention has been called to a letter in the "Freeman's Journal" of the 25th instant, purporting to be addressed by the Earl of Granard, Lieutenant of the county. Leitrim, to the meeting held in Dublin on the 24th of June for the purpose of protesting against the Judgment pronounced by Mr. Justice Keogh upon the Galway Election Petition, in which letter the language of that learned Judge is characterized as "scurrilous invective, and insulting accusations; " whether he considers such language towards one of Her Majesty's Judges befitting the head of the magistracy of a county; and, whether he will take any steps to ascertain the authenticity of the letter?

SIR ROBERT PEEL: Sir, before that Question is answered, as I wish to ask another, I wish to observe that the House must recollect that on Monday week I asked the right hon. Gentleman whether the Government or the Lord Chancellor of Ireland had taken any step in vindication of the dignity of the Judicial Bench, in consequence of the

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