MR. THOMAS BAYLEY (Derby- not able to inform the hon. Member as shire, Chesterfield): I beg to ask the to the period that has elapsed. I shall President of the Local Government be obliged to make further inquiry to Board, what is the actual amount of the satisfy him on that point.

MATABELELAND.

MR. W. ALLEN (Newcastle-under

MAJOR JAMESON: I beg to ask the Lyme) asked whether the right hon. Secretary of State for the Colonies, if he is able to inform the House who supplied the Matabele with ammunition and rifles?

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: I have to refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave to a similar Question asked by the senior Member for Northampton on the 17th instant.

SOUTH AFRICAN REPUBLIC (IMPOR

TATION OF ARMS).

Gentleman had received any fresh information from President Kruger with respect to the invitation which had been sent to him?

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: No, Sir.

LICENSING LAWS (ROYAL
COMMISSION).

MR. J. L. CAREW (Dublin, College Green): I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether, having regard to the dissatisfaction which exists as to the Irish representation on the Royal Com*SIR E. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT: I mission appointed to inquire into the beg to ask the Secretary of State for the state of the Licensing Laws in Great Colonies, whether his attention has been Britain and Ireland, and to the fact that called to the reports that a large quantity no demand for such Inquiry has been of cannon, Maxims, and ammunition made by any Irish body, licensed or temare being imported into the Trans- perance, he will, before giving the terms vaal, and that many foreign mercenaries of the reference, dismiss from the scope also are being imported; and, if so, of the Inquiry the Irish Licensed Trade? whether Her Majesty's Government have asked for an explanation from the Boer Government of these warlike preparations?

Mr. J. CHAMBERLAIN : My attention has been called to the importation of munitions of war into the South African Republic; but I should not be justified in interfering unless I had evidence to show that these preparations were intended for other than defensive purposes. The Consul-General of the South African Republic has assured ne most positively that his Government is not introducing foreign mercenaries; but many of the emigrants to the Transvaal from foreign countries are no doubt persons who, under a conscription, have had a military training.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR, Manchester, E.): The names were announced in the House on Tuesday, March 31, and have been approved by Her Majesty. I am sure that the hon. Member does not wish me to repeat them?

MR. M. MCCARTAN (Down, S.): Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirableness of having on the Royal Commission some gentlemen from Ireland who are familiar with the work of the retail trade?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY: The hon. Member is aware that the Commission consists only of 24 persons. I know that there has been a certain desire that more representation of Ireland should be on it. Almost every *SIR E. ASHMEAD - BARTLETT other interest desires to have representaasked whether the right hon. Gentleman tion, and if all the wishes were fulfilled had received any report from Her evidently the Commission would reach a Majesty's Agent in Pretoria upon the size which would make it perfectly unimportation of arms and munitions of workable. I am afraid it would not be war by the Boer Government, and possible to make any alteration now. whether he would inquire of Her Majesty's Agent in Pretoria as to the number of foreign immigrants having a military training who had entered the Transvaal in the last three months?

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: We have made all possible inquiries into both these matters, and I believe we possess all the information that is to be obtained with respect to them.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN: Could not the right hon. Gentleman make an addition when the Commission deals with the Irish part of the Question, so that the trade might have a representation?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY: It is not for me to say how the Commission will conduct their business, but I imagine they will take evidence,

and in respect of the Irish branch of the | are National Schools. The matter, I Question I cannot doubt that they will believe, is now under the consideration endeavour to obtain the fullest informa- of the Commissioners of National Education. tion.

In answer to MR. MCCARTAN,

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY said: It would not be in our power to give directions to the Commission; but, of course, it is open to any hon. Gentleman to make private representations to the Commission, and if those representations are reasonable they will receive consideration, I have no doubt.

AGRICULTURAL LAND RATING BILL. MR. T. R. BUCHANAN (Aberdeenshire, E.) I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether, before he takes the Second Reading of the Agricultural Land Rating Bill, the Government will introduce and circulate the corresponding Measures for Scotland and Ireland, in order that the House may be made acquainted with the entire proposals of the Government on the subject.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY: The Government, of course, are anxious to forward as soon as they can the Measures for Scotland and Ireland, corresponding to the Agricultural Land Rating Bill, but the hon. Member is well aware that there are other large and important Government Measures under consideration, and in those circumstances I cannot name a day for the introduction of the Bills referred to by the hon.

Member.

MR. W. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.) asked whether the right hon. Gentleman was aware that Her Majesty the Queen had given her consent to the proposal that the building should be called the Queen Victoria Schools and Lecture Hall?

*MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN: Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Dr. Kane made use of Her Majesty's name in a very inflammatory advertisement, and whether it was with Her Majesty's knowledge and consent her name was so used to stir up angry feelings amongst Her Majesty's Irish subjects?

*MR. SPEAKER: Order, order!

MR. GERALD BALFOUR: I believe it is a fact that these schools have been called after Her Majesty.

BUDGET RESOLUTIONS.

MR. T. LOUGH (Islington. W.) asked whether the discussion on the Budget Resolutions on Thursday would be of a general character ?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY: The Budget Resolutions are to be the first Order on Thursday, and on the third Resolution it will be possible to raise a general discussion.

MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar) asked whether it

would not be more convenient to have a discussion on the Second Reading of the Budget Bill than on the Resolutions.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY: It would, no doubt, be more convenient to do that, but it is competent to hon. Members to raise the discussion on the third Resolution.

MR. LOUGH observed that there was an understanding that there should be a general discussion on Thursday.

CHRIST CHURCH SCHOOLS (BELFAST.) MR. CAREW: I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury (1) whether his attention has been called to an appeal circulated by the Rev. Dr. Kane in connection with the opening of the Christ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXChurch Schools, Belfast, in which he CHEQUER: I have been in communicalls for support in commemoration of cation with the Leader of the Opposition the struggle for the Constitution by upon this subject, and what my right the men of the eighties against the hon. Friend has said meets with his forces of sedition and anarchy; and, (2) approval. The first Resolution is a small whether the school in question receives one relating to stamps, and the second any support from public money? relates to the Income Tax. The third MR. GERALD BALFOUR: My Resolution is of a general character relating attention has been called to the appeal to possible amendments of the Customs referred to in the first paragraph, and I and Inland Revenue law, and on that understand that the schools in question there can be a general discussion.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY (3.) If within thirty days after the publica- STATE FOR WAR (Mr. BRODRICK, tion of the notice aforesaid any petition is presented to the County Council of any of the Surrey, Guildford) said, that the view of counties affected by the proposed Order against the Government was that this Amendthe proposal to make the Order, the draft Order ment was shall be laid before each House of Parliament would be ample opportunities of chalunnecessary, because there for not less than thirty days on which that House is sitting, and if either House, before the lenging a draft Order. Objection could expiration of thirty days during which the draft be taken under the Bill in the 30 days

during which the draft Order would lie | Order was to lie on the Table for a ceron the Table of the House, and there tain time subject to the possibility of an would be other opportunities before Address being moved. If an Address manœuvres could possibly take place of was moved, the House was asked to dischallenging the policy of the Govern- cuss it after 12 o'clock at night. In the ment with regard to them. Such oppor- case of a question of some educational tunities would arise in the Estimates charity in which the Government had no and Parliament would have no difficulty strong interest, there was, at all events, in retaining its control over the pro- a probability that both sides of the posals of the authorities. The experi- House would have full justice done to ence of the authorities was not favourable them; but when it was a question of a to Dartmoor as the scene of manœuvres, proposal of the Government to apply and there was no suggestion that there arbitrary powers to a particular locality, would be any manœuvres there in the the opponents of it would have to face future. The question raised by the hon. the whole power of the Government, Member had already been decided on and, at that time of night a Government the Second Reading and he trusted that could do what they liked. He wished some the Amendment would not be pressed. way could be found of giving a better MR. LUTTRELL could not admit opportunity of being heard to that that there had been a Division on this locality. The hon. Gentleman opposite Question at the stage of Second Reading. said there were many opportunities for There was a difference between passing a discussing and criticising the policy of the Provisional Order and passing a Resolu- Government, in fact that there had tion. He was told in the Second Reading already been five opportunities this Sesthat procedure by Provisional Order sion. But who at this moment knew would involve a Bill. What he pro- where the manœuvres were to be held posed now was procedure by Resolu- this year. Without saying that his hon. tion, which presented no difficulty. Friend had invented a perfect way, it There was a precedent for such a Reso- appeared to him that a Resolution, if lution. There was a close analogy in there was any precedent for it-and his the treatment of Post Office contracts hon. Friend seemed to have found one under Standing Orders 63, 64, and 65. -was a simple and at the same time a Standing Order 63 provided that in all definite means of enabling the locality contracts extending over a period of to be heard. That was what was wanted, years, making a public charge actual or and he thought it was reasonable, seeing prospective for the conveyance of mails that the House was now laying down a by sea, there should be inserted a con- general code, which might be regarded dition that the contract should not be in some respects as oppressive. binding until it was approved by a Reso- belief was that in the vast majority of lution of the House. He now asked cases people would only be too glad to that an Order under this Bill should not have the manœuvres in their neighbour be passed until it had been approved by hood, but there might be circumstances a Resolution of the House. He did not affecting the locality which rendered it believe that any Government would undesirable that manœuvres should be make attempts which would be inconsistent with public rights, but he did ask that if there were any special interests to be considered, those interests might be provided for under the Order by which the land was taken.

His

held in it, and he thought it was only right that while passing this general code, the House should give the localities better opportunities than the Bill afforded them, of having their case heard.

SIR HENRY CAMPBELL- MR. EDWARD MORTON (DevonBANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs) said port) did not think the Government that he had expressed his sympathy with were treating the Opposition quite rightly the object of his hon. Friend on the over this Bill. The Bill was one of Second Reading of the Bill. The provi- great importance, giving large powers to sion made in the Bill to secure opportuni- future Governments, and certain safeties of being heard to those interested in guards against abuse of those powers the localities affected was illusory. The were asked for. Very strong reasons