QUESTIONS.

LIGHT RAILWAYS (EGYPT). MR. T. LOUGH (Islington, W.): I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade, whether the Government have SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM (MUSI- approved certain plans for the conCAL INSTRUMENT COLLECTION). struction of Light Railways in Egypt, MR. J. W. SIDEBOTHAM (Cheshire, the principle on which these railways Hyde): I beg to ask the Vice President are to be constructed being that the of the Committee of Council on Educa- Egyptian Government guarantee a certion, whether his attention has been tain interest on the capital, which will called to the fact that a most interesting not have to be paid as the lines may become collection of old and curious musical remunerative; and, if so, whether it will instruments is offered for sale at Ghent; be possible for the Standing Committee and, whether, seeing that the present on Trade, to which the English Light collection at South Kensington is very Railways Bill has been referred, to make incomplete, he will consider the advis- such alterations in the financial proability of utilising a portion of the posals of that Bill as would bring it into amount provided in the Estimates for conformity with the Egyptian plan? the purchase of works of art in securing a portion of the Ghent collection?

THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY, Preston):

Lord

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (MR. C. T. RITCHIE, Croydon): The hon. Member probably refers, in the first portion of his Question, to_the Light Railway mentioned in Cromer's last Report (see Egypt No. 1, 1896, p. 12). The matter is one which concerns the Egyptian Government alone, and Her Majesty's Government were not consulted as to the plans for the railway or the terms of the concession. I anticipate that the Light Railways Bill will be in Committee the day after to-morrow, and the Government will then be prepared to give their views on the question of guarantee.

GREENWICH PARK (DEER-KEEPER).

*LORD HUGH CECIL (Greenwich): I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. J. Jordan, lately deer-keeper in Greenwich Park; and, whether the Treasury are prepared to concede Mr. Jordan abolition terms

on his retirement?

Letters addressed "Poste Restante" to initials or to names obviously fictitious MR. HANBURY: Power to grant are at once sent to the Returned Letter abolition terms is strictly limited by the Office. But letters duly addressed are Superannuation Act to cases in which redelivered to the owners on application, tirement results in both efficiency and and the Department could not distinguish economy. The Treasury will grant to between betting agents and other persons Mr. Jordan the full abolition addition who may temporarily visit a town and (if any) consistent with the above staturequire the accommodation of the Poste tory limitation. I am not, however, Restante. Nor could its officers be left satisfied that any saving is shown by with the discretion of distinguishing the reorganisation, though, no doubt, between betting and other telegrams. there will be greater efficiency.

EGYPTIAN EXPEDITION.

instruction in the Catechism was com

MR. T. R. BUCHANAN (Aberdeen- plained of or not, but whether the shire, E.) I beg to ask the Secretary of requirements of the Cowper-Temple State for India, whether the Govern- Clause had been complied with, it is ment intend to bring troops from India to now to be understood that the DepartSuakim or elsewhere to join in the Egyptian ment will not take similar action in Expedition; and, whether he will secure regard to other school boards using the that no part of the expenses is laid upon Catechism unless complaint be made the Indian Exchequer ? by some aggrieved person?

CHURCH CATECHISM IN BOARD
SCHOOLS.

SIR JOHN GORST: In 1888, letters were written to school boards which taught the Church Catechism advising them which parts were not distinctive of a religious denomination. In 1895, a correspondence took place with certain school boards teaching the Church Catechism which is to be found in the Return to which the Question refers. The Committee of Council do not consider that it is necessary to take any further action at present, but they would hesitate to express their intentions in the formulary suggested to them by the Question.

*MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS: I do to deny that the Committee of Council not understand the right hon. Gentleman have taken action in these cases ?

SIR J. GORST: Oh, yes, they have taken proper action, but the hon. Gentleman asks whether they have compelled a number of school boards to abandon the practice. No, Sir, they did not compel the school boards to abandon the law was and the school boards observed practice, but they told them what the

it.

*MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS: May I ask whether a different course is to be pursued in the future?

The

SIR J. GORST: I cannot answer hypothetical questions. If it is necessary to correspond with school boards, of course they will be corresponded with, *MR. J. CARVELL WILLIAMS but I cannot undertake to say what will (Notts, Mansfield): I beg to ask the be done in any individual case. Vice President of the Committee of incident is now closed and the school Council on Education whether he is boards have been corresponded with and aware that in September and November their attention has been called to the 1888 the Education Department compelled a number of school boards in whose schools the doctrinal portions of the Church Catechism were taught to abandon the practice; and whether, although the Department last year adopted the same course in regard to certain schools named in Appendix III. to the Return of 1895, and in doing so stated that the question was, not whether

law.

*MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS: Has the right hon. Gentleman corresponded with all the school boards mentioned in the Return?

SIR JOHN GORST: The difference between the hon. Member and myself is this. He assumes that the law has been broken. I assume that the law has been observed, and I will not accuse

the managers of schools of breaking the Habeas Corpus; and (2) whether, seeing law unless there is some prima facie that it is a rule of the Home Office evidence to show that they have broken

it.

that prisoners in England, detained in similar circumstances, must receive noti*MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS: Does fication of the dates of the holding of not the Return itself show that the inquests by which their liberties are school boards have violated the law? affected, and may attend thereat and *MR. SPEAKER: Order, order! give evidence should they desire to do That will appear from the Return. so, he will state whether there is any Notice should be given of any further reason why the law in both countries Questions. should not be alike; and, if not, will he MR. F. A. CHANNING (Northamp- endeavour to have extended to Ireland ton, E.): May I ask whether, in this the practice in these cases which is folcorrespondence any intimation was given lowed in England?

to the school boards that the grants THE CHIEF SECRETARY
might be withdrawn, in the case of
the practice not being abandoned?
SIR J. GORST: I cannot speak with-
out the correspondence.

CHANNEL MAIL SERVICE.

FOR

IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR, Leeds, Central): I am aware of the fact referred to in the first paragraph. A prisoner cannot be produced in Ireland at a Coroner's inquisition without a writ of Habeas Corpus, obtained by him or by the Crown. In England the law is SiR HOWARD VINCENT (Shef- different, as, under the 16 Vic., Cap. 30, field Central) : I beg to ask the sec. 9, which does not extend to Ireland, Secretary to the Treasury if it is a prisoner may be brought up on the a fact that the Day Mail Service Warrant of the Secretary of State. I between Dover and Calais, which flies have never heard of a complaint being the French flag and is manned by made by, or on behalf of, a prisoner, French seamen, is entirely paid for by France; while the Night Mail Service, which flies the Union Jack, is paid for by Her Majesty's Government; and, if British sailors are mainly employed on the latter.

MR. HANBURY: It is a fact that the Day Mail Service between Dover and Calais is entirely paid for by France, and is performed by vessels flying the French flag and manned by French crews, and that the Night Mail Service is paid for by Her Majesty's Government, and is performed by vessels flying the British flag and manned by British crews.

CORONERS' INQUESTS (ATTENDANCE
OF ACCUSED PERSONS.)

:

that an opportunity was not afforded to him of giving evidence at a Coroner's inquest in Ireland as to an offence for which he was in custody, and in the absence of evidence that the existing practice is detrimental to the interests of prisoners, I see no reason for an alteration of the law as suggested.

PARISH CHARITY DOLE. SIR CAMERON GULL (Devon, Barnstaple): I beg to ask the hon. Member for Thirsk, as representing the Charity Commission, whether the trustees of a parish charity, who are appointed by the council of the parish, can grant a dole therefrom to one of the parish councillors ?

MR. J. GRANT LAWSON (York, MR. EDWARD M'HUGH (Armagh, N.R., Thirsk): The trustees can grant S.) I beg to ask the Chief Secretary such a dole if the parish councillor to to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whom it is granted is not himself a if he is aware that Mr. E. S. Finnigan, trustee of the charity. Coronor for Belfast, recently complained about the practice in Ireland under which prisoners charged with offences connected with the deaths of persons upon whom inquests were to be held are not allowed to be present at such Holderness): I beg to ask the President inquests, except by the issue of writ of of the Local Government Board, when Sir John Gorst.

BOARDS OF GUARDIANS (CO-OPTED
MEMBERS).

CAPTAIN BETHELL (York, E.R.,

those boards of guardians of which one- after the last campaign included in its third of the members retire annually, action. As I stated yesterday, the should next elect their co-opted mem- number of men engaged in campaigns bers?

10th instant to a Question substantially | full Report on the causes of the rising. similar to his which was asked by the I have at present no information in hon. Member for Bethnal Green. To regard to the second part of the Questhat answer I have at present nothing to add.

LAND LAW (IRELAND) BILL. MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he has received a copy of a resolution adopted at a largely attended meeting in Clones on 24th January 1895, at which a resolution was passed approving of the views expressed by the hon. Member for South Tyrone before the Morley Committee on the propriety and justice of admitting mill owners who have farms attached to their mills to the position of agricultural tenants; and, will the Government give effect to this in the passing of the Irish Land Bill?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR: The resolution referred to does not appear to have been brought under my notice. The Land Bill will be in the hands of the hon. Member in a day or two.

MATABELELAND.

MR. HENRY LABOUCHERE (Northampton): I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies, (1) whether any steps have been taken to ascertain if the uprising of the Natives in Matabeleland has been due to anything in the relations that have been established between them and the Chartered Company of South Africa that may have acted injuriously to the Natives, or may be deemed by them to have so acted, with a view to put an end to the present unfortunate state of things in that country, by the offer of the removal of all legitimate grievances; and, (2) whether the 200 Soudanese that are stated to have arrived in Matabeleland were brought there by the Chartered Company; and, if so, with what object?

tion; but I have directed an inquiry to be made by the High Commissioner on the subject. In the meantime I would say that the British Vice-Consul at Beira, of whom we have made inquiries, stated that Mr. Rhodes was only accompanied by his secretary and his servant.

MR. LABOUCHERE: Does the right hon. Gentleman know whether these are Dervishes? [Laughter.]

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: I do not know whether they exist at all. *SIR C. DILKE (Gloucester, Forest of Dean): Is it not probable that these 200 black Soudanese said to have landed at Beira for the South Africa Company, are the 200 black Soudanese who landed at Mombasa about whom questions have been previously asked in the last few weeks?

MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: It is perfectly impossible for me to say who they are. I see in the newspapers that Mr. Rhodes is accompanied by 200 Soudanese. I inquire of the British Vice-Consul at Beira, and he has no information of them.

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE
SOUDAN.

MR. LABOUCHERE: I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether any Indian troops of Her Majesty are under orders to go the Soudan; and (2) whether, if troops of Her Majesty are employed either to defend that portion of the Soudan now occupied by Egyptian troops, or to replace any other portion of it now governed by the Kailifa under the rule of Egypt, the cost will be defrayed by Egypt or by this country?

THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. GEORGE CURZON, Lancashire, MR. J. CHAMBERLAIN: Up to Southport): The first part of the Questhe present time I have no reason to tion has already been answered in the believe that the rising in Matabeleland negative by the Secretary of State for is due to any mismanagement by the India. In reply to the second, should Chartered Company. Of course, our it be found necessary to employ British present object and desire is to put down troops beyond Wady Halfa, the cost of the rising as quickly as possible. ["Hear, such operations will be a matter for conhear!"] As soon as that is done I shall sideration and discussion between the instruct Sir Richard Martin to make a British and Indian Governments. Secretary of State for the Colonies.