SUBSTITUTED BILLS (STANDING respect of the Bills comprised in the List reported by the Chairman of Ways and Means as intended to originate in the House of Lords, he has certified that the Standing Orders have been complied with in the following case, viz. :-MidCheshire Tramways. London County Council (Tramways and Improvements) Bill. "To enable the London County Council to construct and work new tramways in the counties of London and Middlesex; to alter and re-construct tramways in the county of London; to make street improvements in the counties of London, Kent, and Middlesex; to empower the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich to construct a new street; and for other purposes," presented, and read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time. Rotherham Corporation Bill. "To provide for altering the wards of the County Borough of Rotherham and for increasing the number of aldermen and councillors; to confer further powers on the Corporation of the borough in regard to their gas, water, tramways, and electrical undertakings; to make further provisions for the health, improvement, and local government of the borough; and for other purposes," presented, and read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time. PETITIONS. LICENCES (RENEWAL). Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Petitions against alteration of Law; Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in the case of the following Bills, introduced pursuant to the provisions of The Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act, 1899, the Standing Orders which are applicable thereto have been complied with, viz. :-Clyde Navigation (Shieldhall Docks); Clyde Navigation (Works). PRIVATE BILLS [LORDS]. Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in from Kidderminster; Shipley; Southend; Birmingham; Stoke Newington; Crigglestone; Knaresborough; Sunderland; Walton-on-the-Hill; Blandford; Salisbury (two); Lewisham; Gronant; Newcastle-on-Tyne (two); Liverpool (three); Coventry (two); Whixall; Ware; Preston (three); Ravensthorpe; Thurso; Fleetwood; Aberdeen; Neath; Stourbridge; Berwick-on-Tweed; Stromness; Settle; Hirwain; Aberdare; Troedyrhiw (three); Cwmdare; Merthyr Tydfil; Eccles; Bethesda; Eccleshill; Low Moor; Wibsey; Idle; Queensbury; Barton; Pendlebury; Whitchurch; Halifax; Bristol; Clydebank; Sheffield; Woodhouse; Edinburgh (two); East Kirkby; Pensarn; Soar; Bermondsey; Tottenham; Tanygroes; Bethesda; Dyffryn Dyfi; Battersea; and Aberdovey; to lie upon the Table. PAYMENT OF JURORS. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CIRCULATED WITH THE VOTES. Russia and the Treaty of Aigun. MR. MOON (St. Pancras, N.): To ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the breach by Russia of the Convention to Petition from London, in favour; to evacuate Manchuria, the Foreign Office lie upon the Table. RATING OF GROUND RENTS AND VALUES. has proposed to the Chinese Government that they should denounce the Treaty of Aigun, whereby the navigation of the Amur, Sungari, and Ussuri was opened Petition from Battersea, for legisla- by China to Russia exclusively. tion; to lie upon the Table RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC. WOODS, FORESTS, AND LAND Abstract Accounts presented, for the year ended 31st March, 1903, together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General thereon [by Act]; to lie upon the Table, and to be printed. [No. 66.] (Answered by Earl Percy.) His Majesty's Government do not consider that failure on the part of Russia to execute the provisions of the Convention for the evacuation of Manchuria would justify them in recommending the Chinese Government to denounce the Treaty of Aigun, which has been in force since 1858, and to which no objection has hitherto been taken. Atrocities on the Congo-Action of MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.): To ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the present PAPER LAID UPON THE TABLE BY THE position of our negotiations with the QUEEN'S COLLEGE, BELFAST (STAFF AND EQUIPMENT). Return ordered, "of Copy of (1) Resolutions adopted by the Council of Queen's College, Belfast, on the 4th December, 1903, and by the Corporate Body on 9th December, 1903; (2) Irish Government Letter of 17th December, 1903, in acknowledgment of same; (3) Letter of 11th January, 1904, from the President of University College, Dublin; and (4) Irish Government Letter of 15th January, 1904, in acknowledgment of same." (Mr. Wyndham.) Return presented accordingly; to lie upon the Table and to be printed. [No. 68.] other European Powers with regard to the alleged atrocities in the treatment of natives in the Congo State and the necessity of bringing that treatment before a competent tribunal to sift the evidence and, if proved, provide adequate remedies for the prevention of cruelties alleged to be practised in Mid Africa. (Answered by Earl Percy.) His Majesty's Government have addressed communications to the Powers on the subject referred to by the hon. Member, and no replies have yet been received. Sugar Refineries in East London-Persons Employed. Member with the figures he desires for the years mentioned. The nearest information in my possession is as follows:-The Return of Persons Employed in 1901 (now in course of preparation), shows 1,969 persons employed in sugar refineries in the East of London and the adjoining part of Essex; and the Return for 1895 shows 1,552 persons employed for the same area; in both years the number employed in the East of London forming only a small part of the total. A Return for 1889-90 shows no persons employed in the East of London and 1,758 employed in the adjoining part of Essex; and a Return for 1870-1871 shows 1,332 persons employed in Essex and Middlesex together. In the last mentioned years, however, the statutory definition of factory was different from the present definition in the Factory Act, and the figures do not admit of comparison. Condition of Mrs. Maybrick's Release. MR. KEARLEY (Devonport): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mrs. Maybrick will be released under any general rule applicable to all female convicts similarly situated; if not, whether he will state the grounds for her release; and whether any, and, if any, how many, female convicts who are now in prison have been confined for a longer period than Mrs. Maybrick's term of actual imprisonment. (Answered by Mr. Secretary AkersDouglas.) The circumstances of female convicts under life sentences vary so much that there can be no general rule applicable to all. Each case has to be considered on its merits, and each case is so considered from time to time. It would be contrary to practice to state the grounds on which the prerogative of mercy is exercised in any case. No female convict is now in custody who has been confined for a longer period than Mrs. Maybrick has been; but this fact does not imply any rule as to the maximum detention of female convicts. Prison Commissioners and Public SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that exhibiting to tenderers samples of foreignmade canvas, to be made in the prisons of the United Kingdom into mail bags and other goods for the Post Office; that, contrary to the practice of all other Departments, the Prison Commissioners contract with middlemen instead of directly with manufacturers, and that in recent years these middlemen have the negotiated large contracts for Government with French and Belgian firms; and whether he will communicate with the Prison Commissioners in order to bring their method of contracting into line with that of other Government Departments. are (Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) I have referred to the Prison Commissioners in this matter, and am informed that they do not know the country of origin of the samples of canvas which are, in the ordinary course, offered for inspection to persons wishing to tender. They are the usual samples as obtained from various contractors, and, in any case, it is not implied that the tenders should be for foreign-nade material. As regards in inviting tenders, the proposed conthe practice pursued by the Commissioners tracts, which are advertised extensively, facturer or middleman, subject to the open to anyone, whether manuusual inquiries as to his capacity, respectability, etc. The Commissioners are of opinion that their peculiar circumstances, in having no facilities for storage, ana being obliged to arrange for supplies to be delivered as wanted, in small quantities and at many different prisons on the requisition from time to time of governors, would, if the contracts were confined to large manufacturers, by adopting the practice of some other public Departments, whose circumstances are different, impose an inconvenient limit on the area of competition and might lead to a great increase in prices. Having regard to the requirements of the prison service, I see no sufficient reason for disturbing the present practice. I may add that, as a fact, under the existing contracts made in accordance with that practice, at least four-fifths of the canvas supplied are British-made. Vaccination Exemption Certificates-Case of Mr. Pratt, of Balderton. MR. CORRIE GRANT (Warwickshire, for the Home Department whether he is aware that Mr. Pratt, of Balderton, applied three times to the Newark County Petty Sessions for an exemption certificate from vaccination for his child and was refused, and that on the first two occasions his application was rejected because he had not a medical certificate that his child one; and whether he will give Thames shall count as one word instead instructions that in future Goring-onof three. was unfit for vaccination; and whether, in view of the misapprehension among many magistrates as to their duties in this matter, he will propose amending (Answered by Lord Stanley.) "Henleylegislation, substituting a statutory deon-Thames claration of conscientious objection for is accepted as one word in the present application to the magistrates."all names of towns and villages in the telegrams under the rule which says that United Kingdom are counted as one word each." Goring on Thames does not come under this rule because it is not the name of a town or village. The name of the village near Reading is Goring. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers Douglas.) I have been made aware of this case by a letter from Mr. Pratt. The question of amending the Vaccination Acts does not fall within my Department New Road from Charing Cross to Mall- MR. SOAMES (Norfolk, S.): To ask the hon. Member for the Chorley Division, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he can state when the new road from Charing Cross to the Mall is to be opened for traffic. (Answered by Lord Balcarres.) This work cannot be carried out until funds are provided, and the Metropolitan Improvements (Funds) Bill now awaiting Second Reading has been introduced for that purpose. Agricultural Banks in India. ask the Secretary of State for India if MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty): To he will state how many agricultural banks have been established in the different provinces of India up to the present time. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) The Papers presented last session on the subject of the establishment of agricultural banks in India contain the available information as to the number of these banks which are at present in existence. Irrigation Works in India-Proposed MR. WEIR: To ask the Secretary of it is proposed to spend on irrigation works in each Province of India during the present year, and when some of the irrigation works recommended in the Report of the Irrigation Commission are likely to be commenced. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) The information desired by the hon. Member on the subject of the amount which it is proposed to spend on irrigation during the next financial year will be given, as usual, in the Financial State ment, which will, in due course, be presented to Parliament. I am awaiting the views of the Government of India regarding the action that should be taken on the recommendations of the Irrigation Commission. Siemship of Cherra Native State, Assam. MR. WEIR: To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has received memorials from the people of the Cherra Native State, Assam, and from the ruling twelve clans of that State protesting against the action of the Government of India in overruling a decision of the late Chief Commissioner of Assam, Sir Henry Cotton, in regard to the appointment of a successor to the late Siem (Chief) U Hajon Manick, who died on the 24th May, 1901; and whether, seeing that Chundra Singh, the nearest relative of the late Siem, was always recognised during that chieftain's lifetime as the heirapparent to the Siemship, and that the Khardarkar, or representatives of the twelve clans, on whom from time immemorial the election to a vacant Siemship has devolved, elected Chundra Singh by a majority of 8 to 4, will he explain why the decision of the late Chief Commissioner of Assam was reversed by the Government of India in favour of U Roba Singh, and will the question of succession be reconsidered. (Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) Memorials were received in 1902 from Chundra Singh, the rejected candidate for the Siemship of Cherra, and from representatives of the twelve clans who supported his claims. The Government of India, having regard to precedents and to all the circumstances of the case, were unable to approve the recommendation of the Chief Commissioner that the decision of the majority of the Durbar, referred only the twelve heads of the clans constituting the State were present, should be accepted, and ordered a popular election to be held, at which Roba Singh was chosen unanimously. The Government of India thereon confirmed Roba Singh as chief. The case has been very fully considered both by the Government of India and the Secretary of State in Council. I see no reason for reopening the question. Maintenance of County Dublin Infirmary. MR. CLANCY (Dublin County, N.): To ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland if he will state what was the contribution out of the county cess or the poor rate by the governors and governesses, and from any other source, towards the maintenance of the County Dublin Infirmary in the years 1897 and 1898, and what was the proportion of the contribution out of the county cess or poor rate towards the building of that institution. It is stated in the Report of the Dublin Hospitals Commission, which was presented to Parliament in 1887, that the hospital as it was then reported upon, was built at a cost of £12,876, partly contributed by private subscription and partly by grants from the Grand Jury. The latter grants, I understand, amounted to £4,788. No grants have since been made from county sources for building purposes. A further sum of £17,393 has been expended on new buildings since the date of the Report, all of which was privately provided. Police at Ballynahinch, County Down. MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.): To ask the |