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his attention has been drawn to a disturbance near Doonbeg, county Clare, on the 11th inst., in reference to some work on the West Clare Railway line; and, seeing that a force of police was present on the occasion, whether he can state the circumstances which gave rise to the disturbance, and in what way the police were employed in reference to the matter and by whose orders.

The

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM, Dover): Owing to the flooding of the railway line near Doonbeg, which endangered the public safety, a number of workmen in the employment of the railway company were sent to cut a drain for the purpose of carrying away the water. farmers objected to the surplus waters being conveyed to their lands adjoining the line, and showed their resentment by assembling with pitchforks, sticks, and stones. Acting under the orders of their superior officers a force of police was present to preserve the peace.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND: Are the railway company exercising a legal right in this work? What remedy have those who will be flooded in consequence of it?

MR. WYNDHAM: I can hardly be expected to express an opinion on the legal merits of the question. Those who are injured have a remedy at law.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND: As this affair has caused some excitement and disturbance may I ask whether it is usual to supply a large force of police to enable work to be carried out before it has been decided whether those doing it have a legal right.

of the hostile attitude of the people. Whether the railway company have a legal right can be determined by process of law.

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.): By whom were the police sent?

MR. WYNDHAM: By their superior officer.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND: I shall call attention to this again.

Arterial Drainage in Ireland. MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.): I Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the proposed during the present session to Unionist policy propounded in 1887 in take any steps to give effect to the regard to the arterial drainage of Ireland, and if anything will be done by Estimate or otherwise to provide funds for dealing with the flooding of the River Bann.

MR. WYNDHAM: I am not in a position to take up the general question of arterial drainage. I do intend to submit certain proposals in respect of the River Bann.

MR. DELANY: Did not the Unionst policy refer to the Barrow and not to the Bann.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL: It referred to the whole country.

Labourers (Ireland) Bill.

MR. JOHN REDMOND (Waterford): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will immediately introduce the promised measure dealing with labourers in Ireland so as to afford ample time for the consideration of its provisions by those

*MR. SPEAKER: Order, order. That specially interested in the matter. is a general argument.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND: But were the authorities satisfied that in giving the assistance of the police they were enabling legal work to be carried on ?

MR. WYNDHAM: I am quite satisfied that it was the duty of the Executive Government to send the police in view

MR. WYNDHAM: I shall endeavour to introduce this Bill at the earliest date consistent with the demands on the time of the House for concluding the financial business of the year.

MR. JOHN REDMOND: Can the right hon. Gentleman not give us more definite information? It is of the utmost importance that we should have the terms

of the Bill in our hands at the earliest Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is intenpossible moment. ded to introduce this session any Government measure to make under-sheriffs in Ireland permanent officials under the Crown, and to provide them with a staff of competent assistants; and, if not, whether the Government will afford facilities for a Bill of that character if introduced by a private Member.

MR. WYNDHAM: I have said that I shall introduce the Bill at the earliest possible moment, but in the absence of the Prime Minister it is quite impossible for me to arrange the business of the House.

County Clare Police Occupations.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that members of the Royal Irish Constabulary have been employed in conveying cattle to, and herding cattle on a farm near Glanquin, county Clare; and will he say whether the employment of police in this manner has been sanctioned by the authorities.

MR. WYNDHAM: The hon. Member has not been correctly informed. There is no foundation for the suggestion in the Question.

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Extra Police at Cappawhite. MR. KENDAL O'BRIEN (Tipperary, Mid.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state how many extra police are stationed in Cappawhite district, county Tipperary, and for what reason; whether he will say for what official use a special transport car provided at Cappawhite is employed, and whether the head constable has authority to use it for his private business; and whether he is aware that this official recently used it to take him on a canvassing tour with reference to an expected vacancy in the clerkship of petty sessions.

MR. WYNDHAM: The police force in this district was augmented in 1902, but the necessity for the additional men having passed away they were withdrawn some time ago. The transport car is still required for patrolling purposes. It has never been used by the head constable except when engaged on duty. The reply to the concluding inquiry is in the negative.

Irish Under-Sheriffs.

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MR. WYNDHAM: Legislation with the object stated would entail a considerable expenditure of public money, and I cannot hold out any hope that the Government will undertake such legislation in the present session. The question of affording facilities for a private Member's Bill is one that should be addressed to the Prime Minister.

Irish Labourers and Land Purchase. MR. O'SHEE (Waterford, W.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will say what steps have been taken by the Land Commission in reference to inquiries as to whether accommodation for labourers is needed on any estates for the purchase of them for advances under the Irish Land which applications have been made to them for advances under the Irish Land Act, 1903; on how many estates have such inquiries been made up to the 1st instant; in how many cases has a scheme been framed under Section 96; and whether a copy of the Report of the Land Commission in reference to such accom

modation on any estate can be obtained on application.

MR. WYNDHAM: The inspectors are instructed to make the inquiries contemplated by Section 96. Such inquiries. have been made to the present date in the case of fifty-three estates. On one estate the accommodation for labourers is

reported to be insufficient, but no scheme has yet been framed by the Estates Commissioners. It would be contrary to established practice to publish these Reports, which, being departmental, are regarded as confidential; but I am considering whether the results of the investigations can be published in a summarised form.

Irish Catholic University.

MR. CHARLES DEVLIN: I beg MR. LONSDALE (Armagh, Mid.): I to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lordbeg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view

of the promise made by Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask Parliament in this session to double the grant to University colleges in England in receipt of Parliamentary grants, he is prepared to submit to Parliament a proposal to establish in Ireland a University acceptable to the majority of the people of that country, and to which grants by Parliament could be given.

MR. WYNDHAM: I cannot at the present moment usefully supplement my recent statement in this House on the subject of Irish University education.

Rent Dispute on the Erne Estate.

MR. EDWARD MITCHELL (Fermanagh, N.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of Margaret Dolan v. the Earl of Erne, heard before the County Court Judge at Enniskillen on Thursday the 28th ult., when the judge strongly commented upon the action of the landlord in consequence of the tenant having a fair rent fixed by the Land Court; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action to prevent such actions being brought.

Irish Language in Irish Schools. MR. THOMAS O'DONNELL (Kerry, W.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will explain why, in the recent regulations issued by the National Board, steps were taken to prevent the teaching of Irish in primary schools as an extra subject.

MR. WYNDHAM: I am informed by the Commissioners that they have recently issued revised programmes in extra subjects, including the Irish language, which it is proposed to bring into operation on the 1st April, 1904. If, however, managers of National Schools are not satisfied with these programmes they are at liberty to submit alternative programmes for the approval of the Commissioners. The programmes and regulations were not issued with the intention of preventing the teaching of extra subjects, but, on the contrary, to make instruction in these subjects more efficient.

Irish Land Purchase-Public Trustee.

MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.): I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the LordLieutenant of Ireland whether he can state what are the position and duties of the Public Trustee under the Land Purchase Act; in what way are moneys

MR. WYNDHAM: My attention has been directed by the Question to a news-realised by sale of lands and invested in paper report of the proceedings. I am unable to say whether it is accurate. The landlord was within his right in suing for a year's rent which the tenant admitted to be due. The Judge gave a decree, on her consent, payable in two instal

ments.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL: Did not the Judge comment severely on the action of the landlord?

MR. WYNDHAM: I have seen the newspaper report which states so. It is not for me to say whether the statement

is accurate.

MR. EDWARD MITCHELL : The report is absolutely correct.

*MR. DELANY: Did not a similar case occur in King's County and the County Court Judge refuse to give costs?

*MR. SPEAKER: Order, order!

his name secured for the beneficiaries; are the Government responsible for his integrity; is his sanction required in case trustees themselves desire to invest the proceeds of sale where the vendor is tenant for life; and whether in cases in which he acts as trustee of the purchase money can he invest the proceeds without the approval of the vendor.

MR. WYNDHAM: If the hon. Member will refer to the 52nd Section of the Irish Land Act he will find most of his Questions answered. Rules are being framed which, when approved of, will answer the others. These rules will be published when finally settled.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL: What were the previous qualifications of this Public Trustee?

MR. WYNDHAM: I have answered that before. He had had extensive experience as a land agent.

Tredennick Estate.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been directed to a resolution of a meeting of the Killaghter Branch of the United Irish League, held on 10th February, over which the Rev. P. B. Dunlany presided, urging, that inasmuch as the Congested Districts Board have had in their possession for the past three years two grass farms of about 280 acres on the Tredennick Estate, St. Colin's Point, that the Board should immediately take steps to divide these farms into suitable holdings for the fishermen of St. Colin's Point, who have now no land, and to build houses for them at reasonable purchase prices, and deprecating the use of those farms for grazing purposes; and, if so, will he say what steps, if any, he proposes to take in the matter.

MR. WYNDHAM: The lands referred to in the Question will be rearranged and sold with the least possible delay.

Cork Post Office Telegraph Learners. MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green): I beg to ask the PostmasterGeneral whether he will explain why

two female learners, who entered the

Cork Post Office in September, 1898, who have qualified in every respect, and have been employed as acting telegraphists for the past four years, are now classified and paid as learners; and why, seeing that these girls had risen from an initial wage of 5s. per week in 1898, to 16s. 6d. in 1904, this amount has been reduced to 108. per week since 18th January, 1904.

LORD STANLEY: In consequence of a falling-off in telegraph work at Cork, it was found necessary to discontinue the full time duty of these two learners, but it has now been found possible again to give them full time duties.

MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. TRANSVAAL LABOUR ORDINANCE. DR. MACNAMARA (Camberwell, N.): I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House in order to call attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance-namely, the action of the

Government in promulgating an Ordinance providing for the introduction of indentured Chinese labourers into the Transvaal before the Ordinance and its regulations have been discussed by the House of Commons in their complete and operative form.

*MR. SPEAKER: Had it been a question of the Ordinance alone, I should have had some difficulty in accepting the Motion after the recent debate; but I understand there are some regulations which are still under consideration. I think it would be impossible to separate the consideration of the Ordinance and the regulations, and, therefore, I will ask the leave of the House.

Dr. MACNAMARA rose in his place and asked leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, viz., "The promulgation of the Ordinance providing for the introduction of Indentured Chinese Labour into the Transvaal before the Ordinance and its regulations have been discussed by the House of Commons in their complete of the House not having been signified, and operative form; " but the pleasure Mr. SPEAKER called on those Members who supported the Motion to rise in their places, and not less than forty The Motion stood over, under Standing Members having accordingly risen:Order No. 10, until the Evening Sitting this day.

NEW BILLS.

TRADES UNIONS AND TRADE DISPUTES(No. 2) BILL.

"To legalise the peaceful conduct of Trade Disputes and to alter the Law affecting the liability of Trade Union. funds," presented by Sir Charles Dilke; supported by Mr. Keir Hardie; to be read a second time upon Friday, 25th March, and to be printed. [Bill 91.] HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES, ETC., BILL.

"To amend the Law relating to the Housing of the Working Classes, to amend the Law of Rating, and to establish Fair Rent Courts," presented by Mr. Nannetti; supported by Mr. Harwood,

Mr. Field, Captain Norton, Mr. Keir but it is not the practice to put these Hardie, Mr. Bell, Mr. Crooks, Sir Fortes items separately. cue Flannery, Mr. Joyce, Dr. Farquharson, Mr. Fenwick, Mr. Jacoby, and Mr. Logan; to be read a second time upon Tuesday, 22nd March, and to be printed. [Bill 92.]

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*THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.) hoped he was not creating a very bad precedent in asking leave to address the Committee at that stage, but there were circumstances connected with the Vote which made it desirable for him to say a few words in explanation. The figure was a large one, amounting to £2,700,000, its character was composite, and it was practically a sweeping up of all outstanding accounts of the late war, supplemented by certain items which had no connection with the war. The Vote on account of the war related to transactions most of which took place many months ago-in fact, some years ago-and a great many of the incidents out of which the Votes arose had been discussed over and over again in Parliament. Although the amount of this Supplementary Estimate was large, he did not think any reflection could be cast on the Accountant-General of the Army in consequence of it. He could actual expenditure beginning 1899, but not give the exact figures of the he found in 1899-1900 there was under-expenditure of £500,000 on a Vote of £43,000,000. The following year on an expenditure of £91,000,000 there was the next year on a Vote of £92,000,000, an under-expenditure of £600,000; in the under-expenditure was £254,000; and in the last year on a Vote of £69,000,000, there was an under-expenditure of £446,000. It would, he thought, be admitted, considering the circumstances under which the sums were voted, that this was not a discreditable record for the finance department of the War Office, and that it gave no ground for sneering at that office.

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He did not propose to discuss the details, but he felt it was due to the Committee to explain why these accounts which, in most cases, referred to transactions which were closed two years ago, came in now. There was a large sum in the Estimate which represented payments to be made on account of the colonial contingents. These accounts had to go through the process of being confirmed in South Africa, and that was the reason why they were now brought

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