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Report of Select Committee On Chemists and in type, and will be circulated to Members Druggists [78]; Chemists and Druggists of the House to-morrow.

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Papers relating to the late Conferences presented [by Command]; to lie on the Table.-Parl. Paper, No. [3426.]

ENDOWED GRAMMAR SCHOOLS,

QUESTION.

MR. HODGKINSON said, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, What progress has been made in collecting and arranging the information required for the Return ordered in the last Session of Parliament, with reference to Endowed Gram

(No. 2) [84]; Chemists and Druggists [Sir FitzRoy Kelly]* [78]; Chemists and Druggists (No. 2) [Sir John Shelley]* [84]. Committee Fortifications (Provision for Expenses) * [215]; Colonial Governors (Retiring Pensions) [133] R.P.; Sugar Duties and Drawbacks [198]; Comptroller of the Exchequer and Public Audit [208]; National Gallery (Dublin) [208]; Fire Brigade (Metropolis) [153] R.P.; Harbours Transfer [216]; Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation (No. 2) (re-comm. )* [222]; Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation (No. 3) (recomm.) [223]; Roads and Bridges (Scotland) (re-comm.) [165]—R.P. Report-Fortifications (Provisions for Expenses)* [215]; Sugar Duties and Drawbacks [198]; Comptroller of the Exchequer and Public Audit* [208]; National Gallery (Dublin) [203]; Harbours Transfer [216]; Pier and Harbour Orders Confirmation (No. 2) (re-mar Schools; and when the Return may comm.)* [222]; Pier and Harbour Orders be expected to be laid upon the table of Confirmation (No. 3) (re-comm.) * [223]. the House? Considered as amended- Greenwich Hospital [212]; Malt Duty* [160]; Sugar Duties and Drawbacks [198;] Trusts Administration (Scotland) [158]; Record of Title (Ireland)* [217] [Lords]; Parsonages [205] [Lords]; Wick and Ayr Burghs Election * [166]. Third Reading-Sugar Duties and Drawbacks * [198]; Crown Suits, &c.* [206]; Kingstown Harbour [185]; Pheasants (Ireland) [193] [Lords]; Ecclesiastical Commission (Superannuation Allowances)* [201], and passed.

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BRITISH NORTH AMERICA

THE CONFEDERATION.

MR. H. A. BRUCE said, in reply, that a certain number of Endowed Schools had sent in the required information. That information had been tabulated and arranged, and he hoped the result would be laid upon the table before the end of the Session.

TREASURE TROVE.

QUESTION.

SIR JERVOISE JERVOISE said, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, referring to the fact stated in a Return (Treasury Trove, No. 297, of Session 1864) of portions of the Royal Revenue having in two cases been disposed of according to directions of the Lords of the Treasury, Whether it is not right that so unprecedented a step as the free transfer of the Crown's Revenue to private indi viduals should not be guarded by the usual constitutional forms?

MR. CARDWELL, in laying upon the table copies of the Official Correspondence which has taken place on this subject, said, these papers will be found to consist of a despatch from the Governor General of Canada, enclosing a Minute of his Executive Council recommending the appointment of four Members of that body to proceed to England to confer with Her Majesty's Government on four questions of importance namely, the proposed Con- MR. F. PEEL said, in reply, that the federation of British North America, the course which had been taken in these two Defence of Canada, the Reciprocity Treaty, cases was not unprecedented, nor any other and the North Western Territory. On than the usual course. The treasure was the arrival of these gentlemen in Eng- sent to the British Museum, and having land, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the been reported by the authorities there to Secretary for War, the Chancellor of the be of no intrinsic value, was returned by Exchequer, and the Secretary to the Colo- the Treasury to the finders. There was nies, were appointed to confer with them no objection to this course on constitutional on the part of Her Majesty's Government. grounds, as it was authorized by the Civil Several conferences were held, and the List Act. In answer to the observation result of these conferences was embodied that was frequently made that the Treain a despatch to the Governor General of sury did not act with sufficient liberality Canada, which has been adopted by Her to the finders of treasure, he might remark Majesty's Government, and by the depu- that the Crown's rights would be of very tation from Canada as a record of the little value unless that course were purviews expressed. The papers are already sued.

ARMY-EMPLOYMENT OF DR. SUTHER

LAND.-QUESTION.

remuneration. His salary was charged to the Sanitary Vote of the Army Estimates. Under Vote 14 a sum of £20,000 was taken for sanitary services. The arrangement made for the payment of expenses

approved by the Treasury, and there would be no objection to lay upon the table all the correspondence between the War Office and the Treasury on the subject.

SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE said, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, In what capacity Dr. Suther-incurred by this Committee was generally land is employed by the War Department; what pay and allowances he receives; whether he is paid by salary or by day pay when actually employed; and, if by day pay, for how many days in the year he is employed on an average-from what Vote of the Estimates the payment is made; whether the arrangement has received the approval of the Treasury; and, whether there will be any objection to lay upon the table of the House a copy of the terms of his original appointment, and of any correspondence between the War Office and the Treasury on the subject?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON, in reply, said, the House would recollect that at the conclusion of the Crimean war a Royal Commission was appointed to inquire into the sanitary state of the Army. The result was that several sub-Committees were subsequently appointed to consider and report upon the best mode of carrying out several of the subjects which had been reported upon by the Royal Commission. Dr. Sutherland, who had been a member of the Royal Commission, was appointed to serve on four of these sub-Committees, and he still continued to serve on one, and the most important of them-that originally called the Barrack and Hospital Committee, and now called the Army Sanitary Committee. The duties of that Committee were to consider and report upon all questions relating to sanitary improvements in existing barracks and hospitals, and the most healthy form of construction for new buildings. Dr. Sutherland's great experience and knowledge in such matters enabled him to render services upon the Committee more valuable probably than those of any other gentleman who could be found. As to the rate of remuneration, it was fixed by the right hon. and gallant Member for Huntington (General Peel) at £3 3s. a day, and afterwards, upon the recommendation of the late Mr. Sidney Herbert, then President of the Royal Commission, it was continued at the same rate so long as he was completely occupied upon these duties. Dr. Sutherland's time had since been entirely occupied on the details of the business of the Sanitary Committee, and he therefore continued to receive the above rate of

COLONEL PERCY HERBERT said, he wished to inquire whether there is no Officer in the Army capable of performing the duties of Dr. Sutherland, and whether he is entitled to superannuation?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON said, he was unable to answer the question of the hon. and gallant Member, whether there was no officer of the army who was qualified to discharge the duties performed by Dr. Sutherland? It was the opinion of the present Secretary of State, and it had been the opinion of two or three of his predecessors, that these duties were better performed by Dr. Sutherland than they could be by any other person. He was unable to answer the question relative to Dr. Sutherland's superannuation; but should rather imagine that, under the circumstances, he was not qualified to receive superannuation.

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of the fund upon which the Establishment | dated Fund - namely, the fund out of of the Commissioners for the Reduction of which the salary and expenses of the Nathe National Debt is chargeable; whether tional Debt Commissioners was charged. the sums of £255 14s. 2d. and £297 10s., The answer was, that although the being the amounts charged in columns 26 & 27 Vict. c. 87, did generally repeal 1 and 2 of the same Parliamentary Paper, the 3 & 4 Will. IV. c. 14, yet that ought not, under the Act 26 & 27 Vict. Clause 68 was a saving clause for certain c. 87, to have been charged upon the fund portions of that Act, and said that the upon which the Establishment of the Com- Act should not repeal any of the powers missioners for the Reduction of the Na- and authorities of the Commissioners of tional Debt is chargeable; and, whether the National Debt with regard to the conthe several sums charged in columns 4, trol, management, investment, conversion, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, ought not to have and regulation of the funds remitted by been charged to the same fund? the Trustees of the Savings Banks and Friendly Societies. That section had been construed as keeping alive the Act 3 & 4 Will. IV., with respect to the payment in question.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, he would answer as clearly as he could the three questions of the right hon. Gentleman. The first related to the payment of £7,703 4s. 9d. It was, according to the view of the Treasury, perfectly regular, and charged to the proper fund. It was, however, competent for the right hon. Gentleman to raise the question if he thought fit. With regard to the second question under the Act 9 Geo. IV., the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt were authorized to appoint a barrister and to pay his allowances, together with those of his clerks and the expenses of the office, out of the fund upon which the Establishment of the Commission was chargeable. Under another Act, however, 3 & 4 Will. IV. c. 14, the incidental expenses were authorized to be paid out of any fund standing in the names of the Commissioners. For the last twenty-two years all those incidental expenses had been paid out of the fund standing in the names of the Commissioners in the accounts of the Savings Banks. As the barrister was originally appointed there could be no doubt that his salary came under the head of incidental expenses, because he was paid by piece according to the work done. Subsequently, however, when these payments were commuted for an annual allowance, it was still held that these were clearly incidental expenses according to the sense and meaning of Parliament. They were still so treated, and were charged on the money standing in the name of the Commissioners. The third question relating to the minor expenses he would take next, because it fell precisely under the same conditions as the first. The question here was whether, irrespective of the manner in which these sums were charged before the passing of the Act 26 & 27 Vict. c. 87, they ought not to have been charged on the Consoli

MR. HENLEY said, that the Act 26 & 27 Vict. repealed in terms Section 21 of the Act of Will. IV., which authorized these payments, and re-enacted the provisions of the 9 Geo. IV. If the right hon. Gentleman had not given his attention to the subject, and would do so, he would find that the general saving clause to which he had referred did not cover those payments.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE. QUER said, he would look into the matter.

BISHOPS' TRUST SUBSTITUTION ACT.

QUESTION.

MR. MUNDY said, he would beg to ask the right hon. Member for Cambridge University, Whether the consent of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, under their common seal, was previously obtained for the substitution of the Bishop of St. Asaph for the Bishop of Bangor, as President of the Hospital of Christ at Ruthin, in the county of Denbigh, as ordered by the Board of Charity Commission, on January 24th, 1860, pursuant to Section 2 of 21 & 22 Vict. c. 71, commonly designated

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The Bishops' Trust Substitution Act of Session 1858 ;" whether the like consent for the substitution of the Bishop of Ox ford for the Bishop of Lincoln, as trustee of Lady Conyngham's Charities for the benefit of poor Clergymen in county of Bucks, and of certain poor persons in parish of Hitchenden or Hayenden, in same county, by order of such Charity Commission, dated August 7th, 1860, as disclosed in the Return ordered to be printed on 1st of March last (No. 84 of present Session); and, whether he considers that these two solitary instances in

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MR. WALPOLE replied, that the object of the Bishops' Trust Substitution Act was simply this: that when a diocese had been altered in which the former Bishop, by virtue of his office was trustee of a charity, then the trust was transferred to the Bishop of the new diocese in which the charity would be from the time when the alteration was made. This was to be done by the Charity Commissioners, except where a right of patronage or any other

ecclesiastical matter was involved.

Now,

the first two questions of his hon. Friend

did not relate to cases of ecclesiastical

patronage or to anything of the kind, and, therefore, the consent of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners was not needed; for then the change was made by order of the Charity Commissioners, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had nothing to do with it. With regard to the third question-whether the Bishop of Oxford, as promoter of the enactment, and of himself when taking up the conduct of this measure, as Her Majesty's Secretary of State, were justified in the use of certain words in the preamble of the Statute? he had only to say, that he knew nothing of any statement made by the Bishop; but he believed that there were other cases besides those to which his hon. Friend had referred, and the word "frequently" would apply to such cases, as well as to the other two, and then the inference would be very different from that which the questor assumed.

FORFEITURE FOR TREASON AND FELONY BILL.-QUESTION. MR. CHARLES FORSTER said, he wished to ask Mr. Attorney General, What course he proposed to take respecting the Forfeiture for Treason and Felony Bill? THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, in reply, said it would be impossible to proceed with the Bill during the present Session. He was anxious to give effect to the engagements which he had entered into on the subject last year, but the difficulties experienced with regard to the working

machinery of the Bill had been found too great, and it was now too late in the Session to overcome them.

STAMP DUTY ON HIGHWAY CONTRACTS.

QUESTION.

ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, MR. TREFUSIS said, he would beg to

Whether Contracts for the maintenance

and repair of Highways are liable to the and, if so, whether, considering the heavy Stamp Duty of one pound fifteen shillings; additional expense thereby entailed upon Highway Boards, he will consider the advisability of reducing the amount of Duty payable upon such Contracts?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE

QUER said, he believed there was some doubt as to the actual state of the law, but the practice had been to assume that these contracts were not liable to a stamp duty of thirty-five shillings. There was liable, and if they were liable the liability no great reason why they should be so arose entirely out of technical considerations. In order that they might be put upon a more favourable footing, he intended, Revenue Bill, to move the insertion of a on bringing up the Report of the Inland should not exceed sixpence. clause providing that the stamp duty

THE GERMAN ZOLLVEREIN.

QUESTION.

MR. HEYGATE said, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If he will lay upon the table of the House a Copy of the Treaty recently contracted with the German Zollverein, and of the Tariff connected therewith?

MR. LAYARD, in reply, said, the treaty had not yet been ratified, but he believed the ratifications would be exchanged in the course of a very few days. There was no tariff annexed to the treaty. COMPANIES WORKMEN'S EDUCATION BILL.-QUESTION.

In reply to a question by Mr. W. E. FORSTER,

MR. ADDERLEY said, that it was not his intention to proceed further with the Bill during the present Session, but he intended to re-introduce it the next Session. He now moved that the Order for the Second Reading be discharged.

Motion agreed to.

Order discharged: Bill withdrawn.

INDIA-LAND TENURE IN OUDE.

QUESTION.

LORD STANLEY said, he wished to

ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether he has received any Report with regard to the Inquiry into the Land Tenure in Oude, which was now, he understood, approaching its conclusion; and, if so, whether he would state the substance of such Report, and whether the result of that Inquiry went to confirm the Talookdars in all important cases in their holdings?

SIR CHARLES WOOD said, in reply, that up to the present time he had not received any official Report. The inquiry was being conducted by several officials, and their Reports would in the first place be addressed to the Chief Commissioner. They would then go to the Government of India, and of course he (Sir Charles Wood) would not receive complete information until the Reports were transImitted to him. But he had received in

formation of what was going on, and it went entirely to confirm the statement of the noble Lord. The general tendency of the Reports was to the effect that though it was perfectly true that by common custom the occupiers had not been disturbed by the landowners, whether Talookdars or Žemindars, as long as the rent was paid, yet there were but very few cases in which they had been able to establish any right to the land amounting to a legal right. They had themselves shown the greatest indifference on the subject. The result, therefore, on the whole was to confirm the possession of the Talookdars in the estates which they held, and, practically, to do away with anything like legal right on the part of the occupying tenants to the land which they occupied. LAHORE BISHOPRIC BILL-QUESTION. In reply to Mr. HENRY SEYMOUR, SIR CHARLES WOOD said, it was not his intention to persevere with the Bill this

Session and he should therefore move

that the Order for the Second Reading be read and discharged.

Motion agreed to.

Order discharged: Bill withdrawn.

MR. HENRY SEYMOUR said, he begged to give notice that he would on a future occasion take the sense of the House on the policy of extending the English Church Establishment in India at the expense of the members of other religious communities.

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LORD STANLEY said, in reply, that the Patent Law Commission appointed three the scope of its inquiry. It was not a years ago was confined as regarded Commission to inquire into the principle which the Patent Laws were founded,

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but simply into the working of the exist ing laws, and to suggest any amendments which might be made in the working of

those laws. mission was before the House, and, as the The Report of that ComHouse was aware, they had suggested many amendments in detail. But he was bound to say that having had the subject under consideration now for nearly three years, having heard a great variety of evidence upon it, and being compelled to consider it in all its bearings, the effect of that inquiry on his mind had been to raise Patent Laws at all. He was not the only a very serious doubt as to the utility of Member of the Commission upon whom and learned Friend the Member for Belthat effect had been produced. His hon. fast (Sir Hugh Cairns), who was not now present, bad authorized him to say that in that expression of opinion he entirely concurred, and he might say the same for the hon. Member for Bradford. [Mr. W. E. FORSTER: Hear, hear!] That being the case he should feel some difficulty in proposing to the House, either in the present or any future Session, those amendments of detail which had been embodied in the Report of the Commission. The preliminary question in his opinion for the House to try was this, whether they meant to have a Patent Law at all. If the House came to a decision that they intended to retain the Patent Law, then he should confidently recommend the amendments which the Commission had proposed as better qualified than any others in their opinion to meet the inevitable inconvenience which arises from the continuance of the law. But the House ought first to have an opportunity fairly and deliberately of deciding upon that larger question which had not been submitted to the Patent Law Commission-namely, whether it was ex pedient that Patents for inventions should continue to be a part of the law.

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