alternatives appeared to him eminently | it. It was most gratifying to him that, unsatisfactory, as it placed the Catholic with the single exception of the hon. MemUniversity, which had been formed by the ber for Leitrim (Mr. Brady), there had been heads of the Catholic body, and possessed general testimony borne to the part taken the confidence of the great body of the by the University of Dublin in respect to Catholics in Ireland, on the same footing education in general. It had granted with every petty school in that country. Roman Catholic degrees in every branch This would not be fitting treatment of the except those connected with the Church, Roman Catholics, who formed the majority and given scholarships very useful and of the Irish population. He believed that profitable to those who received them; and no system would give satisfaction to the he sincerely regretted that the time had bishops, clergy, and laity of Ireland but come when Roman Catholic Members felt that of a Catholic University, and he hoped it necessary to separate themselves from the Government would grapple with the that University. difficulty and see whether they could not make up their minds to give them such a University. The observations of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Oxfordshire were worthy of attentive consideration. What had been called the godless system of education was strongly to be reprobated, for no scheme of instruction could be more detestable. The system sketched out by the right hon. Baronet the Home Secretary - that of affiliating the Catholic University to the Queen's University - was a better plan than that of allowing schools in any place, and of any or no religious creed, to send up their pupils for degrees, because the former would necessarily involve a representative of the Catholic College in the Queen's University. He did not say that he should be willing to accept that arrangement; but it was the better of the two alternatives which the right hon. Gentleman had seemed to suggest. THE O'DONOGHUE explained that, in the observations which he had made with reference to the Queen's Colleges, he meant to say that these colleges did not meet the requirements of the Catholics of Ireland. There could be no mistake about the fact that the Government had admitted the truth of the proposition laid down in his Motion, that there were objections to the present system of University education in Ireland, and though they had not thought fit to adopt the plan which he thought it best calculated to remove these objections, still he admitted that the proposition of the Government was one which, when well matured and developed, might possibly be worthy of consideration. He felt that he should not be acting with fairness if he did not express his thanks to the Government for the candid manner in which they had acted, and, with the permission of the House, he would withdraw his Motion. Motion, by leave, withdrawn. SECRET SERVICE MONEY. MOTION FOR RETURNS. MR. DARBY GRIFFITH, in moving for Returns of the expenditure for Secret Service, said, he was induced to make the Motion in consequence of a debate which had taken place a few nights ago in Committee of Supply. His Motion did not interfere with the principle of secresy of MR. LEFROY admitted that both sides of the question had been ably and fully stated, and concurred in everything which had been said on the subject by his right hon. Colleague (Mr. Whiteside). He did not think that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had fairly stated the views of Sir Robert Peel when he brought forward the question of the Queen's Colleges. He had referred to the speech of that right hon. Baronet, when he found that Sir Robert Peel, so far from stating that re-appropriation; all it asked was for inforligion was to be made part of the system, said that if they wished religious instruction to be given to the people in these academical institutions, provided they got the consent of the guardians, there was nothing in the Bill to interfere with such an arrangement. He was not at present prepared to express an opinion as to the proposition of the Government; but they would have an opportunity of amending it before they were called on to vote upon mation as to the proportions of the Secret Service money which each department received. He was surprised to find that the Government intended to object to a Motion of such a mild and inoffensive character. That this might be preliminary to still further inquiries he could not deny; but at present all he asked was the proportions spent by the different Departments. He had heard from a casual source that the great proportion was spent by the Foreign Office. The hon. Gentleman concluded by moving for a Return of the sums which have been paid out of the Secret Service Money by the Treasury to each of the Secretaries of State on his declaration in each year during the last ten years, together with the amount of the balance of such Secret Service Money remaining in the hands of any of the Departments of the Government at the end of each year. MR. VANCE, in seconding the Motion, asked whether there was any record existing of the manner in which the money was spent in times gone by-say, seventy or eighty years ago and, if there were, would there be any objection to its production? The time had come, he thought, when this Vote ought to disappear from the Estimates. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That there be laid before this House a Return of the sums which have been paid out of the Secret Service Money by the Treasury, to each of the Secretaries of State on his declaration in each year, during the last ten years; together with the amount of the balance of such Secret Service Money remaining in the hands of any of the Departments of the Government at the end of each year." (Mr. Darby Griffith.) MR. PEEL said, he objected to the Motion partly because some of the information it asked for was already in possession of the House, and partly because the information itself could be of no interest or value whatever. As to the amount of the balance of the Vote remaining unexpended, the hon. Gentleman would find that in the Finance Accounts, which stated the amount of the Secret Service money which remained unissued in the Exchequer year by year. If the other information asked for by the return were given, it would afford no insight into the application of the money, which he presumed was the only point which the hon. Gentleman would consider of interest or importance. Only one of two courses could be consistently pursued with regard to the Vote-either its distribution must remain secret or it must be done away with altogether. With regard to its application, there was the security of the declaration of the Secretary of State that it was applied in the manner in which the law intended it should be. He did not know how any improvement could be made in the checks now provided for the proper application of the money. The law which regulated the subject was passed in 1782. Its provisions were draughted by Burke himself in his Bill for the better regulation of the Civil List expenditure, and in his speech on economical reform he had explained the principles by which he had been guided. If the House was not satisfied with the personal declaration of the Secretary of State as to the application of the money it ought to refuse the Vote when it was proposed in Committee of Supply; but to the hon. Member's Motion, which would effect no manner of result either way, he must decidedly object. MR. DARBY GRIFFITH asked, who had the disposal of the greater part of the money? [Mr. F. PEEL: The Foreign Minister.] The speech of the right hon. Gentleman was a piece of Ministerial sophistry. It was absurd to compare the present times with the stirring and contentious period of 1782. He would most certainly divide the House. Bill, as amended, considered. Clause 31 (Order for Entry of Water Bailiff on Land). MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCK objected to the wording of the clause as of too stringent a character, and moved that twenty-four hours' imprisonment be substituted for seven days. MR. LONGFIELD hoped the House would not agree to the Amendment, as he thought it most desirable that there should be a uniformity of legislation for England and Ireland. MR. T. G. BARING offered to insert "three days." MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCK ac cepted that Amendment, and withdrew his Motion. Clause amended and agreed to. TURNPIKE TOLLS ABOLITION BILL. [BILL 128.] SECOND READING. Order for Second Reading read. MR. WHALLEY, in rising to move the second reading of the Bill, said he was aware that the repeated postponements which had taken place had greatly interfered with its prospects of becoming law this Session. The Bill had been prepared with great care, and he believed would meet a great and acknowledged evil at 593 Peace Preservation (Ireland) (JUNE 20, 1865 Act (1856) Amendment Bill. 594 present existing. He wished to know | his own better judgment. This clause he what were the intentions of the Govern- now proposed to repeal. ment in respect of this subject. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."-(Mr. Whalley.) SIR GEORGE GREY gave the hon. Gentleman credit for the pains he had taken in this matter, but, as it was impossible at this period of the Session to pass the Bill, the hon. Gentleman would do well to withdraw it now, and he hoped he would have an opportunity of introducing it again in the ensuing Session. Motion, by leave, withdrawn. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."-(Mr. Whalley.) MR. MILNER GIBSON said, that though the clause to which the Bill of the hon. Member referred was inserted in the original measure against his wish, certain opposition to the progress of the Bill was withdrawn in consequence its insertion. This fact, coupled with the circumstance that there had been but little time to test the utility of the measure, compelled him to decline to give his support to the Mo Order for Second Reading read and dis- tion of the hon. Member. charged. Bill withdrawn. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES SECOND READING. Order for Second Reading read. Motion, by leave, withdrawn. Order for Second Reading read, and discharged. Bill withdrawn. PEACE PRESERVATION (IRELAND) ACT (1856) AMENDMENT BILL—[BILL 219.] COMMITTEE. Order for Committee read. Chair." MR. SCULLY thought that the measure had been pressed on with undue, if not indecent, haste, and hoped that some assurance would, at all events, be given that it would not in future years be treated in so hurried a manner. Motion agreed to. Bill considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) Clause 1 (Printed Copies of every Proclamation, &c., to be issued under last MR. WHALLEY rose to move the second reading of this Bill, which he said was intended to get rid of a clause that had been surreptitiously introduced into a Motion made, and Question proposed, Bill which passed last year. That Bill"That Mr. Speaker do now leave the was the meagre result of the labours of a Committee which sat nearly half of last Session. One conclusion at which the Committee arrived was that new projects for railways should not be resisted on the ground of competition. That Resolution was rescinded after a great part of the Report had been agreed to. The right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Milner Gibson) brought in a Bill during the last Session of Parliament for the purpose of relieving the public of the enormous difficulties and impediments which attended the prosecution of this branch of commercial enter-mentioned Act). prise, and that measure provided that if any landowners agreed in making a railway through their estates they should not be compelled to incur the inconvenience and expense attending the ordinary passage of railway Bills through both Houses of Parliament. Though this proposal was a very moderate one, the associated railway companies insisted, in case of their feeling themselves aggrieved by the construction of any proposed railway, that the Bills should pass through Parliament in the ordinary way and that the Board of Trade should be divested of its powers, and the right hon. Gentleman was compelled to MR. ESMONDE moved, as an Amendinsert a clause to this effect, contrary to ment, to leave out all the words after original Act was sufficiently stringent in MR. SCULLY was of opinion that the its provisions without the Amendments proposed in the present Bill. SIR ROBERT PEEL said, that a few in the wording of the clauses. technical alterations only had been made Clause agreed to. Clauses 2 and 3 agreed to. Clause 4 (The Peace Preservation (Ireland) Act, 1856, as amended by this Act, continued). SIR GEORGE GREY said, that this Bill by no means stood upon the same footing as the Mutiny Bill. That was virtually a permanent Act, which, he trusted, the present measure was not. Question put, "That those words stand part of the Clause." The Committee divided: - Ayes Noes 17: Majority 15. 32; WAYS AND MEANS. Order for Committee read. Account No. 46 of the Finance Accounts [presented 8th June] referred. WAYS AND MEANS considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) 1. Resolved, That towards making good the Supply granted to Her Majesty, there be issued and applied to the service of the year ending the 31st day of March 1866, the sum of £1,318,528 16s. 9d., being the Surplus of Ways and Means granted for the service of preceding years. 2. That towards making good the Supply granted to Her Majesty, the sum of £23,342,558 38. 3d., be granted out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Resolutions to be reported To-morrow. EXCISE ACTS. Considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) Resolved, That, upon the delivery for home consumption of any British compounded spirits which may be warehoused in any Customs or Excise warehouse upon Drawback, there shall be paid for and in respect of and in addition to every one Clause ordered to stand part of the hundred pounds of the Excise Duty payable there Bill. House resumed. on the same rates as are directed by the 15th section of the Act passed in the 23rd year of the reign of Her Majesty, chapter 22 (as construed and explained by the 5th section of the Act passed Bill reported, without Amendment, to in the 23rd and 24th years of the same reign, be read 3° To-morrow. Moved, "That the Bill be now read the second time."-(Lord Clarence Paget.) MR. HENLEY asked for some explanation of its object. LORD CLARENCE PAGET said, the Bill was brought in upon the recommendation of a Committee; and it was proposed that a maximum sum of £300,000 should be appropriated in the manner indicated in the Bill. The principle had been tried with success in Hong Kong, and it was now intended to extend it to other colonies. It was hoped that by means of the Bill our ships would be provided with docks in our colonies. MR. HENLEY said, there seemed to be no security provided in the Bill that the docks should be made. He hoped that matter would be attended to in Committee. chapter 36), to be paid for every one hundred pounds of Customs Duty payable on goods (not being Tobacco or Sugar), delivered for home consumption from any Customs warehouse. Resolution to be reported To-morrow. BANK NOTES ISSUE (SCOTLAND). (In the Committee.) Resolved, That the Chairman be directed to move the House, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend the Law relating to the issue of Bank Notes in Scotland. Resolution reported. Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. BLACKBURN and Mr. STIRLING. COMPOUND SPIRITS WAREHOUSING. Considered in Committee. (In the Committee.) Resolved, That the Chairman be directed to move the House, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to permit the Warehousing of Compound Spirits. Resolution reported. Bill read 2o, and committed for Thursday. of the EXCHEQUER and Mr. PEEL. hon. Member read several of the clauses of the Bill, and drew attention more particularly to the 7th and 12th clauses. The latter was to place the appointment of sheriffs in boroughs in the hands of the corporations, and the reason for the change was that under the present system sectarian and personal influences were unduly exercised. In the city of Waterford only two citizen Roman Catholics had held the office since the time of James I. It was true that some country gentlemen, Roman Catholics, had held the office, but it was generally held by Protestants, though unobjectionable persons; but the population numbered eight Roman Catholics to one. The Bill he did not expect would pass this year, but he hoped the Secretary of State for Ireland would, during the recess, do something to remedy the present defects of the former Municipal Corporation Acts, which the present Bill was intended to supply. Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time.' SIR ROBERT PEEL said, he had been in communication with the Lord Chancellor and the Attorney General for Ireland, with regard to the provisions of the Bill now under consideration, and he was bound to say that in its present shape it would not be in the power of the Government to give the hon. Member that assistance in passing the measure he required. He did not think the hon. Member had any intention of pressing the Bill at present, but merely wished to ventilate the question. With regard to Clause 7, a Bill had been proposed, and which had passed that House, by the right hon. Member for the county of Limerick (Mr. Monsell) secured, to a great extent, the object of that clause; and with reference to Clause 12, which proposed to take the appointment of high sheriff of corporate boroughs and counties from the Lord Lieutenant and transfer it to the corporate bodies, he was surprised that the hon. Member should wish to have such a change made, considering how much the corporations, both in England and Ireland, were influenced by the very feelings which the hon. Member had referred to; and which rendered it peculiarly desirable that these appointments should be made by some authority without the corporations. He had taken some pains to ascertain whether there was really any grievance in Water |