Potter's Electric News

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY. The House sat at two o'clock, and proceeded with the committee on the Reform Bill, resuming at Clause 9, which depriTes a certain number of boroughs of one member each, on which Mr Laing proposed an elaborate counter-scheme of Re-distribution, and after some preliminary remarks on the importance of the subject, not only in refer- ence to the permanent settlement of Reform on a common sense basis, but as bearing on the balance of political power, he stated his objections to the Go- vernment scheme on the ground of its insufficiency, and its failing to reach some of the most glaring ano- malies in our present system,-such as the dispro- portionate representation of north and south, and the inadequate representation of counties in com- parison with boroughs-and went on to explain the details of his scheme. His starting point and foun- dation is a partial disfranchisement of all boroughs under 10,000 population, returning two members, of which there are 38. and the grouping of 14 very small boroughs. These two operations yield 45 seats, which, added to the seven seats confiscated on Thurs- day night, give 52 seats for redistribution. These Mr Laing proposed to give in this proportion-24 to boroughs, 26 to counties, and 1 to the University of London, leaving a margin of 1 for contingencies. The 24 borough seats go in this way-six in giving a third member to six towns over 150.000 population -viz, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Man- chester, and Sheffield four in giving a second mem- ber to towns over 50,000 —viz, Birkenhead, Merthyr Tydfil, falfoni, and/ Swansea; and the remaining 14 exactly in the moae proposed by the bill-viz, 12 to new bore-fsglis, and two to a new division of the Tower Hamlets. The other 26 seats are expended in giving a third seat to all unties or divisions over 1511,800 population. Comparing his scheme with the Government bill-lir Laing pointed out that besides the limited application of the principle of grouping to 14 boroughs-it partially disfranchised 15 more borougbs-six of between 7,000 and 10,000; and nine between 8,000 and 0,000; and its supe- riority consisted in this, that it transferred 20 more members from small boroughs of an aggregate popu- lation of 158,000 to eight towns of 1,^30,000 popu- latton and 18 counties of 3,800,000 not touched by the bill. Having vindicated at some length the principles on which he had selected the lines of population both for enfranchisement and disfran- chicement, ;dr Laing expressed a strong opinion in favour of some scheme of voting in three-cornered constituencies which would secure the representation of considerable minorities, and iatimatedthat if the principle of his plan were adopted he would leave the arrangement of the schedules in the hands of the Government, Mr B. Cochrane (Honiton) leading, as he said, a forlorn hope in defence of the small boroughs, argued .n favour of increasing the aggregate number of the House, in preference to disfranchising pure and innocent borouchs. Mr Serjeant Gaselee bitterly complained that Mr Laing had iilched his plan from him, and insisted that all boroughs under S/000 ought to be totally disfranchised, and one member taken from all boroughs under 10,000, suggesting that if two addi- tional members were to be given to the Tower Hamlets they ought to be taken from the City. Mr Newdegate, asserting that the redistribution scheme of 1854 was the wisest-ever "introduced into the House, strongly supported Mr Laing's plan on the ground that it was the most just to the counties and the landed interest, which at-present he main- tained, were very inadequately represented. Mr Goldney (Chippenham) insisted that the dis- franchisement of the Bill was ample for the necessi- ties of the time, and Mr Samuda (Tavistock) strongly condemned the disturbing tendencies of Mr Laing's scheme, and the assault on boroughs with which no fault had ever been found. Sir G. Grey urged that, by contenting itself witir. this inadequate scheme of redistribution, the House -would lose the benefit of all the pains it had taken and all the sacrifices it had made to settle the borough franchise on a permanent basis, far in the very next Parliament a formidable agitation would be com- menced for the removal of the anomalies the Bill would leave in our system of representation. With- out committing himself to all the details of Mr Laing's plan, he supported his proposal to draw the line at 10,000 population, a-s that would produce a consi- derable fund to be disposed of, and, among other things, would enable the Government to increase the representation of Scotland without adding to the numbers of th6 House-a very inconvenient pre- cedent-and to increase the county representation. -He expressed, therefore, a strong hope that the Go- vernment, which had already consented to many changes in their Bill, would accept Mr Laing's prin- ciple, and if they did, the settlement of the details might be left in their hanrls. The ChancelIor of the Exchequer commenced by remarking on the fallacy of the arguments for exten- sive disfranchisement on the ground of anomalies, for in ancient systems like ours there must always be anomalies, and by a sudden change others even more serious might be produced, and he asserted that numbers never had been taken as the basis for the distribution of seats, and that if adopted it would be destructive to the varied •character of the representa- tion. The Government in framing this scheme had acted first on the principle of providing for existing wants, of giving members to towns which had sprung into importance since 1832 which were unrepresented and at the same time of sustaining the relative strength of the county representation, and to go beyond these safe and prudent principles-which the EiIl applied practically, as far as was possible under present circumstances—would lead to serious diffi- culties. To disfranchise was easy, but the difiiculty commenced when you come to enfranchise. Mr Lain" to dispose of his large fund, was forced to accumulate representation—a new and doubtful course, which the House ought not to accept, unless it were prepared to adopt some of the numerous schemes suggested for securing the representation of minorities. Mr Disraeli discussed these, expressing a decided opinion that if there was to be a large increase of members it would be better that places should be represented by one than by three membeis, and asserting that the opinion of the aggregate minority was represented under our present system, and that to strive for the representation of local minorities would end inevitably in securing a feeble executive. He disbelieved utterlv in the probability of a. future agitation if they gave members to every place of sufficient importance, as the Bill proposed, at present unrepresented. The franchise was now settled on a basis which, no doubt, would prove lasting, but periodically great towns would spring up which must be admitted to the representation, and on that ground, he pressed on the House not to go beyond the policy of providing memly for the wants of the moment, outside of whleb there was no resting-place but electoral districts. Mr Gladstone, after expressing his regret that the Government had not accepted Mr Laing's principle, (km--usmd Mr Disraeli's arguments, pointing out that **r-amulation of representatives did not necessarily inean -ifunm tonljtituençjes-as there was the alter- native of division, and that his remarks on anomalies could not be swept away it was useless to touch any were simple reproductions of the arguments of 1832-that as all anomalies of them, and replied to them that it was by such a mitigation as this of the most striking anomalies that discontent was allayed and agitation prevented. He dissented altogether from M r Disraeli's preference for one member rather than three, warned the Scotch members that their best and perhaps their only chance of getting the seven additional representatives was by voting for this more extended plan, and urged that the country would be dissatisfied if the House did not deal with this part of the Bill as courageously as with the franchise. Mr B. Johnstone exorted the Government to make the end of their Bill worthy of the beginning, and Mr H. Seymour (Poole) suggested that the population should be ascertained not by the Census of 1861 but by contemporaneous Poor-Law return, by which he expected that Poole which was a rising town would escape. The House divided on Mr Laing's first amendment, that all boroughs under 10,000 population shall for the future return only one member, and it was carried by a majority of 127 -306 to 179. The Committee was then adjourned until Monday. THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL. Subjoined are the clauses of the Representation of the People Bill to which the Committee of the whole House has agreed. They have been printed with the Parliamentary papers for the convenience of members, so that each may be fully informed as to the progress the Ministerial measure has made in its passage through the House. (Short title of Act.) 1. This Act shall be cited for all purposes as The Representation of the People Act, 1867.' (Application of Act.) 2. This Act shall not apply to Scotland or Ire- land, nor to the Universities of Oxford or Cam, bridge. (Occupation franchise for voters in boroughs.) 3. Every man shall be entitled to be registered as a voter, and, when registered, to vote for a member or members to serve in Parliament for a borough, who is qualified as follows (that is say) (1.) Is of fall age, and not subject to any legal incapacity and (2.) Is on the last day of July in any year, and has during the preceding twelve calendar months, been an inhabitant occupier, as owner or tenant, of any dwelling house within the borough and (3.) Has during the time of such occupation been rated as an ordinary occupier in respect of the pre- mises so occupied by him within the borough to all rates (if a.ny) made for the relief of the poor in respect of such premises and (4.) Has before the 20th day of July in the same year bona fide paid an equal amount in the pound to that payable by other ordinary occupiers in re- spect of all poor rates that have become payable by him in respect of the said premises up to the preceding 5th day of January, and which have been demanded of him in a manner hereinafter men- tioned I Or as a lodger has occupied in the same borough separately and as sole tenant for the twelve months preceding the last day of July in any year the same lodgings, such lodgings being part of one and the same dwelling house, and of a clear yearly value, if let unfurnished, of £ lQor upwards, and has resided in such iodgings during the twelve months imme- diately preceding the last day of July, and has claimed to be registered as a voter at the next en- suing registration ofvoters: provided that no man shall under this section be entitled to be registered as a voter by reason ot his being a joint occupier of any dwelling house. (Occmpation franchise for voters in counties.) 4. Every man shall be entitled to be registered as a voter, and, when registered, to vote for a. mem. ber or members to serve in Parliament for a county, who is qualified (that is to say) (1.) Is of full age, and not subject to any legal incapacity and who shall be seised at law or in equity of any lands or tenements of copyhold or any other tenure whatever, except freehold, for his own life, or for the life of another, or for any lives whatsoever, or for any larger estate of the clear yearly value of not less than £ 5 over and above all rents and charges payable out of or in respect of the same, or who shall be entitled either as lessee or assignee to'any lands or tenements of freehold t or of any other tenure whatever, for the unexpired residue, whatever it may be, of any term originally created for a period of not less than sixtyDyears (whether determinable on a life or lives or not), of the clear yearly value of not less than X- 5 over and above all rents and charges payable out of or in respect of the same (2.) Is on the last day of July in the year, and has during the twelve months immediately preced- ing, been the occupier, as owner or tenant', of lands or tenements within the county of the rateable ] value of 912 or upwards and (3.) Has during the time of such occupation] been rated in respect to the premises so occupied by him to all rates (if any) made tor the relief of 1 the poor in respect of the said premises and ( (4.) Has before the 20th day of July in the same year paid all poor rates that have become payable •- by him in respect of the said premises up to the f preceding 5th day of January. t [Clauses 5, §, and 7 were struck out.] J [34. To become Clause 5.] 1 (The occupier to be rated in boroughs, and not the owner.) I 5. Where the owner is rated at the time of the passing of this Act to the poor rate in respect of a dwelling house or other tenement situate in a parish wholly or partly in a borough, instead of the occupier, his liability to be rated in any future I poor rate shall cease, and the following enact- ments shall take effect with respect to rating in all boroughs: (1.) After the passing of this Act no owner of any dwelling house or other tenement situate in a parish either wholly or partly within a borough shall be rated to the poor rate instead of the oc- cupier, except as hereinafter mentioned (2.) The full rateable value of every dwelling house or other separate tenement, and the full rate in the pound payable by the occupier, and the name of the occupier, shall be entered in the rate book (Except for houses let in apartments.) Where the dwelling house or tenement shall be wholly let out in apartments or lodgings not separately rated, the owner of such Swelling house or tenement shall be rated in re- spect thereof to the poor rate. Provided as follows (Provisoes.) (1.) That nothing in this Act contained shall jffetet any composition existing at the time of the passing of this Act, so nevertheless that no mch composition shall remain in force beyond ;he 20th day of September next; (2.) That nothing herein contained shall affect z;1 my rate made previously to the passing of this Act, and the powers conferred by any subsisting Act for the purpose of collecting and recovering a poor rate, shall remain and continue in force for the collection and recovery of any such rate or composition (3.) That where the occupier under a tenancy subsisting at the time of the passing of this Act of any dwelling house or other tenement which has been let to him free from rates is rated and has paid rates in pursuance of this Act, he may deduct from any rent due or accruing due from him in respect of the said dwelling house or other tenement any amount paid by him on account of the rates to which he may be rendered liable by this Act. [35. To become Clause 6.] (First registration of occupiers.) (6.) Where any occupier of a dwelling house or other tenement (for which the owner at the time of the passing of this Act is rated, or is liable to be rated) would be entitled to be registered as an occupier in pursuance of this Act at the first registration of parliamentary voters to be made after the passing of this Act, if he had been rated to the poor rate for the whole of the required period, such occupier shall, notwith- standing he may not have been rated prior to the 29th day of September, 1867, as an ordinary oc- cupier, be entitled to be registered subject to the following conditions: (1.) That t, he has been duly rated as an or- dinary occupier to all poor rates in respect of the premises, after the liability of the owner to be rated to the poor rate has ceased under the provisions of this Act. (2.) That he has before the 20th day of July, 1868, paid all poor rates which have become payable, and which have been demanded from him in the manner in this Act provided as an ordinary occupier in respect of the premises up to the preceding 5th day of January. PART II-—DISTRIBUTION or SEATS. (Disfranchisement of certain boroughs.) 7. Whereas upon representations made to her Majesty in joint addresses of both Houses of Parliament, to the effect that the select com- mittees of the House of Commons appointed to try the petitions complaining of undue elections and returns for the boroughs of Totnes, Reigate, Z, Great Yarmouth, and Lancaster, had reason to believe that corrupt practices had extensively pre- vailed at the last elections for the said boroughs, commissioners were appointed for the purpose of making inquiry into the existence of such corrupt practices, in pursuance of the Act of Parliament passed in the sixteenth year of the reign of her present Majesty, chapter fifty-seven, intituled 'An Act to provide for the more effectual inquiry into the existence of corrupt practices at elections for members to serve in Parliament;' and whereas the commissioners so appointed reported to her Ma- jesty as follows (1.) As respects the said borough of. Totnes, that at every election for the said borough since and including the election in the year 1857, cor- rupt practices had extensively prevailed (2.) As respects the said borough of Reigate, that bribery and treating had prevailed at the election in the year 1359, and had extensively prevailed at the two elections in the year 1858 and at the elections in the years 1863 and 1865 (3.) As respects the said borough of Great Yarmouth, that corrupt and illegal practices ha.d extensively prevailed fit the elections in the years 1859 and 1865; (1) As respects the said borough of Lancaster, that corrupt practices had extensively prevailed at the election in the year 1865, and, with rare exceptions, had for a. long time prevailed at con- tested elections for members to serve in Parlia- ment for that borough: Be it enacted that, from and after the end of this present Parliament, the boroughs of Totnes, Rei- gate, Great Yarmouth, and Lancaster shall re- spectively cease to return any member or members to serve in Parliament. -<* 'Gocw DOG.'—On Thursday morning last a little boy named Hargreaves, 11 years of a°-e was playing alone on the bank of the Cauldon Canal, near Hanley, when he accidentally fell into the water. According to his own intelligent account of what happened, he was sinking the second time, when a retriever dog, belonging to Mr Elijah Boulton, grocer, of Hanley, seeing him in the water, sprang in to the rescue, seized •the back of his waistcoat, and dragged him to land. The poor little fellow soon recovered him- selt and, walked home. The dog walked by his side until he had reached his father's door, and then with a self-congratulatory wag of his tail, trotted off to Mr Boulton's hoase. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—The investigation committee appointed at a meeting of shareholders on the 29th of March last, have issued a report, in which they state that at the time of their ap- pointment they found the financial position of the company the most pressing question which required their attention, and it is with no little satisfaction they are able to state that the lia- bilities of the company in respect to the floating debt have been diminished from the sum of £1,300,000, at which it stood on the 31st of July, 1866, by £ 654,000. The committee have satisfied themselves, by an inspection of the re- turn made in pursuance of the Railway Com- panies Securities Act, 1866, that the debenture issue is considerably within the limits of the par- liamentary powers, and they have no hesitation in stating their opinion that no safer investment can be found than the debenture stock of the company. Numerous letters approving the issue of six per cent. stock in payment of dividend to meet the financial difficulties of the company have been received; and the committee, on a review of the past, are confirmed in the judgment that no better course could have been pursued It will probably be necessary to continue a simi- lar course for a short period, unless a restora- tion of confidence in railway securities, which may be reasonably anticipated, should obviate the necessity for such an exceptional practice. And the committee are of opinion that the six per cent. stock is undoubtedly a safe investment, and at no distant time will probably be in great request. In conference with the directors it has been decided to seek powers in the bill now be- fore parliament (in accordance with the strongly- expressed opinion of the shareholders) for re- ducing the number of directors, so that the board fhay consist of not more than 15 nor less than 12, irrespective of the owner of the Wynn- stay estate, who holds a seat under legislative enactment. Nothing has arisen in the course of this investigation to shake the confidence of the committee in the future prospects of the Great Western property, although it is apparent that it is now suffering severely, and must continue tor some time to suffer from having been over- loaded with unprofitable undertakings. It will be the duty of the committee to advise with the hoard, and with those of its officers most able co assist in the work, in what way the income of the company may be farther developed, THE PRINCESS OF WALES.—Daring the week her Royal Highness has been allowed to sit up in a chair, and very early in the ensuing week the neces- sary changes in the 'splints' now in use will be made, so as to allow the Princess more freedom- The joint affected is rapidly losing all tenderness and recovering its natural shape. The progress of the princess during the week has been entirely satis- factory. THE WEATHER AND THE CROP?.—Mr J. J. Mechi writes from Tiptree HallFourteen days of piercing winds, night frosts, and heavy floods have told un- favourably on all poorly-farmed undrained clays and springy soils, which are brimfull and running over. On well-farmed lands, drained naturally or artificially, the only damage done is a nipping of some of the luxuriant leaves of wheat, barley, and oats; in many cases this is considered an advantage where the crop showed a ten- dency to lodge. Altogether, there is a balance of advan- tage on such well-farmed lands; for beans, peas, tRres, clovers, Italian rye-grass, and upland pastures are in » very thriving condition, and with a suitable summer-, will yield well. Lowland meadows have been flooded and injured. Forward mangolds and potatoes have been damaged by frost. The difference of crops on drained and undrained lands will this year be probably more than half the cost of draining. There is an established tra- dition hereabout that a Saturday new moon is always followed by a flood of water. So far as my experience goes, it is so. A Saturday new moon in 1865 before har- vest gave us a wet harvest-time.' INTERESTING DISCOVERY. -The A/7 of Alexandria observes :-Every one is talking for the last few days about a treasure found in the province of Fayoam. The story goes that an old resident of the province waited lately in a mysterious manner upon his High" ness, and asked permission to search in the garden of an ancient Coptic convent, now abandoned, with the view of discovering a treasure which old manu- scripts described as being buried in a certain spot. The Viceroy granted the necessary permission, allow- ing the applicant to retain a third of what he might discover. The researches commenced, and are said to have speedily brought to light a treasure consist- ing partly of ingots and partly of very ancient gold pieces rather larger than Nopoleons, of a total value represented at about fifty millions of francs. The discovery having been telegraphed to Ras-el-Tin, the Viceroy left to investigate the matter in person. Can it be the cashbox of Amenopolis XXXVII, which that monarch lost on a journey, according to inscrip- tions on the obelisk of Luxor ? FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION.—On Thursday morn- ing an explosion of fir-edamp took place at the Mesne Lea Colliery, Worsley, near Manchester. The pit is worked by Mr Peter Nightingale, and there are about thirty men employed, who commence work at six. The fireman has first to descend and go through the workings with a safety lamp to see that there is no danger, the men awaiting his return at the bottom. of the shaft. On Thursday, the fireman, Enocfe Yates, descended as usual, a number of men follow- ing him closely. Instead of waiting till he had made' his inspection, it is supposed that they went at oace- to work at their places. Shortly afterwards a fearful explosion was heard at a considerable distance froia the bottom of the shaft. Four men who were de- scending at the moment felt the shock, but slightly but on reaching the bottom it was found that all the seven men who had preceded them were dead, the bodies being severely burnt and blown in different directions along the main road. The mine had been visited all through its workings the previous day, and was pronounced free from gas. The explosion is, most probably, due to the negligence of some of the men, as the fireman's lamp was found all right, Yates, the fireman, is amongst the dead. ROYAL MuNiFicEKcE.The Queen is about tO perform an act of great munificence. During the five years that she has remained in retirement she has necessarily accumulated a large portion of her privy purse allowance, which, under happier circumstances) would have been spent in Royal hospitality both to her own subjects and to foreign Princes. Her Majesty, desiring it should not be supposed that she had saved this money for parsimonious reasons, has resolyed to give no less a sum than half a million- sterling for the erection of a convalescent hospital The matter hitherto has been kept very quiet, but it is believed that the money has been already made over to trustees, and the Royal bounty will be before long made known officially. The new institution will be built more especially in connection with St Bartholomew's Hospital, and the treasurer and other officialstof that renowned charity will be amongst the trustees. It is proposed to spend about £200,000 in purchasing the site and erecting the building and to keep the remainder of the sum in hand for the present. Of course the Convalescent Hospital will be built at a considerable distance from London, so as to give the inmates the advantage of pure air. WILLS AND BEQUESTs.-The will of the late Dowager Countess of Jersey, who died on Jan. 26 last, was proved on the 22nd ult. by the executors, the Hon. Frederick William Child Villiers and Mr Charles Fane, the personalty being sworn under £ 300,000. By her will and codicils the Countess leaves her important interests in the banking-house of Messrs Child and- Co. in trust, after discharging certain specified claims, to pay half the profits to the Hon. Frederick Villiers, and the remainder to the Earl of Jersey and his successors, and, upon ths* decease of Mr F. F. Villiers, to pay the whole to his- lordship. Mr Villiers is, by special provision, ap- pointed guardian of those now or in future interested: in the deceased countess's share. The countess leaves a considerable number of legacies, among which may be mentioned the following :-To the trustees of the late Princess Esterhazy's settlement, £ 7500 5 the trustees of the Hon. F. Villiers's settlement, £7.500: to the Hon. Frederick Villiers, £ 15,000 to his wife, Lady Elizabeth Villiers, £ 50^0 5 to the' Earl of Jersey, £ 10,000; to the Hon. Robert Villiers £ 4000; to the Hon. Reginald Villiers* £4(100; to Lady Julia Wombwell, £ l;),000 ■ to Lady Caroline Villiers, £ 2,000; to Mr Charles Bayly, £1000; to Lady Augusta Paget, £ i000; to Sir Augustus Paget, £ o00 to the two children of Lady Adela Ibbetson, £ 15.000; and to each of her god- children, X50, or a jewel of the like value; to her executor, Mr Charies Fane, X2,000 to the Hon. Mrs Augustus Villiers the countess has left an an- nu-lty °X £ nn and to Lady Harriet Ponsonby, her neice, £200 per annum. To the Middleton Schools she bequeathes £ o000 Consolidated Three per Cents; to the Middleton Almshouses, £50 per annum; and C20 per annum for the maintenance of the MonU- /l uaP I?1 'VIld(ileton. Her ladyship also gives the Hon. F. Vilhers a life interest in her house in Kerkeley-square and its contents, and after pro- viding liberally for her servants, she leaves him the residue of her property. Her ladyship, who attained the age of 82, was the eldest daughter of the tenth Earl of Westmoreland and Anne, his wife, only daughter and heiress of Robert Child, Esq, on whose demise she succeeded to his interest in the banking business. Her ladyship survived her husband, the Earl of Jersey, seven years .—Illustrated London News. Printed and Published, on belwlf of the Proprietors by JOSEPH POTTER, at the Office in High-street 19 the Parish of Saint Mary, in the County of thO Town of Haverfordwest. Friday, June 5, 1867,