IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 15

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(Per Pbess Association.) London, April 24, In the House of Commons Mr Gladstone, in a speech on the Irish Land Purchase Bill, said the benefits to be derived from it were confined tolandlordsand tenants. Heobjected to the State placing an embargo on local funds in Ireland without Irish consent. The people of Ireland were evidently opposed to the measure, and State landlordism was a great economical danger. He thought Parliament should be precluded from pledging British credit for the purchase of Irish lands. In replying to Mr Gladstone, Mr Goschen said the ingenious scheme propounded by Mr Parnell was not hostile to the Government but continued a dual ownership. He thought the two schemes might be tacked together if the British taxpayer amply protected Mr Gladstone. He said he had already established State landlordism in Ireland. Replying to a question, Mr Goschen said the Mint was designing a new head for sovereigns. Sir James Fergusson, Under-seceetary for Foreign Affairs, stated in the House of Commons to-day that France possessed no treaty right to erect lobster canneries in Newfoundlaud. In the House of Commons to-day, Mr Gladstone opposed the Irish Land Purchase Bill, and said there could be no satisfactory settlement of the question while coercion debarred combination for political purposes. In the House of Commons to-day, Mt Geo. C. T. Bartley, M.P. for Islington North, -withdrew the motion tabled by him on the 18th March — " That a select committee be established to inquire into and report on the profit sharing system between employers and employes.'.' He explained that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, president of the Board of Trade, had given a promise that the board would inquire into the question. During the debate on the motion for withdrawal, Mr Bradlaugh strongly denounced the labour agitation. April 26. On the Estimates coming up for discussion to-day, Sir George Campbell moved to strike out the sum of £5000 for providing a New Guinea steamer. He condemned the contemptible bargain of making New Guinea subject to the administration of Queensland, a colony which was unfit to control the races. Referring to Sir William M'Gregor's administration of British New Guinea, he said he was a better explorer and naturalist than an administrator ; and he also attacked Mr John Douglas, who held the position of Special Commissioner in New Guinea from 1885 to 1888. Mr W. A. M'Arthur defended Queensland from the attack made by the last speaker, and Sir T. Esmonde thought it would be better to allow Queensland to annex New Guinea. Baron De Worms in reply expressed surprise at extreme and unwarrantable. attacks made on colonists by Sir George Campbell, and, as for Sir William M'Gregor, he said it was impossible to find a better administrator, nor had the slightest reason in his opinion been shown why the vote should be reduced. The amendment was negatived. It is expected that the Government will apply the principle of Mr Parnell's Irish Land scheme to districts where landlords are unwilling to sell or tenants to purchase. Mr Parnell declined to accept this, fearing he may be entrapped. April 27, In the House of Commons to-day, Sir Thomas Esmonde declared that the Germans in Samoa winked at the system of slavery there, which was carried on even worse than in Africa. He thought English rule the be3t for natives, and hoped it •would be extended to all unoccupied islands in the Pacific. He demanded that the Government should declare its policy and cease to play second fiddle tc Germany. April 29. In the House of Commons to-day, Mr J. Chamberlain advocated that the control of land purchase in Ireland should be placed in the hands of county councils.