IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14364, 9 February 1911, Page 5

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

CONTRABAND OF WAR. Press Association —By Tel. —Copyright. LONDON, Feb. 7. Lord Lansdowne, speaking in the House of Commons, stated that the Declaration of London created grave apprehension in the commercial mind. While he welcomed international instead of national prize courts, he would like to hare a voice in the framing of the constitution of such a body. Earl Crewe said the Declaration would be discussed at the Imperial Conference, and Parliament would hare an opportunity to discuss it before its ratification. Payment of members and the Osborne judgment would also be considered this session. QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE. With the consent of Mr Asquith, the House of Commons referred the mat-, ters of Lord Roden voting at the Down South election, and Lord Aberdeen sending a message to Mr J. Henderson, to the Privilege Committee. -A SECTARIAN QUESTION, Received 10.10 p.m., Feb. Bth. LONDON, Feb. 8.

The House of Commons continued the debate on the Address-in-Reply. Mr Campbell, Dublin University, arraigned Mr Birrell, Secretary of State for Ireland, for inaction in regard to the Papal decree regarding mixed marriages, even refusing to intervene in the case of Mrs McCann, whosei children were taken away because she refused to be re-married in a. Catholio church when a priest alleged that her offspring were illegitimate.

Mr Birrell said the McCann case was distressing, but tlie wife's redress was through the civil court. Presbyterian ministers were less interested in the woman than in raising the case as an example of what might happen when Ireland had secured Home Rule.

A vituperative debate followed between Irish Unionists and Nationalists, the latter Btating that Mrs MoOann's bad temper was the cause of her husband Hiding the children.