BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2745, 15 February 1890, Page 2

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

j* THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.; ' 11 ft (4J e'IBOXKIO TBLKGKArH—COPYRIGHT). {,? "i. v ' „ - London, February 11. -I :sParCl amkiJt *' was opened to-day. The Qufeen's* speeeh, in addition; to the forecast already published, mentioned that Her Majesty awaited with lively interest the result of fthe Federation Conference at Melbourne. Any well-considered measure promoting a closer anion for increasing the, welfare.and ; .strength of the colonieswouldreeeive'favout'able consideration. i " ; Local Government similar to that t .enjoyed * by,,, J2pglan,d and, Scotland was proiiiised for Ireland." A jßiil to 'im prove the state, »of s congested districts, and to constitute a .Ijand Department forlreland' willTJe. introduced. Baron de Worms wiil introduce 1 the Western .Australian Consiitu- ; tion Bill on Thursday. , v Ifi'k •£s£ |j$VjJ j } the ttd&bpl Gpmmbfe,, .nSovea *fs£t j the : letters by the Times was 'a breach of ~ privilege. - . w j Sir J. Gorst moved as an amend; menti {that | the jHotjse ? to ; treat the irasttter as of privilege. |, •' l The Address-in-Reply to : the Speech from the Thone has been , agreed to. , i •The motion of Sir W, V. i Earcourt, " That' publication by the ; Times of the forged Parnell (letters was a breach of privilege," was defeated by 260.against 212, Mr Parnell, in the,course of the debate, accused the Government of incredible : meaness and cowardice, and he concluded by moving an amendment to the ' Address-in-Reply, raising the whole question of Irish administration. ' Mr Gladstone and Albert Bright supported Sir W; V. Harcourt's motion re the forged Parnell let- ' ters. : : Mr W. ,H. Smith, 1 leader of the House of Commons, accepted the suggestion' of 'Mr Parnell, that he should insist on the admission of the forgeries by way of amendment to Addr6ss-in-Reply, and congratu- ■ lated the hen. gentleman on his innocence being proved. : In the House of Lords, Lord Salisbury, referring to Irish affairs, mentioned that' 152 .cases of boycotting had taken place, but agrarian crime had declined by nearly two-thirds in Ireland. The Primier mentioned that the ratification of the Sugar Convention was less likely at present owing to the increasing, opposition of Prance, America, and Brazil. After a short discussion, the .Lords agreed to the Address. February 13. In the House of Commons Mr J. Henniker Heaton, M.P. for Canterbury, has tabled a motion for the . appointment of a special committee to enquire into the question of an ocean penny post. 1 The members . of the'' Parnell party intend to move for a committee to investigate into the publication of the forged letters by the Times. _• ■ U In the course of his remarks on the Address-in-reply, Mr Gladstone approved of the policy of the Marquis of Salisbury, with regard to the dispute with Portugal. He also commended the Government on the manner in which the Samoan and Switzerland difficulties had been satisfactorily arranged. He urged that pressure should be brought to bear on Transvaa'l Government, to. extend the franchise' to Englishmen, and generally approved of the Government administration in Southern Africa, where he, said the colonial possessions were not unworthy of being compared with the British possessions in America and Australia. He referred to the gross scandal in the Porte allowing Moussa Bey, who had been, convicted of gross cruelty to Armenians to go free and also to the disorders in Crete. The improvement in Ireland he considered sprang from the hope of the salutary influence of improved agriculture, and he thought if local Government were conceeded it should be framed on a liberal basis which would be accepted, but if ia niggardly spirit were introduced it would probably lead to new agitation, Mr W. H. Smith, leader of the House, in replying, said that the Government felt certain that Moussa Bey would again be placed on trial for his part in the Armenian atrocities, and with regard to the hon. gentleman's remarks concerning the position of affairs in Crete, there wasnothingto fear of a renewal qf hostilities in the spring. If, continued Mr Smith, the Opposition will assist, the Government will introduce a Bill to constitute a district council for England : and Scotland. The Government he mentioned had no intention of proceeding with the Bill providing for assisted education this session, and with regard to the Sugar Convention it was; not intended to proceed with the matter until the Government are satisfied that an agreement of the great Powers is absolute.