An Asterisk (*) at the commencement of a Speech indicates revision by the Member HOUSE OF LORDS. Friday, 9th May, 1902. EARL OF LEITRIM. Petition of Charles, Earl of Leitrim, in the Peerage of Ireland, claiming a right to vote at the elections of Representative Peers for Ireland; read, and referred to the Lord Chancellor to consider and report thereupon to the House. SAT FIRST. The Viscount Hill sat first in Parlia ment after the death of his father. The Lord Clements (Earl Leitrim) sat first in Parliament after the death of his father. PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS. The LORD CHANCELLOR acquainted the House, That the Clerk of the Parliaments had laid upon the Table the Certificates from the Examiners that the Standing Orders applicable to the following Bill have not been complied with Barrow Hæmatite Steel Company, Limited (Petition for Bill). Also the Certificates that the further Standing Orders applicable to the following Bills have been complied with— South Wales Electrical Power Distribution. Birkenhead Corporation. Brynmawr and Western Valleys Rail- Cavehill and Whitewell Tramways. North British Railway (General North British Railway (Steam Vessels). TYNESIDE TRAMWAYS AND TRAMROADS BILL [H.L.]. BRISTOL WATER BILL [H.L.]. BEDFORD CORPORATION WATER BILL, RETURNS, REPORTS, ETC. EDUCATION (SCOTLAND). Report of the Committee of Council in Scotland; Education Appendix, 1901-1902. with REFORMATORY AND INDUSTRIAL TRADE. Annual statement of trade of United Kingdom, for 1901: Volume I. Presented (by command), and ordered to lie on the Table. COUNTY COURTS (IRELAND) BILL [H. L. ]. Amendments reported (according to order); further Amendments made; Bill MEXBOROUGH AND SWINTON TRAM- to be read 3 on Tuesday next; and to WAYS BILL [H.L.]. BRISTOL CORPORATION BILL [H.L.], MENAI BRIDGE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL BILL [H.L.], SWANSEA CORPORATION BILL [H.L.]. Leave given to the Select Committee not to sit on Monday next until two o'clock. ROSSENDALE VALLEYS TRAMWAYS BILL [H.L.]. Report from the Select Committee, That the Committee had not proceeded with the consideration of the Bill, the opposition thereto having been withdrawn; read, and ordered to lie on the Table; the orders made on the 18th of March last, and 1st instant, discharged; and Bill committed for Tuesday next. ELECTRIC LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDERS (No. 2.) BILL. be printed as amended (No. 71.) AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION (IRELAND) BILL. Read 3 (according to order), and passed. MARINE INSURANCE BILL (H.L.]. Petition in favour of; of Edinburgh ManuChamber of Commerce and factures; read, and ordered to lie on the Table. HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES. The evidence taken before the Joint time to time to be Committee from printed, but no copies to be delivered except to members of the Committee, and to such other persons as the Committee shall think fit, until further order. (No. 70.) THE WHITSUNTIDE ADJOURNMENT. LORD TWEEDMOUTH: I think it would be convenient to the House if the noble Marquess would tell us what is the proposed arrangements with regard to the adjournment at Whitsuntide. THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: I should be very glad to be frank with the noble Lord on the subject, but the truth is that I cannot myself find out whether there is anything for this House to do next week. Unfortunately, owing to the very peculiar course business has House adjourned at twenty-five HOUSE OF COMMONS. Friday, 9th May, 1902. The House met at Twelve of the clock. PRIVATE BILL BUSINESS. PRIVATE BILLS [LORDS] (STANDING ORDERS NOT PREVIOUSLY INQUIRED INTO COMPLIED WITH). Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in the case of the following Bill, originating in the Lords, and referred on the First Reading thereof, the Standing Orders not previously inquired into, and which are applicable thereto, have been complied with, viz. :— Buxton Urban District Council Bill [Lords]. Ordered, That the Bill be read a second time. PROVISIONAL ORDER BILLS (NO Mr. SPEAKER laid upon the Table Report from one of the Examiners of Petitions for Private Bills, That, in the case of the following Bills, referred on the First Reading thereof, no Standing Orders are applicable, viz. :— MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS. That they have agreed to Amendments to Birmingham Corporation Water Bill [Lords], without Amendment. That they have passed a Bill, intituled, "An Act to authorise the Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens of the city of Bradford, London Government Scheme (South in the West Riding of the County of Local Government Provisional Order (Poor Law) Bill. wark) Bill. York, to construct additional tramways, Petitions for alteration: From Brentford; Paignton; Festiniog; Wimbledon; Tyldesley with Shakerley; Garton; and Hebden Bridge; to lie upon the Table. LICENSING BILL. Petitions in favour: From Longport; Sneyd Green; Stanfield; Middleport; Burslem (two); and Thornhill Lees; to lie upon the Table. LONDON WATER BILL. Petitions in favour of the direct representation of the Metropolitan Boroughs upon the proposed Water Board: From St. Pancras and Greenwich; to lie upon the Table. Mr. W. F. LAWRENCE (Liverpool, Abercromby): Toask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the Republic of Liberia has by law farmed out to an individual of German nationality the monopoly of supplying Kroo labourers for working outside the boundaries of the republic, and that the attention of the Foreign Office was called in May, 1899, by the West African Trade Association, and again in April, 1901, by West African merchants, to the tax thereby imposed on British trade and to the hindrances to the trade of our adjacent colonies resulting therefrom; whether any action was taken by His Majesty's Government in consequence of such representations; whether there is a British consul resident in Liberia; and, if not, whether the Foreign Office will consider the Petition from Edinburgh, in favour, advisability at an early date of arranging to lie upon the Table. PLUMBERS' REGISTRATION BILL. Petitions in favour: From Bradford and York; to lie upon the Table. PUBLIC HOUSES (HOURS OF CLOSING) (SCOTLAND) ACT (1887) AMENDMENT BILL. for proper consular representation there; SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON and whether the Government has made SUNDAY BILL. any inquiries of the Governor of Sierra Leone in order to ascertain his views as to the above-named system, its result, and remedies; and can he state how long this monopoly is likely to last. is aware that a smallpox hospital is being erected at Hanworth, Middlesex, on land the surface water from which drains into the Thames at Hampton immediately above the intakes of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, the Grand Junction Water Company, and the West Middlesex Water Company; whether he is aware that the site on which the building stands is at times under water from four to nine inches; and seeing that it is contrary to the regulations of the Local Government Board, issued August, 1900, to build on a site where 400 persons reside within a quarter of a mile of the building, over 1,000 within half a mile, and 3,000 just outside that radius, whether he will take any, and if so what, steps to prevent the danger to the neighbourhood and London they shadow forth. (Answer.) On the 5th May, 1899, the West African Trade Association drew the attention of the Foreign Office to the concession which had been granted to a German firm of the sole right to supply Kroo boys from Liberia for employment outside the limits of the republic. The Foreign Office was, however, already aware of its having been granted, and had for some time past been in communication in regard to it with the Governor of Sierra Leone, who at that time acted as His Majesty's consul in Liberia. As a result of these communications, the Governor visited Monrovia and entered into negotiations on the subject with the Liberian Government. On the 27th March, 1901, the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, who had been informed of the opening of these negotiations, wrote to ask if they had had any result. In the meantime a draft of regulations for the engagement of Kroo labourers, which the Governor had prepared for submission to the Liberian Government, had been communicated to Messrs. Elder, Dempster, but they had replied that the scheme appeared unworkable. These and other criticisms were sent out to the Governor of Sierra Leone for his observations, and on receipt of his reply it was decided that the matter could be most conveniently dealt with at a conference of the various responsible authorities and those interested in the question. As the Governor is shortly returning home on leave, it is hoped that an early opportunity may be found for holding such a conference. There has hitherto been no British consul | resident in Liberia, the duties of consul there having been discharged by the South African War Transport - The Governor of Sierra Leone. It has now, however, been settled that these duties shall be uudertaken for the future by the British consul for French Western Africa, who resides at Dakar. It is believed that this arrangement will be more convenient than that hitherto in force, and will satisfy all the requirements of British trade; but the question of the appointment of a resident British vice consul at Monrovia is also under consideration. The concession of the German firm expires early next year. (Foreign Office.) Hanworth Temporary Smallpox Hospital. Sir F. DIXON-HARTLAND (Middlesex, Uxbridge): To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he (Answer.) I am aware that a temporary smallpox hospital is being erected at Hanworth for the use of the urban districts of Hampton, Teddington, and Hampton Wick, and complaints have been made to me with regard to it. I can only require the observance of the regulations referred to in the third paragraph of the Question, in cases in which the cost of the hospital is to be defrayed out of borrowed money. In the present instance I understand this is not proposed, and I have therefore no authority to interfere. Having regard, however, to the allegations made, I have thought it desirable to instruct two of the officers of the Department to visit the site and report to me fully on the subject; and I have given instructions accordingly. -(Local Government Board.) Canada. SIR FREDERICK MILNER (Nottinghamshire, Bassetlaw): To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that the steamship "Canada," which was engaged by the Admiralty to take 500 Grenadiers, with other troops and passengers, to South Africa last month, was licensed by the Board of Trade to carry 1,060 passengers; whether he can explain why the troops and passengers on board amounted to nearly 2,000; and whether any increase of boats or lifebelts was made in consequence. (Answer.) The numbers of troops embarked (1,756 men), in the "Canada" on the occasion referred to were within |