MR. W. H. SMITH asked the Finan

| latter part of the hon. Member's Question, what he asks for has been for some time allowed, as the public are permitted to send ordinary inland post cards to any country in the Postal Union if postage stamps are affixed to make up the requisite postage.

MR. R. H. PAGET said, he regretted the unsatisfactory nature of the right hon. Gentleman's reply to the first part of his Question, and gave Notice that on a future occasion he would call the attention of the House to the subject.

DUBLIN.

MR. COURTNEY: Sir, the Treasury Minute presented on Tuesday contains a full answer to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman.

MR. MARUM asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a report of the proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court in Dublin, on Wednesday the 24th of May, whereby it appears that the judges of that Court have been obliged to complain of the action of the Committee of the Law Library of the Four Courts in closing the same during the sitting of the Court of Bank

POST CARDS.

MR. R. H. PAGET asked the Postmaster General, If he will consent to an amendment of the Post Office Regulations to enable cards of the size of the halfpenny post cards to be sent through the Post Office, with an adhesive halfpenny stamp affixed, on conditions sinilar to those now in force with regard to halfpenny post cards; and, further, if he can amend the Post Office Regulations

so as to enable a similar card to be sent

with a penny adhesive stamp as a Foreign Post Card, and also to enable a halfpenny post card to be sent as a Foreign Post Card, with the addition of a halfpenny adhesive stamp?

MR. FAWCETT: Sir, the Question of the hon. Member has been carefully considered, but I am sorry to say that I do not think it would be expedient to adopt such a change as he suggests. If cards with letters written upon them were allowed to be sent through the post with adhesive postage stamps affixed to them, it would be necessary for the officers of the Department to examine such cards carefully, in order to satisfy themselves that the cards were of the proper size and substance, and this would involve much delay in sorting. As regards the

remonstrances of the bar; whether he is aware that one of the judges stated that an important case had to be postponed,

"At great inconvenience, delay, and expense to the parties, solely because, the Library being closed, the counsel were unable to procure the necessary books for law argument; and, whether he can take steps to remedy such delay in the administration of justice and great inconvenience to the public?

MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, I have asked my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General for Ireland to deal with this Question, as it relates to a matter that does not come under my Department.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON): Sir, the Law Library at the Four Courts, Dublin, is a private collection of books maintained by voluntary subscription by Judges and barristers, and managed by a committee elected by the subscribers. The committee provide for the closing of the library at the usual periods to afford some holiday to the attendants. One of the learned Judges of the Bankruptcy Court is reported to have stated that he was informed by the other learned Judge of that Court to the effect set out in the

He

VACCINATION TRANSMISSION OF DISEASE THROUGH INOCULATION OF SOLDIERS IN THE FRENCH

ARMY.

MR. HOPWOOD asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he has deemed it right to inquire, through the Foreign Office, and with what result, of the French Government concerning the inoculation of a foul disease by vaccination in fifty-eight soldiers of the Fourth Zouaves in Algiers, during the month of December 1880, as reported in "Le Petit Colon," and the "Journal d'Hygiène," of Paris, of June 30th and August 25th 1881, and by the French Correspondent of the "Daily News; " and, if not, whether he will be able in any other manner to obtain authentic information on a subject of such great

interest?

MR. DODSON: Sir, I have to say that in August last the Foreign Office were good enough, at my request, to cause a communication to be addressed to the French Government relative to the alleged inoculation of a foul disease by vaccination in certain soldiers of the 4th Zouaves in Algiers during December, 1880, and some months afterwards a reply was received by the English Embassy in Paris from the French Government on the subject. The information, however, was incomplete, and I have not since been furnished with further particulars. I have now directed another application to be addressed to the Foreign Office, and I hope that if the French Government have obtained any further information since the date of their former letter they will not object to supply it.

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE (IRELAND)VACANCIES ON THE IRISH BENCH. MR. GIBSON asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland,

The Attorney General for Ireland

MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant is now in communication with the Prime Minister on the subject.

MR. GIBSON: Sir, bearing in mind that one of these vacancies has been four months in existence, I shall ask on Monday whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the fact that the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland stated on the first day of the term that in consequence of these vacancies no Divisional Court of Queen's Bench could sit for the present, and I shall repeat my Question.

EVICTIONS (IRELAND)—EVICTIONS AT DRUMLISH, CO. LONGFORD.

MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY asked the

Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he can state the number of families evicted within the last two years in the parish of Drumlish, in the county of Longford, on the estates of Lord Granard, Colonel King Harman, Captain Douglas, Mr. Galbraith, and Mr. Crofton; and, whether the Government is aware that these evicted tenants were for the most part so poor that they had to live principally on relief meal during the late seasons of distress?

MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, I am informed that there is no parish of Drumlish in the county Longford; but in the parishes about Drumlish in the last two years the number of families evicted on the estates in question has been 129. The local constabulary inform me that they do not believe that any of the evicted families were so poor as to be obliged to live principally on relief meal during the late seasons of distress.

MR. JUSTIN MCARTHY asked if the right hon. Gentleman could state if the rents on many of those estates were 40 per cent above the Government valuation?

MR. TREVELYAN: I cannot answer that Question without Notice,

POST OFFICE-INSURANCE OF

REGISTERED LETTERS.

MR. GREER asked the Postmaster General, Whether it is the case that the City of London Marine Insurance Corporation (Limited), and other Companies, insure the contents of registered letters at the rate of one shilling per £100 declared value; and, if so, whether he will consider the advisability of granting the public the same benefits as given by other Insurance Companies? MR. FAWCETT: Sir, I believe that facilities for the insurance of the contents of registered letters are afforded by certain Companies at something like the rate which the hon. Member has mentioned. In reply to the latter part of the Question, I am not prepared at present to add the insurance of registered letters of declared value to the existing work of the Post Office.

CRIMINAL LAW (IRELAND)-CASE OF

J. M. JOHNSON, EX-SUSPECT.

MR. CHARLES RUSSELL asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the case of J. M. Johnson, of Dundalk, ex-suspect, who was, on the 2nd of June instant, ordered by the magistrates in Petty Sessions at Dundalk, to find bail to keep the peace, and committed to prison for three months in default thereof; whether the magistrates acted upon the complaint of a police constable who alleged that while Johnson was, on the 14th May, engaged in photographing a hut in which a woman and her family lately evicted were living, the constable bade Johnson good day, to which Johnson made no reply; that Johnson then told the constable" to mind himself of the dynamite in the camera," and added

"That he heard that three landlords and a sub-inspector of police had been arrested for the Phoenix Park murders;

whether any information or complaint was made by the constable till twelve days after the occurrence, namely the 26th May, when a warrant for his arrest was issued by the resident magistrate, under which Johnson was brought in custody before the magistrates on the same day; whether the case was adjourned for a week, Johnson being allowed bail by a majority of the bench

(the resident magistrate dissenting); whether the Crown Solicitor, who attended to prosecute on behalf of the police, did so in consequence of any special instructions, or on account of the supposed gravity of the case; what offence Johnson is supposed to have committed, and under what statute the warrant was issued, the proceedings taken, or the order to find bail or for committal was made; and, whether the Lord Lieutenant approves of the course pursued by the magistrates or proposes to take any steps in reference thereto?

MR. TREVELYAN: Sir, the facts as set forth in the Questions of the hon. and learned Member are substantially correct, except that Johnson is charged with telling the constable to "beware of dynamite," without any reference to the camera. The Executive considered it proper that the Crown Solicitor should attend the hearing of the charge. This being a case in which an order has been pronounced by the magistrates, and which the party concerned may have reviewed in the Court of Queen's Bench, His Excellency does not consider that the matter is one in which he should inter

fere.