TY.), \VALI) COURT.

1)01.'(; I-55, FRIDAY, hlav 26, 1899

Present : In the Council—His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor (President of the Court), the Lord Bishop, the Clerk of the Rolls, Deemster Sir James Gall, the Receiver-General, the Vicar- General, and the Archdeocon; in the Keys: Mr A. W. Moore, J.P. (Speaker), Messrs John Joughin, E. T. Christian, W. Quayle, T. Clague, R. Corlett, R. Cowley, J. C. Crellin, E. H. Christian, D. Maitland, F. G. Callow, J. R. Kerruish, T. Corlett, J. T. Cowell, J. A. Mylrea, J. J. Goldsmith, W. J. Kermode, J. D. Cluens, W. Quine, and James Mylchreest. Mr H. Story, Clerk to the Council, and Mr R. D. Gelling, Secretary to the House of Keys, were in attend- slice.

ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN. The Governor apologised for lateness in ar- rival, and stated that he was suffering from an affection of the knee. Continuing, his Excel- lency said : My Lord Bishop, gentlemen of the Council, Mr Speaker, and gentlemen of the House of Keys; before we proceed to business, I rise to propose the following address:— To the Quean's Most Excellent Majesty. Mac it please her Majesty,— Fye, her Majesty's most dutiful and loyal sub- jects. the Vent-Governor, the Council, Deemsters, a.nd Ears, in Tynwald assembled, offer our heart- felt congratulations to her Majesty on the occa, 9ion of her Majesty's 10th birthday. The Isle of Man claims to be one of the most loyal portions of the vast lamnire over which her Majesty rules, and its inhabitants pray that the Queen's long and beneficent reign may still he continued for many years to come. I have only very few wordy to say. We all know how we honour the Queen, who has ruled so long over this vast Empire, and we all wish that her Majesty may be spared for many years to come. The beautiful lino: of the Poet Laureate, which were published the other day in the papers, ex- press, I think, our feelings. I will read a few of those lines, and content rnys,'I with saying how much I agree with them, and I think thai. her Majesty's subjects all over the Empire will feel the same as I do. The Poet Laureate speaks

Address t the Queen, TVNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 693 of her Majesty's spring of life and her Majesty's old ago. I think these lines express our feelings all over the Island:— With heart as tender as the bud half-blown, Yet, in, the very season of young love, Koeeling, you sought its impulse from above, Ohoosing for helpful consort of your throne A. soul attuned to yours, a mind to match your own. season it is less earthly than Divine, When love's rich guerdons with the days increase, And cares are softened 'neath the crown of peace. When ail we have won 'twere easy to resign; season like to this, loved lady, now is thine! Through life's successive labours, one by one, Still moving on, to-day no more you roam Seeking fresh tasks, but fruit of Harvest Home, Fruit Cent with flowers warmed by October's sun, are round your throne entwined, and Harvest Hymns begun. U what a harvest, Lady, now is yours! Empire, and fame, and glory, and above Glory and fame, a Universe's love; Love rooted deep in reverence that ensures Remembrance of your name, as long as time endures. Loa^ may the Indian summer of your days Yet, linger in the land you love so well! And long may we who no less love you dwell lin the reposeful radiance of your gaze, a golden sunset seen through Autumn's silvery haze. All I can again say is that those lines express my feelings with regard to the Queen—God bless her ; long may she be spared to rule over this Empire. (Cheers.) The Speaker : On behalf of the Heys, I beg to second the resolution. There is not a more loyal people than the Manx, and there is not a more loyal legislative body than the House of Keys. The resolution was carried unanimously.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE. The Governor : I should like, before we leave this subject, to express my thanks to the Lord Bishop for the trouble ho took to prepare special forms of prayer for the service which we had the day before yesterday at St. George's Church, and also to the vicar of St. George's for all the trouble he took to make the service what it was—appro- priate and touching. The Speaker joined in the expression of thanks. The Lord 13:sbop: I am extremely obliged to the Council and the Speaker for their acknow- ledgment of my poor services on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving Service. 694 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

THE GLASS STREAM. The Lord Bishop : With your permission, I just wish to say one word by way of personal explanation. I noticed that at the last. Tynwald Court li.;s Honour the Clerk of the Rolls referred tc the want of action of the Fishery Board in res- pect to the Douglas Water Works. Now, I should like to say that the Fishery Board—that is to say, the Fresh Water Fishery Board—is at present in a state of semi-paralysis. One membei whom we much valued has been absent from the Island for over a year ; a second member of that Board, Mr Cowell, is at present in California: and a third feels himself personally connected with a matter in question, and is, therefore, unwilling to act. Therefore, there arc but two available members, myself and Dr. Tellett, of Ramsey ; we are not a quorum, and. though there are questions of pressing import. ance, it is impossible for the Fishery Board to take action with regard to them. I am extremely sorry it is so, but I feel sure the explanation will remove the impression that we are neglecting our duty without cause. The Clerk of the Rolls: Personally, I may just say that I made no attack upon tile Board of Conservators in any shape or forte. I simply asked the question bona fide for information. I thought it very probable that the Board had had a meeting, and had considered how far this won't] interfere with the fisheries committed to their charge, and I asked the question whether they had or had not held a meeting. Having beau informed that they had not, I did not follow the subject up any further. I feit that it was a matter of some public importance, because it is a fact, I believe, that these new works will oe- stroy entirely the fishery in the Douglas river. Necessarily, the fish will be cut off from their spawning grounds, and, therefore, they must die out. I, therefore, asked if the Board, es trust( as if the public, had considered the matter.

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The Governor: It may be convenient to state what course I propose to pursue to-clay. I pro pose simply to lay the financial statement before Court, and to postpone my own statement and the discussion of the statement until next Tuesday, on which day we will take no other nuttier of any sort or kind ; so that we may get on with other business to-day. There are a cer-

The Glass Stream.—The Financial Stalement. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 695 tain number of votes which must be taken ; they are not of a controversial character, and I pro- pose to take them, so that we may discuss the financial statement in detail on Tuesday next. The Court will recollect that on one or two occasions we were told that there was not enough time given for the discussion of the financial statement. The financial statement this year is a very simple one; but, at the same time, if any discussion is wished for, the best course is utt postpone it to *ext Tuesday, and go on with these votes now. There is one matter which we shall have to take up—that is the alteration in the Customs duties with regard to wine. You will recollect that on a former occasion we passed a resolution which was the same resolution as that passed in the House of Commons. I was very anxious that we should wait to see what was done in the House of Commons, and it seems now that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has given way to certain representations made to him with regard to these duties, and they are imposed in a different form to what they were before. Therefore, it is necessary to alter these resolutions so as to make them the same as the resolutions passed in England. Our alterations will be put into the English Act, and will be- come law. A resolution of the Court is suffi- cient, and it will be enacted by the House of Commons. I propose, therefore, to take the Customs duties first of all.

THE WINE DUTIES. The Clerk of the Rolls : May I ask your Ex- cellency whether or not it is yet passed in a binding form in England? Deemster Sir James Gell : Not yet. The Clerk of the Rolls : I do not think so. I C:O.: one of those who got your Excellency postpone the resolution the first time it was proposed. The second time it was brought for- ward and carried, and it was premature. I thin,. we are in the same position still. I do not think we ought to pass this unless it is actually a fact- that it is law in England. *Doemstter Sir James Gen: In any resolution affecting duties, it is the custom of the House of Commons first of all to pass a resolution stating that the duties are so and so. The Cus toms authorities at once act on that resoludon, but it is only legalised by the way in which Um Act giving legal effect to the resolution is drawn

The Wine Doti( 696 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

afterwards. The Act is made retrospective, ant, supposing, for instance, the resolution was passed on the lst, March, and the Act was passed by Parli-ment on 1st May, the Act would state that the duties, from and after 1st March, shall be so and SO. The Act so passed legalises what has 1i...en done since the resolution was passed. Our Act goes a little further. The resolution we- pass to-day, if approved of by the Commis- sioners of Customs, takes effect immediately, as provided by the Act of 1887, and remains in force for six months, or, if Parliament be sitting, until the end of that session of Parliament. In the meantime an Act of Parliament is' passed in Eng- land confirming what is done here. If such an Act ie not. passed, the resolution drops, and theri is no harm done in any way whatever. The Act of Parliament, 1887, authorises our resolution to be acted on at once, so that the new duties take effect lcgaPy, only if the new duties be nat confirmed by Act afterwards our r.:solution will CCaFe to be in force, and the former duties would revivo We have already passed a resolution raising the duties, and, according to that resolu- tion, the duties are somewhat higher on w:nes than in England. If this resolution is approved of. t will take effect at once. Mr Clucas: I believe the resolution is passed iu England. Deemster Sir James Gell: Yes, and it is being acted on in England now, but it will be legalisied by the Act afterwards. If it is not legalised, the Customs authork.ies will 'have to return the money taken as extra duty. The Clerk of the Rolls: 1 want to say some- thing, but I think we had better get the resolu- tion read and seconded. Deemster Sir James Geli : Well, I propose the resolution that you eee on the agenda paper:— That, in lieu of the duties of Customs now pay- able on wine imported into the Isle of Man. there shall be charged, levied, and paid the duties following (that is to say):— Wine not exceeding 30 degrees of proof spirit, the gallon £0 1 3 Exceeding 30, but not exceeding 42 degrees of proof spirit, the gallon 0 3 0 And for every degree, or part of a de- gree, beyond the highest above charged, an additional duty, the gallon 0 0 3 Sparkling wine imported in bottle, an additional duty, the gallon 0 2 6 Still wine imported in bottle, an ad- ditional duty, the gallon 0 1 0

Wine Duties. TYNWALD couRT, May 26, 1899. 697

In this resolution the word " wine" includes lees of wine. The word degree" includes no fraction of the next higher degree. The resolution of the 5th day of May, 1899, is hereby rescinded. I will just explain the changes made from our former resolution. By our former resolution the duty was " for wine (other than still wine im ported in bottle) not exceeding 30 degrees of proof spirit, the gallon, is 6d." Now, the al- teration proposed is this—that wine not exceed- ing 30 degrees of proof spirit, the duty per pro of gallon should be is 3d—all about being still wine imported in battle is omitted, and, instead of its being is 6d duty, it is proposed it should be is 3d for wine, whether in bottle or not. Then for " wine exceeding 30 degrees, and not exceed- ing 42 degrees of proof spirit, the duty is 3s pe- gallon" ; that is left as it was. The first clause relates to the lighter wines, the next to " wine: not exceeding 42 degrees," and " for every le- gree, or part of a degree, beyond the highest above charged, an additional duty per gallon of threepence" ; that is left the same. Then "spark- ling wine imported in bottle" is charged an ad- ditional duty per gallon of 2s 6d; that is let, unaltered. Then there is " still wine imported is bottle--an additional duty, the gallon, of 3s'' that is altered, and reads "still wine imported in bottles, an additional duty the gallon Is." These are the alterations that we make, and they al..; similar now to what has been passed in England. It is of great importance to us that these duties should lie in exactly the same position as the, are in England. This resolution also provides that the resolution of 5th May, 1899, is reeinde This resolution will take effect once, the same as it takes effect in England. The Governor (after a pause) 7 I hope some member will second the resolution. It was passe, ' on the 12th of this month in the :House of Com- mons. Then an Act is passed to bring it into law. At the present time in this Island we have raised our duties on the higher scale by the resolution which we passed the other clay ; so when the Bill comes in the House of Commons framed on that resoluticn, we shall he raising a higher duty than in England, un less we pass Oil. The Clerk of the Rolls: My only anxiety Is that we should not be premature in pasting resolution. I think I have got a proof now wh:ce satisfies me. We passed the previous resoluLoe prematurely, and ihe result of that has bee,. a

The Wine Duties. 698 TYN WALD COURT, May 26, 1899. space of time during which our duties here have been in excess of the wine duties in England. I suppose some persons have paid those higher duties. How it can be made right, I do 11,1. know, because if the trader has sold any wine at the advanced price on the strength of the ad vanced Iuties, I do not see how we are going to repay him. My anxiety was to see that we were cot going to repett a similar difficulty. I knew the thing had passed the House of Commons, but I knew also that ;n England it requires an Act to perfect the resolution, and give it tasting effect. I knew that Act had not been passel, and would not be passed for some little time, and I wished to make sure that in England they were acting on the resolution without waiting for the Act. I find from the official papers put into lay hands by Mr Story that they are doing th _t. They are now levying in England the higher duties, without waiting for an Act of Parka- ment—the same duties as by this amended resolu- tion are proposed to be levied here. Therefofe, I am satisfied, and agree that it is practically imperative on us to pass this resolution ; other- wise we should be getting wrong again in the opposite direction; instead of our duties being higher than theirs, as under the last resolution, our duties would be lower than theirs, if we rescinded the old resolution, and omitted to pa-s a fresh one, because the modifications which the Chancellor of the Exchequer has permitted to creep in would not apply here, and we would not get the benefit of it. Deemgter Sir James Gell : When we passed our resolution on 5th May, it was at once acted on. On the 12th May, I think, the second reso- lution of the House of Commons was passe 1 about duties, and since that resolution was passed, it has hsen acted upon in England. From that time to this merchants here have been pay- ing a higher .,r.o ufle still wines than they ar paying in England. The motion was then put, and agreed to nut con.

PUBLIL HEALTH. The Governor : A let'Ar has been forwarded at me by his Honour Deemster Gill. I am sure we are all very sorry that he is not present to day, in consequence of illness. He has sent, this letter, which I think will be Neu satisfactory , the Court. It is a report from the Local Govern-

Public Health. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 699

ment Board, written by Mr Jackson, the in- spector to the Board:— The Local Government Board, Douglas, 26th May, 1899. To his Honour Deemster Gill. Sir,—Re Infectious Deseases,—I am informed by Mr Robertson., Douglas Town Olerk, that the year has bean an exceptionally healthy one, only three cases in Isolation Hospital since last October, and none at the present time. During April and May, there have been only eight or nine cases of measles in Douglas, the last reported eight days ago, and that case was then considerably advanced, so that there are goo•l grounds for believing Douglas to he now free. The last Ramsey remirt for April I have examined this morning. It is dated the 28th April, and certifies no cases during the preceding fortnight. There are no cases reported from any other district up to date, and certainly no cases in the Island that are classed as dangerous infectious diseases.—I am, sir, yours obediently, J. M. JACKSON, Inspector. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. Deemster S'r James Cell: The resolution I have to move is this:— That a sum not exceeding £1,000 ,e applied from the general revenue of this Isle for the purpose of providing for the repair, mainten• 1.71,ce. and supervision of public buildings, end for the charge for rent and incidental expenses of the Custom-houses in this Isle, for one year from the 1st April, 1899. The report by Mr Story, who supervises the public buildings of the Island, gives the estimates of last year, the actual expenditure up to 31st March last, and the estimate for next year. There are two items in which the expenditure last year exceeded the estimates. The expenditure in the up-keep of Government House was £3 14s 9d in excess, and there was a supplementary vote of £80 in which there was an excess o f £5 ls. With respect to the court house and police station at Douglas, the estimate was £100, and the actual expenditure was £121 lOs 11d. In all other cases the estimate made exceeded the money actually expended, and, on the whole, the esti- mate was £1,160, while the expenditure was £193 4s ld less than the estimate made. Mr Story estimates for the current year £1,000, which is less than he estimated before, and I believe that the public buildings are satisfactorily atten- ded to. I move that this vote be passed. Appended is a copy of the accounts and esti- mated expenditure :— Government Office, Isle of Man, let April, 1899. My Lord,—I have the honour to submit to your Excellency the accompanying statement of ex- Public Buildings. 700 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

penditure for the year ended 31st ultimo, and the estimate for the year ending 31st March, 1900, in connection with the maintenance an1 repair of the public buildings and the Customs service in this Island. The details of work done at the various build- ings are as follows:- 1. Castle Rushen (£60).-Mason work, £22 Os 9d; joiner and plumber work, £17 Os id; office for weights and measures. Castletown, £5 17s; sun- dries, £2 lls.-Total, £47 8s 10d. 2. Government House (1100).-Fencing, £35; mason and joiner work, £29 lls 4d; limewashing and sundry glaziers' work, £7 is 3d; repairing' mirror, £3 10s; painting stables, etc., £16 is 3d; repairing shed, £7 3s Id; cleaning flues, £2 7s 10d. -Total, £100 14s 9d. 2b. Government House.-Painting (£10O), £100. 2c. Government House.-Supplementary vote (180), £85 15. 3. Government Buildings (£1201.-Mason and joiner work (Government Office), £21 lls 8d; painting, etc., ditto, £17 lls 4d; plumber work, ditto, £5 is 11d; kitchen range for caretaker's residence, £5 6s 9d: carpet, etc., for Speaker's room, £10 4s 7d, joiner work (Tynwald Court Chamber), £5 3s 7d; painting, etc. (Rolls Office), £28 9s 10d; mason and joiner work, ditto, £13 16s 5d; clock for Rolls Office, £6 10s; sundries, £3 17s lid.-Total, £117 13s 11d. 4. Ditto (£85).-Sundry plumber work, £13 lOs 8d; repairs to roof, etc., £21 19s 3d; kitchen ranges for warders' houses, £15 14s 9d; paint, £5 9s ld ; sundries, £6 4s 10d.-Total, £62 18s 7d. 4a. Gaol.-New water pipes, £80. 5. Court House and Police Station (£100).- Painting, etc., Court rooms, £92 19s 4d; mason and joiner work (Court House), £15 8s 7d; shelv- ing, etc., ditto, £7 14s 7d; plumber work, ditto, £2 13s 8d; plumber work, etc. (Police Station). £2 14s 9d.-Total, £121 lOs 11d. 6. Court Houses and Police Stations (except Douglas and Castletown).-Ramsey: Cushions for jury box, etc., £3 Os 10d; cutting grass, etc., £1 3s: total, £4 3s 10d. Peel: Painting and paper. ing Court House, £12 17s 2d; repairing roof of Peel old Court House, £2 3s 6d; repairing roof of Peel new Court House. £1 6s; painting, etc., Peel Police Station, £1 16s 5d; repairing roof of ditto, £1 12s 10d; sundries, £4 13s • 3d; total, £24 9s 2d. 13allaugh Painting and papering Police Station, £15 10s. Laxey, Spouting for Police Station, £2 6s. Total, £46 9s. 7. St. John's Chapel (£20).-Repairs, £9 4s 7d. 8. Customs Service (£150).-£128 19s 6d. 9. Peel Castle (£150).-Pointing and repairing walls, £46 14s 10d. The various buildings, the property of the Tynwald Court, as well as Castle Rushen, are in an efficient state of repair, and the services in connection with their maintenance have been performed considerably within the total esti- mate. The saving, however, is not entirely mat- ter for ccngratula.tion. as it, for the most part, occurs in respect of Peel Castle, where, owing to wet weather in the autumn and other causes, a very much smaller amount has, I regret to state, been expended than is desirable for its preservation.

Public Buildings,

IYNWALD COURT, May 21, 1899 701

The estimates for the current year have been carefully framed, and show a decrease of £160. The amount to be asked for for the current year to be dispensed approximately upon the buildings, as shown in the accompanying esti- mates, is £1,000.-1 have the honour to be, my Lord, your Excellency's obedient Servant, HERBERT STORY. His Excellency the Lieut.-Governor.

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND CHARGE FOR CUSTOM- HOUSES. Statement of Estimated and Actual Expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1899, and the Estimated Expenditure for the year ending March 31, 1900. Esti- Expendi- Esti- mates ture 'mated for '99. for '99. for 1900. £ £ S. d. 60 .. 47 8 10 1. Castle Ilushen , 60 100 .. 103 14 9 2. Goverment House 200 45 2a Up-keen of furni- ture, do. 45 100 .. 100 0 0 2b Painting, do. 80 .. 85 1 0 2c Supplementary vote 120 .. 117 13 11 3. Government Build- ings, Douglas 120 85 .. 62 18 7 4. Gaol 85 80 .. 80 0 0 4a New water pipes 100 121 10 11 5. Court House and Police Station, Douglas 100 80 .. 46 9 0 6. Court Houses and Police Stations other than at Castletown and Douglas 80 20 .. 9 4 7 7. St. John's Chapel f0 150 .. 128 19 6 8. Custom-house ser- vices 150 120 .. 46 14 10 9. Peel Castle 120 20 .. 20 0 0 10. Supervision of vote 21 1,160 966 15 11 1,000 Mr Mylrea seconded the motion, and it was agreed to.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE. The Governor : I should like very much if the Court would appoint a small Committee of three to look at Government House. We have almost spent the usual vote this year, and I think it would be much cheaper to put the place in repair at once. We would not have to spend too much, but the place will have to be kept in order, or we shall have to pay a large amount of com- pensation at the end of the lease.

Government House. 702 TYNWALD COU RT, May 26, 1899.

Mr Clucas : If a Committee is appointed, would it not be desirable that they should consider the question of surrendering the lease and building a house. It would really come cheaper. Practi- cally we spend £400 a year on Government House, and there is only 11 years to run. The Clerk of the Rolls : I am one of those who, if I possibly could, would have prevented the renewal of the lease when Governor Walpole was here. I thought we should have a proper Government House of our own, on which we could spend money with some satisfaction, and which we would not be ashamed of. But the question of giving it up, now that the lease is in full force, is a more important one. But what I was going to suggest was that if the Committee arc to deal with such a very important question as that, it should be a stronger Committee than three, and it should go thoroughly into the ques- tion. The Lord Bishop : I really think we ought to meet his Ex•cellency's views on this subject. it is only showing proper deference to his Excel- lency that we should act on the suggestion he has thrown out. I, therefore, propose that a Committee of five be nominated to look into the whole question to which he has referred. Mr Joughin seconded the motion. The Governor : I hope members of the Court will not think I am unduly complaining. It will be the same if any other Governor comes here. It is not good for the Island to go on paying away money in keeping this place in order, if it can be avoided. Mr Mylrea : May I ask what the Committee are to do? What is the resolution? The Governor : The Speaker suggests to me that the reference should be carefully drawn. As we meet on Tuesday, perhaps it would be better to bring the motion forward on that day. This course was agreed to.

PUBLIC EDUCATION. The Lord Bishop moved the following resolu- tion:— That a sum not exceeuing 115,045 be applied from the general revenue of this Island for the purpose of public education for the year ending 31st March, 1900.

Public Education. TYNWALD COURT, May 26 1899. 703

ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH, 1900. Est i- IiI x pond i- Est i- nisk•s i Ili, ma ted 1998-9 1898 I) 1899-1900. £ £ s. d. k s. Annual Giiants- 8,080 s8,912 6 3 Giineril 8,875 15 41-.0 b 17 0 0 Elem"n'ary Schools e 33 0 595 598 9 8 Science and Art Schools f 830 0 450 c 370 13 9 Inspections 450 0 121) 95 0 0 Pensions to I. acheis 105 0 70 70 0 0 P. osion to laic Secre- tary g 14 0 30 32 6 7 Andils. &c. 30 0 40 29 11 2 Office idoo ges . , . , 40 0 Prini i,v, kc. 30 I) 30 el 35 12 0 ■ 200 197 10 0 Si crei'.1.■ is P :1: a I. , 200 0 5 5 8 0 Aici (toil, 5 0 120 130 10 4 Ind-atrial School fees b 180 0 10 -- Legal 10 0 120 114 10 0 Attendance Officers 120 0 4.150 3,907 15 0 Fee grants I. 4.175 0 40 34 13 0 Members' fees in 47 5 k15,080£1403.5 0 3 £15,015 0

EXPLANATORY NO 1.6S% (a.) Includes children's drawing grants, now awarded by Education Department along with the main grant. For the estimate deduct £186 lid (paid for 17e 6d limit of 1897-8), and acid £35 for new Port Erin Infants' School, £30 for Oookerii in four new districts, and £55 for schools reduced last year (b) Teachers' drawing grants. Children's grants transferred to item above. (o) No drawing inspection was held, Education Department not having made arrangements in time after the transfer from Science and Art Department. (d) Increase owing to printing election minutes, schedules, etc.. and letting of schools. Form under the Education AO 1898, as also new audit regulations to come in line with English regula- tions, eta. (e) For pupil teachers' drawing. About 50 to be examined. in Increase on last year of about £50 accident- ally omitted last year by the Department; a similar amount (£50) for this year, £130 extra for Douglas Organised Science School, and £8 extra for School of Art. (g) Portion of last quarter's pension due to date of death (h) Nineteen children now in school at cost of £156 per annum. (k) Reduced by £75 last estimate. Average attendance at present steady. (in) Pressure of business caused extra meetings. "The Lord Bishop said: I have very much plea- sure in moving this resolution. I think it will be gratifying, on the whole, to members of the Court. I venture to 'hope it will even prove gratifying to his Honour the Clark of the Rills, who has not, I think, been altogether satisfied on previous Public Education. 704 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899 occasions with what I may term the Education Budget. The sum asked for this year, £15,045, is, in the whole, just £15 less than the sum asked for last year. I do not think, since I have been on the Island, that I recollect any other occasion upon which the sum asked for was less than the amount of the previous year. At the same time, I am bound to remark on the other hand. that it is £409 13s 9d in excess of the sum which was attuaIly expended in the year 1898-9. Allow me just to call the attention of the Court for a few moments to the reasons for the alterations in the figures. You will find we havo a diminution under four heads of expenditure, and there is an in- crease, or, rather, we are asking for an increase under three heads. With respect to the items on which there has been a diminution, I may mention first the grants, which are estimated at £132 less during the com'ng year. The pensions to teachers are estimated at £15 less; the pension to the late secretary of the Board is £56 less ; and under the head of fee grants £75 less. I cat:abort pass away from the remark which has just fa:len from me, as to the loss of the late secretary of the Board, without paying a tribute to his memory. I think it will be in the recollection of many members of the Court that the late Canon Ferrier did very excellent service for this Island at a critical time, when the principles of the Act of 1870 in Eng- land were being supplied to this Islan I. I should not like him to pass away without some re- cognition of the services he rendered to the Islaad at that time. I think you will all acknowledge that the Education Acts introduced by Mr For- ster in 1870 have worked very happPqr and very favourably, comparatively speaking, mid, under those curcumstances, I think w 3 night to acknowledge the debt of gratitude we owe to one who was taken away from us of late. With respect to the alteration in the fee grants, we are asking for £75 less than we did during the past. year. This is ac- counted for by the fact that there has been a large number of children withdrawn from the Island. Their parents seem to have emigrated, and we estimate on the whole the expenditure will be £75 less for fee grants. Another reason was the prevalence of epidemics during the past year, and, therefore, I was the more gratified to hear from his Excelbmoy to-day that, at any rate, the state of health in Douglas is now satisfactory. I dr: not know that the state of the whole Island

Public Education. l'YNWALD COURT,May 26, 1899. 705

has been satisfactory. I know there has been a very unpleasant epidemic in the neighbourhood of BiShop's Court with respect to which I myself have been a sufferer. But, in consequence of the emigration of child-ran from the Island, and the prevalence of epidemics, there has been a lees number in the average attendance at school, and, as a result, we estimate £75 less for the current year. If you put those small sums together, you find the diminution comes to £278. On the other hand, we have an excess under three heads. In the first place, with regard to "general grants"— this amounts to £195 15s; it is partly owing to the opening of the new school at Port Erin, partly owing to the fact that the Education Department has taken over the charges for drawing which wore paid previously by the Science and Art Department ; and, in the next place, we estimate we shall want £60 more on account of the child- ren. at the Industrial Schools—a matter over whioh the Board of Education have no con- trol. The number of children at present in the Industriall school at Douglas is considerably in excess of the number in past years Whereas, last year we put before you the figure of £120, this year we are obliged to put before you the figure of £180. Then there has been a very large num- ber of meetings of the Board ; the scale of elec- tion fees, and so forth, and several matters have required the special attention of the Board; con- sequently there is a slight increase in the mem- bers' fees. Last year the sun was £40, this year it is E47 5s. The total amount of excess is £163, the total amount of dianinutiDn £278, and the balance £15 is to the good. Under these circum- stances the total estimate is £15,045, as against £15,060. I hope, on the whole, the Budged. this year will be considered satisfaclory. Mx Joughini I beg to second the resolution. 1 think, on the whole, the vote has been very well put by the Lord Bishop, and I have no need to add a word to it. The Clerk of the Rolls: Before I came into the Court I said that I did not intend saying a word about the education vote—I look upon it as flogging a dead horse. (Laughter I Those who are interested in education have became perfectly callous to the constant increase of expenditure. Rut as I was told by his Lordship that I ought, to be very pleased with the estimate laid before the Court to-day, it might well be said, if I sat

Educati,n. 706 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1819. still and said nothing, that the Clerk of the Rolls acquiesced. The Lord Bishop : I only expressed the hope that you would be pleased. The Clerk of the Rolls : I am afraid it will be a case of hope deferred, making the heart sick, so far as I am concerned. In the first place, I am to feel thankful because these estimates are reduced by the sum of £15 out ocf the sum of £15,000—it is suggested that is something to be thankful for. (Laughter.) All I can say is that the man who can rise to the height of gratitude for that is thankful for small mercies; and when hie Lordship goes on to explain the special grounds which have tended to reduce this amount, which may not occur for a number of years, this £15, I am afraid, reaches vanishing point. He said, in introducing this measure, and I giz e him credit for his courage, that it gave him very great pleasure to do it. I doubt if there are any other members in the Court Who regard it as a great pleasure. 'iney way feel that they are bound to go with the stream, and that it is no use trying to stem the tide ; but I do not know that they can be represented as feeling any great pleasure. Well, his Lordship also said that most of us would remember the Education Acts as introduced by the late Mr Forster. Unfortunately many of us do remember well what took place at the time those Acts were introduced. We recollect the moderate measures that then obtained, the mode- rate amount of expense that was then cont•em- plated, and I, for one, recollect well hearing with any own ears the absolute assurance given to us that, moderate as they were then, the expenses would not increase greatly in the future, but they would remain moderate for the time to come. How far these assurances have been fulfilled, we need not go further than this resolution to find out. Everything that was then said, every pro- mise that was then made, has been broken, and, instead of the expenses being kept down to a moderate limit, we have had an increase of ex- penditure in—I do not hesitate to say—number- less ways where, I venture to think, expenditure could have been kept under. I do not object to education. It must be given. We cannot stand alone with respect to giving public education, and means must be proWded for the doing of it. I am one of those who think, and do not hesitate to say, that there has been no due regard to Proper economy and the proper innibanding of

Public Education. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 18f9. 707

Our resources and keeping under any particle of expenditure tending to be in the way of extrava- gance. I do hot. know whether his Lordship will wish, having regard to these few observations, that he had left the Clerk of the Rolls out of his remarks—in which case I should have sat still and saved the reporters some work. To pans on, for a moment only, to a very grave subject that comes home to us—and dropping all badinage, I cannot join too heartily with his Lordship in ex• pressing the deep regret that I feel in common with him at the loss which we have sustained in the death of the late Canon Ferrier. I am one of those who knew him intimately. I knew his private life as well as his public actions, and my words are few and feeble, and entirely fail to express the high esteem in which I held him, and the very great regret with which, when I was in a foreign country, I heard of the loss whilch I had sustained. Mr Quine : I rise to support the resolution. In doing so, I feel that we owe a debt of gratitude to the Board of Edulcation—Who are soon to adopt the new name of the Council of Education —for the work which they are doing. If the youth of this country are to hold their own when they go abroad, they must be educated. I be- lieve there is no part of the world which sends so many surplus inhab'ttants away as does the Isle of Man. Mena is no doubt that the cost of Government goes up year by year in leaps and bounds, and so does the cost of education. But I feel sure that there is no grant which this Court or the people of this Island agree to so readily as the grants in support of education. I feel sure that in this respect people are growing more liberal in their views. Therefore, I have very great pleasure in supporting the vote for educa- tion in this Island. The vote was carried unanimously.

EXPENSES OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS. The Lard Bishop moved the following resolu- tion :— That the following scale of expenses be ap- proved in connection with the election of a school committee, which scale has been pre- pared and approved u- the Board of Education in substitution for the scale of expenses approved by the Tynwald Court on the 18th February. 1873, such substitution being necessary owing to an increase in the number of officers and their duties by the Education Act, 1898:—

Expenses of School Committee Elect knel 708 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

Elections.—Rule I. A returning-officer for an election in case there be no poll, a fee of £1 is. And in case there be a polfafee of £2 2s. In case of the substitution of an acting return ing-officer for the high-bailiff or captain of the parish as returning-officer, the fees pay- able to the returning-officer shall be the fees payable to the acting returning-officer so substituted. The clerk of the returning-officer, not being the clerk of the school committee of the dis- trict, in case there be no poll. a fee of lie 6d. And in case there be a poll, a fee of £1 ls. The deputy returning-officer, a fee of £1 ls. The clerk of the deputy returning-officer, a fee of lOs 6d. The fees to the returning-officer to be exclusive of all necessary expenses actually incurred, which shall, subject to the approval of tne Board, be paid to the returning-officer b: the school committee. These fees all hang upon one clause of the Aot which we passed last year, and which did away with the custom hitherto prevalent in the Isle of Man, that the election might take place at the close of the nomination. You will observe that in that Act, nutter the head of elections, sec- tion one, sub-seetCon (g), it is provided that the clay fixed for the taking of the poll shall be fixed "such day within four days of that fixed for the nomination of candidates as the Returning- Oflicer shall appoint." It seemed to the Board of Education an absurd thing for the Returning- Officer to go to a nomination a•nd receive a guinea for that part of the business, and if he goes a second day to hold a poll and conduct an elec- tion, he should only receive half-a-guinea. It must. be obvious that the trouble on the second day is far greater than on the first. The nomina- tion may only last a very short period. He gets a guinea for that, and when you send him a second day to conduct an elootion he has to re- ceive half-a-guinea. We thought he should re- ceive at least one guinea for the day of election likewise. Therefore, we propose that the Re- turning-Officer in case there shall he no poll receive a fee of a guinea, and in case there he a poll two guineas. We deal similarly with the clerk to the Returning-Officer; in case there is co poll he will receive half-a-guinea, and if there is a poll a guinea. In view of the alteration of the law, 1 think you will see thus- proposals are reasonable and proper. Mr J. T. Cowell : I have pleasure in seconding that motion. I have no doubt whatever that it will

Expenses of School Committee Elections. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 709 appear to members of the Court that these fees are not too high even now, if we are to have a desirable class of returning-officers. I can only say on this head that the Board are very anxious to keep down. expenses with all due regard to efficient working. There have been times when this question of education would have raised a great debate in the Court, hut. to-day I can only feel that his Honour the Clerk of the Rolls is like one standing at the pier endeavouring to keep the tide from coming in. Education has come to such a point that it is impossible to stop it. We must educate our people if they are to keep pace with the people of other countries. I do not know whether his Honour, in alluding to the extravagance perpetrated at present, referred to the extravagance ;t1 the School Committees or of the Board. I do not think the Board are spending any money improperly. The Court is responsible for the expenditure of the money by pasging the Education Acts, and all the Board can do is to see that the work is efficiently done, and this Board is getting as much benefit for the amount of money spent as any Board in the Isle of Man. Had there been time, it might have been desirable to go further into this matter. I think that the Court, looking at a vacant seat OIL ihe Council bench, could imagine that if that seat wore filled, a very complete answer would ln given as to the benefits of the education given in the Isle of Man. However, that may be de- layed to another time. There are exponents in this Court of the value of education, who are prepared at a suitable time to stand by this expenditure, and to justify it; so that if there was any silence after the remarks of his Honour it was not because they were acquiesced in by the majority of the members of the Court. This motion is simply an act of justice to those per- sons who wall have to perform important duties in carrying out the new minute of the Board of Education in reference to the election of school committees. 'i.ae Clerk of the Rolls: I am not going to oppose this vote. The hon. member who has just sat down has said that when I was speaking on the main vote, I might just as well have been standing at the pier trying to. keep the tide back. I beg to point out that there is no appo- siteness in these remarks. If I had been trying to keep the tide out, I would have been trying to move an adverse amendment to the resolution

Expenses of School Committee Elections. '710 TYNWALD COURT, May 26,1899.

before the Court. But I stated at rising that I was not going to do anything of the sort. There- fore I did not try to do it, and I did not do it. I did not try either to keep the tide out, or to do any other impossible thing. The hon. member speaks about the charge of extravagance, and says that if a certain member of the Council had been present, who is absent, such observations as I made would nit have passed in silence. I have no doubt they would not; but I am certainly not afraid to make observations in the presence of that or any other member, and I hope the time will not come when I cannot hold my own about them. But what I meant to convey, and what I thought my words did convey, was this—that the extravagance was not a thing of to-day or yes- terday; not a thing tlhat has grown even during the time that a very young member has been in the Court who would not allow these observa- tions to pass without remark. I was going back to the introduction of Mr Forster's acts, and my charge is a general one, and from that time to this, and for a long time past, those accumu1n- bons and accretions have grown up which might in many respects have been checked and kept Within hounds, and I repeat that I am prepared to a certain extent to agree with the hon. mem- ber that, at the present time, you are too late. You cannot go hack on what has been done, and with regard to the work which a great many persons at present connected with education are carrying on, these remarks do not apply at all. They apply to the whole business from its very initiation, and to the fact that there was no attempt made—I repeat no adequate attempt made whatever—at a•ny stage of the proceedings during all those years to grapple firmly with the question of expense, and whilst supplyiing educa- tion to all that require it, taking care that it should be supplied economically, justly, and with- out imposing further burdens on the country than it was necessary to impose upon it. No such at- tempt was made, ar- at t•he present hour we are paying the penalty —this Island is paying the penalty. The People who were responsible for it, many of them, have passed away; it was the principle I referred to: I was not referring to any individual. I simply complained of what took place in the past, and I hope even yet it nay be a warning in future to try and be more careful and cut clown expense. The Lord Bishop : I shall ask leave just to say cne or two words in reply to what has been said

Exper,ses of School Committee Elections. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 711 by the Clerk of the Rolls. I may say that the remarks which have fallen from him in the last me meat or two have been on the whole grat4ying to me. He began by saying that the provisions of Mr Foester's act of 1870 had been greatly ex- ceeded. I quite grant that. I do not deny that the expenditure on the education of the country of late years has been far more than was contem- plated in 1870 by the Government of that day. But I think I can gather from the Clerk of the Rolls that he is going to put the saddle on the right horse, for if there had been any imputa- ii'on on the Board of Education, which is simply the executive of the Legislature, I should have complained bitterly if any charge of extravagance had been made. But if, on the other hood, the Legislature of the Isle of Man, in view of what has been done across the water, has seen fit to go on side by side with educationalists in England, and pass amendments to the Education Act of 1871 in this Island, I do not think they can find fault with the Board which has to enforce those amending Acts is compelled to spend more. But if, as I understand, the Clerk of the Rolls is saying that the Legislature have dyne it, and not the Board of Education, I have nothing at all to say. From my Point of view, I think, on the whole, the Legislature have acted wisely in determining that this Island shall not be the only part of her Majesty's dominions in which a first-rate elementary education is not possible for the children. The Legislature have taken into consideration very carefully at differ- ent times what they thoughit needed to he amended in the Act originally passed. They have done, it with their eyes open, they have done it after consideration, and done it advisedly. If the Cleric of the Rolls is not in harmony with that Policy, I have nothing to say; he is at issue pro- bably with the great majority of the Legislature of this Island. But I only wished to say that every member of the Board of Education—the Council of Education as it will very soon be called—does everything in his power to keep down expense, and to prevent any kind of extravagance. If the remarks of his Honour apply to the course which the Legislature has taken, then the Legis- !attire will know how to deal with it. If they apply to the Board of Education I entirely re- pudiate that there is any failure on the part of the Board of Education to keep down extravagance. It is the object of every member of the Board, and will continue so to be.

Expenses of School Committee Elections. 712 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 180.

The Clerk of the Rols: If I had meant to point at the Board of Education, you would have had no difficulty in finding it out. The vote was agreed to.

EDUCATION TRUSTS. Mr Cowley : Whilst we are on the Education question, I beg to give notice that I shall ask a question at the next Court, with respect to a number of education trusts in the country, which may be in a very neglected state. The Lord Bishop: I do not know whether the lion. member intended me to take notice of his question. If he does, I should think the notice vary insuffioleM. I should be unable to answer with respect to educational trusts further than the Education Commission have reported already, without special information as to the particular trusts which the hon. member refers to. Mr Cowley: I intended to frame a notice, in time for the agenda paper. The Governor : This is Friday, and the next Court is on Tuesday. Mr Cowley : Not tha adjourned Court. It will be a later Court. The question has relation to tile mmner in which a number of trusts have been administered. The Clerk of the Rolls: I do not think the Board of Education has anything to do with these trusts. Mr Cowley : They will have information, and as they are the body responsible for education, I thought the question should be addressed to them. The Clerk of the Rolls : I am not defending the Board, but I do not think they have anything to do with it. The Lord Bishop In a schedule to the report of the Commission on Secondary Education, dated 1897, there is a very complete and exhaus- tive list of all Educational Trusts in the Island that have fallen into abeyance, and others also. I em afraid I should not he able to give any more infsamation than is contained there. We came to the conclusion that they would have to be dealt, with by legislation. Mr Cowley : That is very largely my point. I wanted to get the matter into order.

Education Trusts. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 7i3

MAINTENANCE OF HARBOURS. The Receiver-General moved the following reso- lution :— Whereas the Harbour Commissioners have sub- mitted estimates showing that an outlay of £6,178 6s 5d is required for the maintenance of the several harbours of the Island for the year ending 31st March, 1900, and that a sum of £4,711 lls 6d only is available to meet such outlay: Resolved, that the Court do approve of the Harbour Commissioners applying the said sum of £4,711 lie 6d to the carrying out of such re- pairs to the said harbours as they may think most necessary, and in the payment of the salaries and other charges on the harbour funds. The Receiver-General said: We brought for- ward estimates upon this system for the last year, and owing to the great economy we practised, and the faot that circumstances have stopped the works going on, we have not spent the whole amount we asked to be approved by the Court. But th's year the whole amount will be required to be spent, and I hope, with the leave of his Excellency, to bring forward a motion granting us the difference between £4,711 lie 6d and £6,178 6s 8d at the next Court on 5th July, be- cause we shall certainly require the whole of this next year. In regard. to fender piling, especially, a very large sum will have to be spent in the next two or three years. Mr Joughin seconded the motion. The Clerk of the Rolls: The difficulty I have is this: I have full confidence in the Harbour Board, but it seems to me that the amount might he used on particular works without the exercise of the Court's discretion as to what particular things should be carried out. This resolution gives them controlling power over the application of £4,700 odd, and they may apply that, even before the next Court, to some purpose a hie& if the Court were aware of it, they would i of ap- prove. It withdraws from the Court. power to give specific direction as to its application. It delegates the application to carrying out such repairs "as they may think most necessary." The Receiver-General : The money will have to be applied towards all the things that are stated in the estimate. The Clerk of the Rolls: You might leave cer- tain things over, which would absolutely compel the Court to vote the other sum. Mr J. R. Kerruish asked if the Harbour Board had provided any sum for the purpose of obtain-

Maintenance of Harbours, 714 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1889. ing an independent account. of all the arrivals of passengers in the Island by steamer? The Receiver-General: We are pretty well satisfied with the present arrangements: We are carrying them on in the same .way. Mr Goldsmith asked particulars of the rents and licences of 1898-9. It seemed to. him that the Douglas Harbour Bridge tolls were taken for the harbours of the whole Island. He had under- stood that as soon as the fridge had paid for itself these tolls were to be off. It seemed to him that the tolls would be levied in perpetuity if these tolls were to be spent on other harbours. The Receiver-General: That is in strict accord- ance with the Douglas Bridge Act, which says that all the tolls from the bridge are to be added to the £2,300 aplicable for the maintenance of the harbours. Mr Goldsmith: Yes, but I think it was under- stood that the tolls were to be taken off when the bridge paid for itself. The Receiver-General: I never heard of it. Mr Goldsmith: At all events, the people on the South Quay feel the tax to be a very serious one, and I think the Government should take the earliest possible opportunity of taking it off, and not be expending their money on Ramsey, Peel, and Ca.stlet own. The Clerk of the Rolls: Governor Walpole was prepared to veto the vote unless that was done. Tha Speaker : With respect to the objection raised by his Honour the Clerk of the Rolls, I must say there is great force in that objection. I agree with what his Honour says, that we arc spending £4,711 out of an expenditure of £6,478, and, as he points out, we may pick and choose how we spend that money on the items placed in this statement before the Court. But there is one easy and simple way of getting over that difficulty, and that is to grant the Harbour Board the whole sum which they ask for. The Harbour Board deliberately say that the sum of £6,178 is required for the maintenance of the harbours, and if we do not receive that sum, the harbours will not be maintained as they should be. Unfor- tunately we have had the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer to deal with, and he says he has only the sum of £4,711 to place at our disposal. But it should he most clearly and distinctly under- stood that we should have the larger sum if the harbours of this Island are to be kept up pro-

Maintenance cf Harbours. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 715

perly in future. I know that our Chairman has asked his Excellency to provide us with the whole sum, and it would be very much more satisfac- tory to the Board to receive the whole sum. The Board of Education applies for the total sum required, and gets it, but the Harbour Board has to get it pieeenical; I think it is most unsatis- factory. If funds are not forthcoming for the proper maintenance of the harbours, I think that ways and means should be found to provide those funds. Mr Joughin : I would point out that the money at the disposal of the Harbour Board is entirely insufficient to meet the demand. We yearly make an estimate, and the Court will see what money we can give to each port. 'The Governor : I do not want to cut you down. Mr Joughin : The demands on the Harbour Board are greater than the money at our dis- posal, and it is a sort of makeshift how we dispose of it. The vote was agreed to. The Receiver-Generat moved :— That the sum of £1,051 lls to. the amount received during the year ended 31st March, 1899, from rents, bay fisheries, boat licences, etc., be applied from the general revenue of this Island in aid of the £2,300 appropriated under the Isle of Man Harbours Act, 1872 (29 and 30 Vic., cap. 23), towards the maintenance of the Insular har- bours. The Receiver-General : This is the regular vote which is passed every year : therefore, I shall say nothing unless I am asked a question. Mr Joughin seconded. Mr J. D. Clucas : I do not see how we can do anything but pass it, seeing that it is included in the last resolution. Mr Goldsmith : I think it is about time we got particulars of the rents and licences, to show where these moneys come from. All the other harbours are conspicuously absent from the est: mated receipts, but, on the other side, I see Derbyhaven, Castletown, Peel, Ramsey, and Laxey. The only money received comes from Douglas Harbour, and Douglas Harbour is about the worst harbour in the Island. I would very well like to know what rents and licences are collected from Douglas, and from ports other than Douglas. The Receiver-General: Out of this 21,053, Douglas pays £750, Derbyhaven and Castletown £10, Port St. Mary £0, Port Erin £50, Peel

Maint: oce of Harbours. 7 6 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

£100, Ramsey £55, Laxcy £5, and Port Soder• ick £50. Mr Goldsmith : Practically the whole of thee moneys are collected in Douglas, and it is the worst harbour in the. Isle of Man in proportion to the amount of business done. The Receiver-General : All these rents one tax,3s belong to the Insular Revenue. They de not come to us at all ; but when Sir Spence! Walpole was here, he made an arrangement with my predecessor, by which he throw the whole burden of the salaries of the harbour masters, which used to be on the Civil List, on to the Harbcur Board, and gave them these funds in lieu of it. The Harbour Board would be de- lighted to go back to the old state of things. The vote was agreed to.

THE 13A:1 TERI' PIER. The following papers had been issued to mem- bers of the Court :— The Tynwald Court are asked (with the consent of his Excellency the Lieut.-Governor), to sanction au a2teration in the manner of effect- ing the repair of the Battery Pier, Douglas, in accordance with the recommendations contained in the accompanying reports. W. J. ANDERSON, Rceeivar,-General. Harbour Commissioners' Office, May 24, 1899.

Engineer's Office, Douglas, 22nd May, 1899. Sir,—In accordance with your instructions, I beg to report on thg, works in progress at the Battery Pier. The schemes recommem-ed by the Committee of June, 1897, and sanctioned by the Tynwald Court on 13th January, 1898, consisted essentially of an inner wall, tied and connected to the present harbour wall. In preparing to carr-- out that scheme, the engineering exigencies of the work necessitated some means being provided for making the work safe before excavating the interior of the pier. There appeared to be only two ways of doing this, viz.: either erecting massive struts on the harbour side of the inner wall (projecting there- from 50ft. or 60ft.). or tying the harbour wall to the seaward wall. As the former would have been very much in the way of steamers using the pier, and would, in fact, have practically precluded their using it at all, I tried the latter method, though with considerable misgivings as to its possibility. I am glad to say, however, that it has proved thoroughly practicable, and there are now three tie-rods in position in the pier. Its success enables me to recommend a modifi- cation of the scheme approved by the Tynwald Court. viz., that, instead of merely tying the

The Battery Pier. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1891 717

-present harbour wall to a new wall to be built immediately behind it, the tie-rods should he extended so as to go right through the pier, and so to thoroughly tie both sea and harbour walls together. As to durability, I am of opinion that, as both the original and the modified schemes are de- pendent upon tie-rods, and also that, as the tie- rods in the latter scheme are larger than those in the former, the durability of the modified scheme may be considered as at least equal to that of the original one. I am of opinion, also, that the harbour wall, kept vertically in position by the rods, may, in course of time, attain a more solid and equable foundation, the rods gradually becoming less necessary. I may point out that, when required, these tie- rods may be removed, one at a time, inspected, re-coated with preservative preparation, and re- placed in the pier. As to strength, there can be no question, as the overturning harbour wall, instead of being connected to a new inner wall, resting on a similarly bad foundation, and forced by the pressure of the rubble hearting behind it in the same direction as the harbour wall is moving, it will be secured to the present substantial sea- ward wall of the breakwater, win,— is pressed by the rubble hearting in the opposite direction to that in which the harbour wall is moving. The immediate urgency of applying to the Tyn- wald Court at the earliest possible moment for permission to vary the meta.— of carrying out the work has precluded a full inquiry into cost. but the expenditure will probably be less on the proposed scheme than on the original one, and this in spite of the difficulties attending the boring through of the rubble hearting, and also of the seaward wall, with its 14 feet thickness of solid concrete, and the work being mostly below mean sea level. I take this opportunity of calling your atten- tion to the need for protecting the rubble mound on which this wall is founded, from erosion by the wash of steamers using the pier. I have little doubt but that this has seriously affected the stability of the harbour wall; but, as it is not of the same immediate importance, I will report on this subject at a later date. PERCY NEYILL.

Mr James Walker, C.E., former engineer to the Harbour Commissioners, and now at New- castle-on-Tyne, has been to Douglas, and has signed the following report :-- Mr Nevill has informed me that, at a meeting of the Isle of Man Harbour Commissioners, held on the 17th instant, it was agreed that I should be consulted with reference to the repairs now in progress at the Battery Pier, and also that should make a report on the same. It will be recollected that on the 17th Decem- ber, 1896, I reported tb the Isle of Nan Harbour Commissioners on the Condition of the Battery Pier, and suggested tw6 alternative schemes for strengthening the defective portion of the work.

The Battery Pier. 718 'I'YNWALD COURT, May 26 1699.

Of No. 2 scheme I wrote as follows:- " A new ooncrete wall would be constructed inside the breakwater, at the back of the present d2fective wall, and carri.ed down to the rubble mound, as shown on the drawing, Pig. No. 3. "This would have the effect of adding to the thickness of the present inner wall, to which it would be tied and connected. " This new wall could only be constructed in short lengths, so as to endanger the stability of the existing structure as little as possible while the repairs are being executed." These suggestions were considered by a Com- mittee of the Tynwald Court, which recommended that scheme No. 2 should be adopted. Their report said:—" Judging from their in- formation, they further recommend that a new retaining wall be built across the two injured pockets, following the line of the main inner wall, and either joined up to that wall, or in the same parallel line, but built in the interior of the pier. As to this latter question, and also as to the depth necessary for the foundation of the new wall, the engineer will be in a better position to advise, from time to time, as the excavations and the work proceed, and as the damage to the pier proves more or less serious." This report was adopted by the Tynwald Court on January 13th, 1898. I may point out that, although there is no mention of borings or tie-rods in the report of the Tynwald Court Committee, they were implied in my report dated December 17th, 1896, and they were, in fact, an essential feature of the inner wall scheme (i.e., scheme No. 2). The provision of tie-rods is, therefore, common both to the original scheme tNo. 2), and to the proposed modification of it. Tying together the outer and harbour walls for a short length of the breakwater, so as to make it safe before excavating the hearting, may also be considered as common to both schemes, as the only alternative method of carrying out the work would have prevented the breakwater being used by shipping until the completion of the re- pairs. When I placed the two above-mentioned schemes before the Tynwald Court Committee, 1. had considered a third scheme, which consisted of tying the harbour and outer walls together by steel tie-rods, but I did not recommend it, as it seemed very doubtful whether it would be possible to bore a hole through both the harbour and outer walls, and also through the rubble filling between them, so as to insert the tie-rods. Mr Nevill has now, however, devised a very ingenious method of boring holes through the total thickness of the pier and of inserting the tie-rods, which has proved most successful, and, after careful consideration of the whole matter, I now beg to advise the Harbour Commissioners that scheme No. 2 should be varied by omitting the inner concrete wall, and by putting the tie- reds completely through the pier, so as to tie together the outer wall, the rubble hearting, and the harbour wall, instead of tying together only the harbour wall and the new inner concrete wall, as originally proposed.

The Battery Pier, 'I'YNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 719 By varying scheme No. 2 in the manner pro- posed, a most important advantage is gained, viz., that it will not be necesary to open up the surface of the pier in order to takeout the rubble hearting. There can be no doubt that the opening up of the hearting of the pier would involve consider- able risk, which will be entirely done away with by the adoption of the scheme which I now recommend. On the question of cost, I have not at present sufficient data upon which to form an estimate; but I have no reason to think that it will ex- ceed that of the original scheme, and it may be considerably less. In my opinion, the necessary repairs to the Battery Pier are urgently require and should be executed without delay, so that as many tie- rods as possible may be put through the pier before next winter. The money voted by the Tynwald Court on January 13th, 1898, was, as stated in the Com- mittee's report, only intended to strengthen a 100ft. length of the defective portion of the pier, while the plan which accompanied my report of the 17th December, 1896, showed that 300ft. of the wall required to be strengthened; and this most certainly will have to be done, especially as recent measurements show that the outward movement of the harbour wall is still going on. The Receiver-General: The motion I plat be fore the Court now is one of some consequence. His Excellency has given me leave to bring it on without being on the agenda paper :— Whereas this Court did on the 18th January, 1898, sanction the execution of certain works for strengthening the Battery Pier. Douglas, the con- struction of an interior wall being a part of such works: And whereas this Court has had under its con- sideration a report from Mr Percy Nevill, eingineer to the isle of Man Harbour Commissioners, also a reoorrt from Mr James Walker, consulting en- gineer to the said Commissioners, recommending an omission, of such interim' wall from the sanc- tioned scheme, and the substitution, therefor of a number of steel tie-rods, extending completely through the pier: Resolved,—That this Court do approve of the scheme for the repair of the pier being varied in the manner recommended in the reports referred to. This being a matter of such consequence, I thought it right to bring it before the Court at the very first moment it could be brought for- ward. I may say that Mr Walker's report only reached me after lie left the Island on Tuesday, so I think we have been as quick in getting it out as we possibly could be. The matters are very much better explained in his report than they could be explained by me. The great ad- vantage of the present recommendation is that it will save the great danger of taking the heart out of the pier, which I have looked upon as The Battery Pier. 720 TYNWALD COURT, May 26. 1899. being a dangerous operation. But it would have to be done if the wall was built there as recom mended, just inside the present harbour wall. If the Court do not consider that they have in- formation enough, and would wish for a Com- mittee, I would like it to be appointed at once, so that we may be enabled to have it on the 5th of July. Mr J. T. Cowell: Should not this lie referred to a Committee? The Receiver-General: There was a Committee appointed, and at on that question. Most of the members of that Committee are not available. Sir Wm. Drinkwate,, Deemster Gill, and Mr J. R. Cowell were members of that Committee. The Speaker : I was a member of that Com- mittee, and have since become a- member of the Harbour Board. The Clerk of the Rolls : If the engineers have made up their minds, it will be a serious thing to go on upon the old lines without giving ever y possible consideration to the new lines'.hat are proposed. But the difficulty, of course, is the short time that there is available. That Com- mittee reported as far back as -June, 1897. From June, 1897, down to the present time the Court have been left without any doubt but that the best plan had been reported to them, and this plan was sanctioned by resolution on the 13th January, 1898. Now, at a moment's notice, it is sprung upon us that the whole scheme which was considered essential of constructing an inns wall tied, and connecting ,with -the outer work is abandoned as not being necessary, and it turns out to be only essential to tie the outer wall of the pier to the inner harbour wall. As fa- as I am able to form an opinion en cueh a sub ject—and I feel very unable—I think this new scheme appears to be much the best—you make one wall depend upon the other, whichever way it goes. But it is a serious thing to upset a scheme which at one time was considered the best by competent experts, and to upset the report of the Committee, and do all that in less than a week. On the other hand, to say we would not entertain this would be a great diffi- culty. If the Committee is appointed to-day, and is to repert on 5th July, that is practicable and feasible. r Mylrea (indistinctly heard): This is one of those particular questions which seem to be re- ferred to Committees always under vary no-

The Battery Pier. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 18i-9. 721 satisfactory conditions, because it is futile I n refer such subjects to Committees unless they obtain time to ventilate the question, and time to prevent any undue haste. It is very unsatis- factory for members who have no expert know- ledge to deal with matters on which expert know- ledge is necessary. I do not think, however, that in this instance there will be that conflict be- tween the report of the former Committee, and that of the Committee which is to be appointed, that his Honour indicated. I have endeavoured to ransack my memory, as also has Mr Gold- smith, and I am unable to recollect that there was any question before us of tie-rods whatever. The evidence put before us referred to an in- ternal wall, flanking the present structure, and we had no option but to consider the proposal submitted to us; it was not for us as civilians to suggest any alternative proposal. The ques- tion of tie-rods is entirely a new question, to my mind, altogether. Therefore, I come to the motion entirely unprejudiced, and I think that members of the Court will be able to do so. If the Court come to a contrary conclusion, I do not think it will reflect at all on the report of the former Committee. Mr Joughin: I have no objection to give time, but this Court will remember that the Battery Pier rests upon a mound with no solid founda- tion. There is a strong concrete wall at the back and on the harbour side, and the space between is filled in with rubble. The wall on the harbour side is beginning to lean over, and the Commit. tee, as far as I remember, recommended that Piece by piece should be emptied out down to the foundation, and that a concrete wall should he built paralld with the Quay wall, and that the Quay wall should be tied to that new wall. Whe, we started the work, we thought it bet ter, instead of tying the declining wall to the inner wall, to put strong tie-rods right through the whole concern. We have three rods put right through. The method is to bore and put a steel casing right through, and there tied with a horizontal iron bar and a vertical bar. I think it will be a stronger and a cheaper work. We ran bore right through the rubble without taking out the pockets at all. From time to time the rods can be drawn out and put back again in their cases. Mr Goldsmith supported the statements made by Mr Mylrea. The question of boring or of tie-rods was n_,t, named to his knowledge, and he thought that the matter should have been

The Battery Pier 722 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. brought before the Tynwald Court long since, before the alteration took place. Now that the work was half done, it was brought before the Court to alter the means by which the pier should be supported. Mr Clucas : I do not think we can advance any further in the matter to-day. Therefore, I move as an amendment that the matter be e• (erred to a Committee of five members to consider and report. Mr Mylchreest seconded. The Receiver-General : I al-i.ays understood that part of Mr Walker's scheme was tie-rods, and that the two walls were to be bound to- gether, Why he did not bring it before the Committee I cannot imagine. The Clerk of the Rolls. Mr Walker himself tells us in his report that he had considered the scheme of tying it together, and that he ;lid not recommend it to the Committee because he considered it somewhat doubtful whether it would be advisable to do it. The Speaker : I was a member of the Com- mittee, together with the two learned member.: for North and South Douglas, and I entirely endorse what they have said, that it was not before the Committee. But, as the Clerk of the Rolls has pointed out, it was certainly in Mr Walker's mind, and he did actually note it as a necessary part of the work. He says in the report that, " although there is no mention of borings or tie-rods in the report of the Tynwald Court Committee, they were implied in my re- port dated 17th December, 1896, and they were, in fact, an essential feature of the inner wall scheme." I think it is unfortunate that Mr Walker did not say so to the Committee, but I suppose he considered it a detail of construction with which he did not trouble us. He had to do certain work, and he proposed to do it in particular manner. The new scheme is not alto- gether different from the old one, because tie- rods were in our engineer's mind, and he says : " the provision of tie-rods is common both to the original scheme, and to the proposed modifl cation of it." The fact is that we are in the hands of experts in these matters, and experts, like other people, learn by experience. When that question was before our Committee, it never occurred to Mr -Walker that it would be practi- cable to put tie-rods right through the pier. Now that the matter has been gone into, it appears

The Battery Pier. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 723 that it is practicable. It is evidently better to clip the whole pier together by a solid wall ni both sides than to do what was first recommen- ded. The matter comes before the Court in a clearer light, and that is the sum and substance of the proposal. The amendment was put and carried, and it was agreed that the Committee have power to take evidence, and call for the production of books and papers. The Committee was constituted as follows: -- The Clerk of the Rolls and Sir James Gell, appointed by the Council; Messrs Mylrea and Goldsmith, appointed by the Keys; and' Mr J. C. Crellin, appointed by the Speaker and the Governor co-jointly. The Court adjourned for luncheon.

VISIT OF SIR SPENCER WALPOLE. The Court resumed sitting at three o'clock. The Governor Before we proceed to business, I am very glad to learn that my friend Sir Spencer Walpole is going to pay us a short visit next week. He is going to pay a visit to Bishop's Court. His time is very short, and probably he will not be able to see all his friends, as he will have to go away on Saturday. But I thought during his visit he would like to see any of his friends in the Legislature who desired to meet him, and I propose that we should meet him at three o'clock in the Council Chamber, and 'hake hands with him. (Hear, hear.) He leaves town by the 3-30 train.

THE POOR ASYLUM. The Receiver-General : I beg to move:— That a contribution not exceeding £250 be granted from the general revenue of this Isle in aid of the funds of the Poor Asylum for the year ending 31st March, 1900. That is the yearly grant that we receive, so I need not say anything more about it. Mr Mylrea seconded the motion, and it was carried.

PUBLIC VACCINATORS. The Vicar-General: It is my privilege to move a vote that is regularly passed by this court, namely, the vote for the vaccinators. I beg to move:—

Visit of Sir spencer Walpole.—The Poor Asylum,—Public Vaccination, 724 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

That a sum not exceeding £97 19s be applied from the general revenue of this Isle to defray the charges of the public vaccinators for the districts of Douglas, Castletown, Peel, and Ram- sey, under the Vaccination Act, 1878, incurred during the year ended 31st December, 1898. Mr Maitland seconded the motion, and it was carried. The Vicar-General: In following out the last resolution, I have to move another resolution of a similar nature:— Whereas it is expedient that officers appointed for the better enforcing the Acts relating to vaccination should be continued for another year: Retolyed,—That a sum not exceeding £50 be voted from the general revenue of this Isle for this purpose during the financial year ending 314 March, 1900. Mr Maitland seconded the resolution, and it was agreed to.

SALARIES OF REGISTRARS. The Vicar-General moved as follows:— That a sum not exceeding £233 be applied from the general revenue of this Isle for the purpose of providing remuneration for one year from 1st January, 1899, to the Registrar-General, Regis- trars, and Sub-Registrars under the Civil Regis- tration Acts--to the Registrar-General, £60; to the Registrars at Douglas and Ramsey, and to the Sub-Registrars, a sum not exceeding £173 in the aggregate; such payments to be subject to the approval of his Excellency the Lieutenant- Governor. Mr Maitland seconded the motion, and it was agreed to.

VICTORIA PIER TRAFFIC. On the motion of the Receiver-General, sec- onded by Mr Allen, the following resolution wcs adopted :— Thtt a sum not exceeding £450 be applied from the passenger duty and harbour dues raised or to be raised at the harbour of Douglas, under the Isle of Man Harbours Acts, 1874 to 1584, in she fraying the cost of maintaining a staff of har- bour officers for the regulation of the traffic on the Victoria Pier, Douglas, for the year ending 31st March, 1900. Ar Maitland seconded the motion.—Carried.

TREE PLANTING. Mr Quine moved:— That a sum not exceeding £50 be applied from the general revenue of this Island for the pur- pose of encouraging the planting of trees in the Island.

Salaries of Registrars.—Victoria Pier Traffic.— Tree Planting, 'TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 725

The hon. member said: I am sure this vote will appear most reasonable, when we take into con- sideration the work that is being done by the Arboricultural Society already. This amount will he supplemented by money derived from the sale of trees and by subscriptions that are given to- wards this object. I am sure the Committee that has been appointed to carry out this work are gentlemen who will understand the planting of trees, and how to beautify our Island with them. I have nothing to say against other grants, such as the grant for advertising the Island, but I am sure that nothing could be done with a small sum of money which will be of more advantage than this. We have a beautiful Island, but there is a want of trees, and this Society is taking this matter up with the assistance of his Excel- lency, and they have done splendid work in the past, slid will do splendid work in the future. If I had known earlier that l was going to move this resolution, I would have ascertained the number of trees planted, but I am sure the num- ber is considerable, and I hope, in a short time, we shall be able to see the effects of it in beauti- fying our Island. I have very great pleasure in moving chis resolution. The Governor : The number was reported last year. Mr Clague seconded the motion, and it was carried.

DOUGLAS CORPORATION. Mr Kneen submitted, on behalf of the Cor- poration of Douglas, the following petitions:— Petition for approval of the sale to The Palace and Derby Castle, Limited, of a certain parcel of land, part of Victoria-road, containing 208 square yards, or thereabouts. Petition for approval of the sale to William Henry Oketl of asertain parcel of land, part of Victoria-road, in the said borough, and situated on the east side of such road, adjoining Mount Falcon, and containing 110 square yards, or thereabouts. Mr Kneen said that the land was at one tin o left open as an entrance to Falcon Cliff. The Clerk of the Rolls would remember that a petition was presented to have Falcon Cliff Com- pany ordered to pull down the wall which they had built to enclose this parcel of land which adjoins Okell's Brewery. The Clerk of the Rolls: If I remember rightly, Mr Okell was in the same position with regal d

Douglas Corporation. 726 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

to a portion of this land as the Falcon Cliff Company was with regard to the rest. Mr Kneen said that as the land was now laid out i,he piece referred to formed no part of the road, but was an awkward corner, and these parties had agreed to buy it at lOs a yard. Mr Okell was to buy the portion opposite his pro- perty, and The Palace Company the piece op- posite theirs. The Clerk of the Rolls: It was a sort of ease- ment to the road. Have the Corporation power to sell that? Mr Kneen said they had power under the Local Government Act of 1889. Three weeks' notice must be Fr–en. of any sale of land forming part of the public street, and that notice had been given. He produced the plans. The Clerk of the Rolls: This road was a road Formerly vested in the Highway Board. Mr Kneen: Probably it was so originally. The Clerk of the Rollsj Then this was an ease ment to the highway, and it has been held that In easement to the highway stands in the same position as the title to the highway itself. In the Isle of Man it has been decided that the fee of land is not in the Highway Board, but that ti,c fee is in the owner or owners of the adjoining land out of which the road has originally been carved; and if, at any time, the land ceases I.) be used as a highway, and is abandoned by the Highway Board, then it reverts to the original owners. For instance, in the case of the road from Michael to Cronk-y-Voddy, the land them actually reverted to the owners. T. do not Se,: how the fee of the land is in the Corporation. Mr Kneen : We are selling the land, but no arc declaring that all we sell is the public user of the road. 'The Clerk of the Rolls: If there is, as there must be, someone representing still the owners of the estate out of which the road was originally carved, then the Corporation have no right to sell it at all to other persons. Mr Kneen : The people to whom it is .being sold are the owners of the adjoining land—Mr Okeil and The Palace and Derby Castle Co. The Clerk of the Rolls: Arc you prepared to say that this road was carved out of their land Mr Kneen : We do not gum7antee any title to the land hereby conveyed, and this sale is sol for the purpose of extinguishing the highway.

Douglas Corporation. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 727

The Clerk of the Rolls: You are protecting your clients interests very nicely, but you are seeking to cast the wgis of this Court over a sale which may be no sale. Mr Kneen: I submit that this Court would not take upon itself to inquire into questions of title, eir take any responsibility as to title. As to that, the purchaser will be like any other purchaser, and must approve his own i it:le. The Clerk of the Rolls: That may be so. has often happened, where the boundary of a property was run close to the highway, that they ran the new highway on one side of the boundary, and left it standing. If that did occur in this aa:ie, this piece of land does not belong to Mr Okell, or whoever it may be, but it would belong to the owner of the land on the north-west this piece. I only mean that the Court shoulu not be asked to sanction what they ought not to sanction. Mr Kneen: It was part of the design in laying out the Falcon Cliff Estate that this opening was provided in order to be an entrance to a road to lead to Falcon Cliff, but the whole of the land eventually came into the hands of one owner, and the road was not required. I can prove that myself, if that will satisfy the Court. The Clerk of the Rolls: We could not get a better witness than you, but, as you are acting for your clients, do you not think it would be better to defer the matter? The Vicar-General, who was indistinctly heard, was understood to say that the ground was part of the original Nutinery Estate, and was laid out by Sir Hillary, who thought it could be disposed of to better advantage by sale on the lottery system, and the land was split up into many parcels, and counsel would have great diffi- culty in finding out the reputed owners of that land. The land was won by a Mr Homer, of Manchester, who was satisfied to get £500 for it, and it was afterwards sold to Mr Jackson, then owner of Falcon Cliff. This corner was a great nuisance, and if it could be reduced to possession, it would be all the better. Mr Kneen said the Corporation were anxious to keep it open so long as it might be necessary to keep the road open to Falcon Cliff, but now it was quite certain it would not be wanted. They had all opportunity of selling it at lOs pet yard to the people adjoining, and it enabled

Douglas Corporation. 728 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. them to straighten their boundary along the high- way. The Clerk of the Rolls: Unless you can show that this land does not revert to the original owners, I do not see how we can agree to this. Mr Kneen Here there is no reversion of high- ways in the town. The Corporation stand in the position of the Highway Board. The Clerk of the Rolls: The statute would vest in the substituted body nothing but was vested in the original body. Mr Kneen : The Act provides that all streets being highways shall vest in the Commissioners. Being vested in them, it could never be di- vested except by resolution of the Court. But the Court has never inquired into questions of title ; they simply get rid of the question of a public highway. There have been two or three cases of tins kind before. The Clerk of the Roils said lie would vole against the motion if his point was not met. Mr Kneen said he lied no wish to force the matter on the Court, if it was the wish of the Court to take it on Tuesday. The discussion was adjourned. The similar petition was also adjourned.

PROMENADE AT PORT ST. MARY. Mr Kneen, on behalf of the Port St. Mary Commissioners, presented a petition for author- ity to borrow il2,000 for erecting a promenade along the foot of the brows adjoining the sea shore at Port St. Mary. Mr.Kneen said the promenade was proposed to be made in Chapel Bay on the left-hand side of the road going into Port St. Mary, and immediately under the terrace of large houses which had been built. The sea was gradually making an inroad at the foot of the brows, and, in order to protect them, it was proposed to make a promenade, 450 yards in length, 20 feet wide, for foot passengers only, at the foot of the slope. George Kay deposed : I am a surveyor. I have prepared the plans showing the work to be carried out at Chapel Bay, Port St. Mary. The first object in building this wall is to protect the brows which were given to the Commissioners some little time ago by Mr Cary. In the centre of this small bay the sea is making an inroad into the middle of these brows. It was thought, that, while protecting the brows from being

Promenade at Port St. Mary. TYNWALD COURT. May 26, 1899. 729 washed away, it would be well also to make a small promenade for pedestrian traffic only ; the other road is sufficient for the wheel traffic. The plan shows the sections of the wall which it is proposed to erect. The Clerk of the Rolls: Will that promenade act injuriously in any way to keep off communi- cation with the shore? Witness : At the present time communication is cut off by the old road being washed away. The Receiver-General : Flow high is this prom- enade to be above the shore? Witness: It varies from four feet to nine feet. Mr Kneen: The bay is a favourite resort for visitors to Port St. Mary? Witness : it is, I think, the chief bathing place in Port St. Mary. Boats very often start from the beach, but more, of course, start from the harbour. It is used also for bathing. As the brows stand at the present day, they are almost perpendicular. There is a road at the highway end and another road leading on to the beach, but it has been washed away, and which we propose to make good again. Boats are not left, on that beach during the night. (By Mr Clucas) There arc two slipways and one set of steps providing recess to the shore, which will be much easier access than there has been for the last six or ten years. (By Mr Kneen): The width of Um roadway on top is about 50 feet. The sum of £2,000 will fully cover the cost of the work. Ambrose Collister, clerk to the Port St. Mary Commissioners, deposed : This matter has been before the, Port St. Mary Commissioners, and a public, meeting was held to test the feelings of the ratepayers. There were about 60 ratepayers present, and 30 were for end 15 against. Public notice of this application has been given in the newspapers. Mr Kerruish asked how many ratepayers there were in Port St. Mary. Witness: About 150 to 180. Mr Kneen : This principally affects the locality just above? Witness: Yes. There is no strong opposition in any other part of Port St. Mary. (By the Receiver-General) : There is no opposition from boat owners. Mr Mylehreest : What objection had the min- ority? Witness: The only objection was that it was

Promenade at Port St. Mary. 730 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

not required. They wanted to keep down the rates, that was all. Mr Kneen : it will not involve a rate. It will only be a sinking fund of £15 a year. Witness: The rateable value of Port St. Mary at present is £3,281, and the present rate is is 8d in the £. The present debt is £613 6s 8d. The Receiver-General: How many years have you spread it over? Witness: The next 50 years—the time usually given for promenade walls. Mr J. D. Clucaa moved that the prayer of the petition be granted, and said this would be a very great improvement, and at a cost of £2,000 would be very cheap. Mr Quine supported the motion. He knew the place, and, unless the Port St. Mary Com- missioners had stepped in, the Highway Board would have been asked to repair this road. Since the new breakwater was built the current of the tide had been altered, and with a south-west wind damage was clone. If Port St. Mary was to succeed as a watering place, it was necessary there should be a promenade as well as a sea wall. He thought the Commissioners would have asked a larger sum and done a larger work. The work would not only protect the brows, but make a nice place for people to walk on. The motion was carried.

ONCHAN DRAINAGE. Mr Kneen read the petition of the Onchan Village Commissioners for authority to borrow £2,500 for carrying out the extension of the drainage of Onchan Village District to the sea. Counsel said the sewerage of village districts was not exactly in the same position as that of town's, because under the Act of 1894 it was specially provided that the plans and estimates for the work should be laid before the Local Govern- ment Board for its approval.--Mr Kneen pro- duced the plan approved by the Local Govern- ment Board.—He said all the Court, wished to be satisfied about was that the works were of a permanent character, and that the payment should he extended over a period of years. Frederick Saunderson deposed : I am a sur- veyor and engineer. I prepared these plans for the completion of the main drainage of Onchan. The works are of a permanent character. The outlet will be outside of Port Jack. It is a

Onchan Drainage. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1809. 731 work the cost of which should be spread over a period of years. The works provide for the drainage of about 100 acres, including the whole village of Onchan, Strathallan Park, etc. outlet will be taken below low-miter mark. Mr Maitland: I move that the prayer of the petition be granted. There is no doubt that Onchan is becoming a popular district, and that it requires to be drained. We have the guar- antee of the Local Government Board that the - matter is right. Mr J. T. Cowell seconded the motion, and it was agreed to.

PORT .EItIN DRAINAGE. Mr J. D. Clucas, in the absence of iJeemster Gill, presented the following report :— Report of the Committee appointed by the Tynwald Court on the 24th January, to consider the application of the Port Erin Commissioners for authority to borrow money for drainage and other purposes. To the Tynwald Court. On the 24th January, a petition was presented to this Court by the Port Erin Commissioners for authority to borrow a sum not exceeding £650 for the following purposes:— (1) For completing new outfall sewer £325 (2) For constructing a sea wall and prom- enade to protect the roadway along the shore 325 £650 This was referred to a Committee of three members, who have now the honour to report as follows:— After notice given in the newspapers, and by placard in the district, the Committee proceeded to Port Erin on the Nth instant, and were met by the petitioners and their counsel, and by a large number of ratepayers, principally fisher- men and boat-owners, the latter of whom were opposed to the second object of the petition— viz., the construction of a sea wall extending along the sea shore from the bridge to the south-east corner of the bay. Whilst it was ad- mitted that this would protect the roadway and would form an attractive promenade, it was objected by the boatmen that it would deprive them of a sloping shore on which they could beach their boats during inshore storms, as being the only means of saving them, their boats being now, as they stated, unprotected by har- bour works. After evidence had been given, a copy of which is appended hereto, the Commissioners decided to abandon the construction of this wall for the present; and that portion of this petition was accordingly withdrawn. At a Tynwald Court held on the 3rd December, 1897, authority was given to the Commissioners to borrow £2,200, to be applied to the construe-

Port Erin Drainage. 732 TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899.

tion of a new outfall sewer, which had been ap- proved by the Local Government Board, esti• mated to cost that sum. The work has been almost completed, and it is found that the original estimate will be ex- ceeded by the sum of £632, the excess being due to a larger amount of rock cutting than had been anticipated. The Committee are, however, satisfied that, considering the nature of the work, all reasonable precautions had been taken to ascertain the character of the ground when the estimate was made. Towards this excess of £636 there is available a sum of £188 (the balance of £395 authorized to be borrowed for district purposes, including the repairing of a former outfall). A further sum of about £444 is, therefore, now required for completing the new work. The Commissioners ask the authority of the Court to borrow a sum not exceeding £450 to meet this additional expenditure, and the Com- mittee are of opinion tnat this authority ought to be given. In a scheme authorized by this Court on the 3rd December, 1897, for consolidation of their debt (amounting to £3,295), the Commissioners were empowered to borrow the above-named sum of £2,200, for 45 years, at a rate of interest not exceeding 3i per cent. It is now asked, and the Committee recommend, that authority be given to borrow the said additional sum not exceeding £450, for the same term and on the same con- ditions as the aforesaid sum of J. FRED. GILL, Chairman. J. D. CLutlAS. J. MYLCIIREEST. 13th February, 1899. Mr Clucas pointed out that the second subject in the petition—the construction of a sea wall and promenade—was withdrawn by the Commis- sioners owing to the fact that, in consequence of there being no proper harbour accommodation, it would be impossible for boats and vessels to approach the shore at t ll. He moved ',hat the report be received. The motion was seconded by Mr Quine, and agreed to.

ELECTION BY BALLOT. Mr Quine gave notice that he -would ask the Chairman of the Committee on election by ballot what progress had been made with the inquiry as to adopting the ballot at all municipal and other elections. He said if the Committee had not clone a.ny work up to this time. they ought to be suspended. (Laughter.)

TIED HOUSES. Mr Quinn gave notice that at the next Tynwald Court he would ask his Excellency whether his attention had been called to the fact of licences

Election by Ballot.—Tied Houses. TYNWALD COURT, May 26, 1899. 733 for the sale of intoxicating liquors having been gra ate(' lo tied houses, and, in view of such being the case, if it was his Excellency's intention to introduce legislation dealing with such a question. The Clerk of the Rolls : I suppose the hon. member means that a customer ought to get whatever variety of beer he likes. (Laughter.) The Governor : I suppose he refers to houses that belong to particular brewers. Mr Quine : I understand that as many as id houses belong to one brewer. The Governor : I suppose the breweries are proprietors of them. The Clerk of the Rolls : The hon. member• stands in the privileged position of being able to bring in a Bill himself. The Governor : I have no objeeton to a Bill being brought in (.o consider this question, but tied houses are on onion in England I do not say it is a very good practice; I do not think it is, but I have no intention myself to interfere. The Clerk of the Rolls : I suggest to the hon. membdr that he can stop the monopoly by start- ing houses that are not tied. (Laughter.) The Governor : I do not see that we have any right to prevent brewers from holding properly.

LIGC...;S1NG LAWS. Mr Kerruish : 1 beg leave to give notice that, at the Tynwald Court on 5th July, I will move the following resolution:— That a Committee of seven members of the Court be appointed to consider the licensing laws and their administration; the constitution of the Licensing Court, reform and right of ap- peal; the conferring on electors in. their several districts the right of controlling the sale of intoxicating liquors; to report anv legislation considered- desirable in connection with the sale of intoxicating drink; the Committee to have power to take evidence, engage the services of a reporter, and to print the evidence, and that it be an instruction to the Committee to report within four months

The Court rose, adjourning to Tuesday, the 30th instant.

Licensing Laws.