4 SEPTEMBER 1880, Page 3

The Henn of Commons have disagreed with Lord Brabourne's amendment

to the Employers' Liability Bill, the intention of which was to except employers from liability for sub-agents,- i.e., agents to whom authority is given by an agent, and not by the employer himself. And they have extended Lord Beacons- field's- limit -of two years for the validity of the Act to seven years, so that the Act need not be revised till 1887, and by another Parliament. This is obviously far wiser than assigning a limit which-would give Parliament no really adequate experience of the operation of the Act as it is. In other respects the Com- mons leave' the• Bill as it came down from the Lords. Mr. Bryce sagaciously maintained that the limitation of the Bill is much- more likely to affect the employers prejudicially than the workmen. Seven years hence the workmen will not have less power than they have now, but in all probability more.