House Of Commons, Friday,...
Alr. HE BER presented a petition from the Rev. Martin Joseph Roath, 1 'residlent of l agdalen Collegc, Oxford, against the St. Ca. thetine's Doek bill.-Referred to the committee on the said bill. llr. LAAIBTON presented a petition from the inhabitants of MIle-end Old Town, praying to be heard by counsel against the Alile-end Old Town rates biII.-Laid on the table. Alderman WOOD presented a petition from the gzyernors of Bridewell Hospital, against the Thames tunnel bill.-Laid on the table. Sir R. WILSON presented a petition from the churchwardens of St. John's, Southwark, praying to be heard by counsel against cer- tain clauses of the South London Docks bi'lL-Referred to the com- mittee on the bill. T,'e ga!-zatt General also presented a petition from the Rev. J. C. Hambli J, S zinst the said bill. Aldetoa,i W17OOD moved the second readingof the Thames navi- gaWit c : bill. A erman C. SllITH objected to the measure as a mere job. Aldermnan WOOD said, if it were a job, it was the most extraor- dinary one that was ever heard of. It was a job that would benefit the public by reducing the tax on coals, and which would render the navigaLion of the Thames free several years sooner than that Oj ct ould otherwise be Esffected. It would effet a saving of 12(1,000. to the public-The bill was then read a second time. B.'f f:tish Annuity ConMpany bill was read a second time, and Cotntittznl. BOSSINEY ELECTION. Sir .1. WP. RIDLEY appeared at the bar, with the report of the Contmirtteen the Bossiney election petition. The report, after de. scribing whatcparties were eligible to vote for the members of Parlia- inent in the borough of Bossiney, went on to state, that J. S. WOrLeyv, Esq.. was (Iuly elected, and that J. R. Tunno, Esn3., was not duly elected. The committee determined that the petitton did not appear to be frivolous or vexatious, and that the opposition to it was not frivolous or vexatious. POOR LAWS' (SCOTLAND) AMENDMENT BILL. M1r. AMAXWELL presented a petition from the Presbytery of Paislev, as we understood, against the above bilL The L,ORD ADVOCATE defended the existing system of poor laws in Scotland. Lord A. 11AMILTON supported the bill for their amendment. hlr. HUAIE wished to give the power of assessing to the clergy and the heritors, instead of leaving it in the hands of the elders, who were not themselves liable to assessment. He desired, also, to de- prive the magistrate of the right of ordering relief, and to transfer that power to the elders, from whom he took the privilege of assess- ing. He further suggested that the bill for atnendment should go on, and that the full discussion should be taken at the second reading. Mlr. HO.1E D)RUMMOND expressed himselfhostileto the bill. M1r. KENNEDY Aefendel the principle of the bill, but reserved ltimself for discussion on a future occasion. Sir GEORGE CLERK regretted that the bill should be press- ed, and said that the feeling in Scotland was dlecidedly against it. Air. :\IAXWELL was decidedly opposed to approxunating the Scotch poor laws to those existing in England. The petition was then read, and ordered to lie on the table. HIDES AND SKINS. Mlr. BIRCH presented a petition from the tanners of Nottinghtam, against the hides and skins bill. Mlr. C(uRWEN presented a similar petition from the tanners of Cumberland. BEER LAWS. Air. HORNBY presented a petition from Preston, against the beer bill ; Air. WODEHOULSE presented a petition from htarlbo- rouglh to the same effect; Mr. Wi'ELLs a similar petition from Alar. gate; MIr. MlASrSFIELD a similar petition from Leicester. ilIr. W. GORDON presented a petition from the fishers of Mtac- duff, against taking off'the boutnty on herrings. Thie LORD ADVOCATE presented a petition from thePresby. tery of Edinburgh, and a secon from the Presbytery of Ayr, against any alteration in the poor laws of Scotland. Lord A. HA:ILTON presented twYO petitions from Scotland, praying for an inquiry into the state of the royal Scoteli burghs; also a petition from the tanners and curriers of Glasgow, agaiinst the hides and skins bill. A message from the Lords announced their assent to several pub. lic and private bills; for whicli, see the proceedings of that house. Mr. H. DRUMMliM'OND presetited petitions from the Corporation atnd Presbytcery of Glasgow, agAinst the Scotch courts bill. Air. C. DIJNDAS presented a petition from the victuallers of Rcading, amainst the beer retail bill. Wr. S. RICE presented a petition from the parish of Castle I.ehan, in the county of Cork, complaining that the churchwardeu, being the lessee of the tithes, had contrived to pack a vestry, by wvhich the tithes were assessed, under the new composiuon, at the amount of 1,8001, altlhough the rack.rent of the parish did not exceed 9,0001. altogether ; and praying that in future there might be more moderation used in enforcing the powers given by that act. Mlr. GOULBURN said that the petitioners had lost, through their owvn delay, their right of appeal to the Lord Lieutenant, and must now be bound by the letter of the law, even if the spirit were in their favour. He very much questioned, lhowever, the accuracy of the facts, and he prated the house to sustend its judgment upon the matter until he could acquire more satisfactory information. The petition was ordered to be laid on the table, after a few words from Mr. S. RICE. Sir R. SIIAW[gave notice, that he slhould, on the 26th of Mlay tnext, move for copies of a correspondence by the Post-office, rela- tive te the steam-packets. Air. BENETT (Wiltshire) presented a petition from the inha- bitants of Trowbridge, and another from the brewers and victuaDers of that place, against the beer bill.-Ordered to be printed. Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from the freeholders and others of Edinburgh, in favour of a free spirit trade.-Ordered to be printed. On the motion of MIr. COURTENAY, the countv gaols biUl was committed for further consideration. Alr. COURTENAY explained the purport of certain verbal - terations which had been made in the bill. Mr. LOCKHART alluded to the melancholy accident by whicl two persons confined in the cage at Lewisham had lost their lives, in consequence of the straw with which the place was littered down having taken fire. He stated that it was his intention, in order to preveit the recurrence of such accidents, to propose a clause, com- pelling townships wvhich contained similar lock-up-houses, te pro- vide iron bedsteads for the prisoners, and in no case to permit the use of straw on the floors. MIr. LEYCESTER said that it had been his intention topropose a clause, exemrpting females from the labour of the tread-mill. fro whrl. the greaTest sbenefit bled byeeen decrived whYerever it had beein dotpted,and said it seemed particularlynecessary in the smaller M.PEEL said, that If the smaller jurisdictions could be pre- val on to contract with the county gaols for keeping their pnrion- er,all the difficulties whlich existed in this respect might be Mnr. EVANS proposed a clause, enablng magistrates of towns to pete a sumn of money for the enlargement of county prisons, in right of which they should be entitled to send their prisoners to else county gaol.s.-The clause was adopted as part of the bill. After a few words from Mlfr. F. PALMER and Mr. PEEL, the CHAistaANx reported the bill as amended, and it was ordered to be taken into further consideration on Monday next. The law-merchanLt' amendmet biill,wqg read a second time. Mr. HUSKISSON said that,-hr had,ifitended in-this stage of the bill to siate hib opinLioU On it; but in the abbsejse of jin lbon, ezit. who.he underistood had6he objections to the me`uXrir- its.pre..? sentshape,beshonld ptporpehlisobservation unttilithethirdreading.2' The teen. re4difgb f the warehoused wheat bill' us postponed ,until Afonday next; on twbsi6h day MIr. H rx I ssoNwv1shed it to-'be undettodd thna It wotuld certailly.be discussed. On thethird readlngofthe slave-tradelaw' consolidation bill, Dr. -LUSEH1WOT0N proposed a clause embodying be spbstance of-ab,il} which had passed sinrce this bill had bkeenpr'epared, atid by which the dealing in slaves- was mide piracy. The' clause-was sggeed to, and added to the bill by way. of rider.-The bill wtvs thenuread a 'thlird time, and passed. Mr. GOtJLBURN moved that the report on the Irish clerg -re. uidepce.bill should be taken into further consideration. . - Air. J. SiIMITH objected to the orders beingtaken out of the 'tirse in which they stood upon the paper. If the right hon. gert, persisted in his motions hele(Mr. Smith) would divide the house against it.' Mr. GOULBU RN withdrew his motion. - - BANKRUPT LAWS' AMENDAVENT BILL. ; On the motion of Alr. T. COtJ RTETAY, the house resolved itself into a committee on the above-naimed bill. ' On the clause authorizing messengers to~break open the bankrupts! doors and seize his gooas M 'r. J. Sill ITH took occasion to complain of the general. nekli. gence ofnmessengers whilst in possession of the bankrupt's goods. In consequence of.that negligence, it not unftequently happeiied that the most valuable pnrt of the pToperty was taken away by the bankrupt or his friends. Mr. COtJRTFNAV said, that if a messenger neglected Ihis duty he might be removed at a moment's notice. flLr. J. SA1 ITH said, ihat in a bill which he had formerly intro. duced, he proposed that the bankrurt who assisted voluntarily in recovering and securinglhi. etlects, should receive an allowance not exceeding 2,000L Ii the present bill the allowance, to the bank- rupt under such circumstances was limited to 4001. He thought the larger sum was preferable. The several clauses were agreed to, the house resumed, the report was received, and ordered for furtler consideration on Tuesday next. On the motion of Mr. GouLRunm,the Irish clergy residence bill was recommitted, and several clauses and verbal amendments agreed to. Several other dauses were then agreed to, the house resumed, and the report was ordered to ,fr received on itMonday. GAME LAEWe AMIENDMENIIT BILL. Alr. S. WI ORTLEY movedthat this bill be re-committetl. Sir S. B BRYDGES contended that the bill was an encroach- meutoii the privilEgesof the higher orders, and moved,as an anmend. ment, that it be re-committed that day three months. Aftera few remarks fromn S:rJ. SELLt.EY and Air. LOC1;11ART, this amendment was withdrawn. The bill was then re-committed, the report received and agreed to, and the bill ordered to be read a tlhird time on (as we understood) Friday next. The other orders of the day were then disposed of and the house adjourned at HALF-PAST TWVELVE O'CLOCK, tilWlMonday. ('.ON.IMOX'.Q P.-I U.- IA