House Of Commons, Wednesd...
iMr. St'HIN(N RI UE presented the petition ot the Eccentric i\a- sons or Coleraine, praying for an alteration in the laws affecting free- masonry in Ireland. Mr. W. SM ITff presented three petitions of a similar nature, from as many parishes in the countv of Norfolk. LordJOHN R SSE LLpresenteedsimilarpetitions from Somer- sham and Godmanchester, in the county of Huntingdon. Mr. LEG H-KECK}presented a similar petition from Hinckley, in Leicestershire. Mr. B YNG presented a similhr petition from Staines. Mr. SYKES presented a similar petition from Beverley. Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition from Tavistock, against the coal-duty: also another petition from Tavistock, against allow- inrg the practice of umrning widows in the East Indies. Mir. Alderman WOOD presented petitious from the victuallers of Wisbeach, against the excise licences. Mfr. H. DAVIS presented petitions from St. Nicholas, and an- other parish in Bristol. against the window-tax. Mr. GOULBURN brought in a bill to amend an act of last ses- sion for the better administration of justice on the equity side of the Exchequer in Ireland.-Read a lirst time. Mir. HERRIESbroughitintheannual duties bill, which was read a first timc. Colonel DAVIES gave notice of amendments on the second reading. Ir. ELLICE presented the petition of thc Coventry silk and ri- band manufacturers, and took the opportunity of stating that the leading men in the trade had received an explanation from the Trea- sury this momhig, which would give the most complete satisfction. Those of Coventry had already left town with the determination of putting all their people into immediate and actual employment. I The four per cents. bill passed through a committee of the whole i house, in which the blanks were filled up. Air. S. WO)RTljEY obtained leave to bring in a bill to enable insurance offices to maintain and defend actions in the name of their secretary. The Postage rates bili went through a committee. Mlr. PHLIPS presented a petition from certain attornies, prav- ing an alteration of the 41st Goo. I., to permit attornies within 20 iniles of London to take out faculties as notaries public.-Ordered to lie on the table. M r. HUME presented a petition from the journeymen tin-plate- workers of London against the conmbination laws: also a similar petition from the journeYmen-shoenmakers of WFool wich.-Both peti- tions were read, and referred to the artisans' committee. MAr. HfUME also presented a petition from MIr. WValter Hony-| wood Yate, one oF His Majesty's justices of the peace for the county of Glocester, stating that he had lost the possession of two estates, and the law expenses necessary for their recovery were such aLs to amount to a denial of justice, and praying the house would take into its serious consideration the expenses ia equity cases.- Ordered to lie on the table. Also a petition from the merchants, bankers, &c. of Afontrose, relative to the salmon fishery, and praying that no alteration might be made in the law, vithout proper inquiry taking place. SURVEY OF IRELAND. Alr. SPRING RICH moved for the appointinent of a select com- mittee for the purpose of making a generaf survev of Ireland, with a view to themore equal assessment oflocal burdens collected in Ireland. Mr, DAWSON fully agreed in the necessity of the measure, and I instanced sonme gross inequalities in the rates under the present sys- tem. It would be necessary to have a complete and entirely new survey, as there were great errors ini those already published. Colonel TRENCH approved of the rmeasure, but thought it would be bettesgtbatjJte execution should be committed to the Ordnance, when the ablest and rists scientific men would-be employed, on it. Sir J. NEWPORT supported the motion, but he thought an Ordnance survey would both take up too much time, and would also be insufficient in the details for the purposes for which it was wanted. MIr. DOMINICK BROWNE, as a proof of the inaccuracy of tbe present maps, stated that the county of Miayo was surveyed whilstcovered with snow. Mr. PEEL thought, as the necessitv of the measure was confessed on all sides, the details would be best'considered in the committee. -Motion agreed to. SILK TRADE. On the motion of Air. HJJSKISSON, the house resolved itself into a committee on the customs acts: he stated that it was for the r' seof proposing a resolution relative to remitting the duties on the silkon band, to which he aoticipated no objection. The reso- lution was to allow a remission of half the duties on manufactured s.ilk goods sent into the wareho-uses on or before the 25th of Mlarch, and to-be taken out within a month of that period. Mt.. ELLICE said, that a deputadon of the silk-manufacturers. fronm the country had seen the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and they were so well satisfied with the assurances which thev had received, that they had returned to the country that morri- ing. As to the wish expressed both in the house and in the country to extend the period for carrying the measure into effect, he had expressed his opinion that the manufacturers would do well to let it stand as it did at present, lest, in pressing for an extension of the period, they should get it curtailed. This was his opinion, avid more particularly as his Majesty's Government had done every thing which the manufacturers considered liberal and fair. Mr. HUSKISSON said that he had already stated that in his opinion the time already granted was not neces.sry, but it was given in deference to the opinion of those interested, and who thought themselves likely to be aggrieved. Alderman WOOD said, there was some alarm amongst the deal- ers in manufactured silks, lest there should be any limnitation in the quantities to be received into the warehouses. MIr. HEUSKISSON said, the pieces must be entire and really new; but every facility would be afforded consistently with a due regard to the interest of the public. Mr. E LLIC1: sasid, he under-.ood that some of the workmen were gone down to put thdfrlooms so work, in order to get out a quantity of g"oods before the 20tlh of Mlarch. The resolution was then agreed to, and the house resumed. Dr.LUSHINGTON presented,a petition from the inhabitants of Drogheta,.pmyringfor a *restitution of their corporate rights.- Ordered tolie on the table. - Ar. HUM.F was d?irous to know if itiwere the in,ention to re- peal the Spitalficldsact. . Mr. HUS$USSON said,'that in the last oession a bill bad been brought inlto thst house, but from a differet view taken of the sub- ject i8 Lhc;oseier!ouse of grhiaxaent, it wanspint passed into a law. iioecured'to him that it would be weesiieweretooriginatu the other house. it,had r.hriLii,tiippxoftio.nnd, he Q hQuld 'oo Ansious to give it every - HOUSE OF COMMONS. WEDN'ESDA,n MARCI 10.