The Press. — London, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 23, 1856. liaments, an edition of the statutes at large, for the Use of the House, including all public general statutes and parts of statutes in force, and omitting all such statutes and parts of ststutes as are expired or have been expressly repealed; and that, in the place of the statutes or parts of statutes repealed, there be inserted the titles of the statutes repealed, the respective numbers and abstracts of the clauses re pealed, with a reference in the margin to the statutes by which they are repealed. The hon. member, iu a brief speech, pointed out the inevitable necessity of a thorough revision of the Statute Law, and cited various authorities in support of the object of his motion, appealing to the example of New York, and arguing that, as neither our Government nor its Statute Law Commission seemed inelinet to take any active steps in the matter, the work should be a mlmenced at once as he proposed. Mr. EwART seconded the motion, and thought that the work should be prepared, not only for the house, but for the country. It was of the utmost importance that the law should be known. But he despaired of seeing anything done until we had a Minis.er of Justice. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL hoped that the resolu tion would not be pressed. The expurgation of the statute-book was much too vast and onerous a duty to be lightly assigned to a single person, whose time, moreover, was already much occupied. He doubted also whether that house had any right to impose such a task upon an official whose attributes were really derived from another branch of the Legislature. Sir F. KELLY, upon similar grounds, also opposed the motion. Mr. S. WORTLEY said the hon. member confounded legal reform with the compilation of a pocket edition of the statutes. He doubted whether the Clerk of Parliaments was a proper functionary to undertake so serious a responsibility as that of consolidating and expurgating the statutes at large. After some remarks from Mr. WATSON and Mr. G. Bun, Mr. R. PHILLIMORE suggested an amendment by which the preparation of a new edition of the statute book should be enjoined without particularising the ezecutant into wh se hands the task was to be consigned. This amendment was supported by Mr. M. CHAMBERS, and accepted by Mr. L. lino, and the house then divided on the motion so modified:—aye., 63 ; Noes, 164-101. Tne motion was consequently negatived. MEDICAL PROFESSION BILL. Mr. HEADLAM, on Wednesday, moved the second reading of this bill. Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR objected to certain pro visions of the bill, which, he said, would create a monopoly of practice, to the exclusion of homoeopathic practitioners, and insisted that, before the house gave such large powers to a medical body, securities should be provided for their impartial exercise. He did not oppose the second reading of the bill. Sir G. GREY agreed with Lord Robert that some clauses in the bill required very care!ul consideration in committee, and tnat precautions should be taken to prevent arbitrary exclusions, but lie hoped the house would read the bill a second time. After a short conversation, in which Mr. Henley, Mr. Napier, and Mr. Headlain participated, the bill was read a second time. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONS. Sir G. GREY moved on Monday for a select com mittee to inquire into the present constitution of the Ecclesiastical Commission for England ; into the operation of the Act of the 13th and 14th of Victoria, c. 04, and of the Act of the 14th and 15th Victoria, c. 104; and into the expediency of further continuing the last act, and of consolidating the Church Build ing Commission with the Ecclesiastical Commission. He stated briefly the objects in view in appointing this committee and the subjects which would come under its consideration. A conversation ensued, in which Mr. Spooner, Mr. Laslett, Mr. Ingham, the Marquis of Woodford, Mr. Walpole, and other members participated, and the motion WAS agreed to. BANK CHARTER ACT. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, on Tuesday, in reply to Mr. Baillie, said the !present Charter Act did not require alteration. If no objection existed on the part of the Bank, it was his intention during this session to bring in a bill to continue that pro vision of the act by which the Bank of England agrees to pay to those private banks which have withdrawn their paper circulation one per Cent. per annum upon the average issue of the three previous years. BOARD OF ADMIRALTY. Sir CHARLES WOOD, on Tuesday, in reply to Sir Charles Napier, objected to lay before the house the evidence caked by the commission of the working of be different departments of the Admiralty. THE PRESS. MINISTERS' MONEY (IRELAND). Mr. FAGAN, on Tuesday, moved a resolution that the house immediately resolve into a committee to consider the Act 17 and 18 Vict., c. 11, with the view of amending the same so far as respects the tax thereby enacted to be levied in lieu of " Ministers' Money," in order that the tax may be wholly abo liPhed. He adverted to the different position in which this oft-agitated question wag placed in conse quence of the passing of Sir John Young's act in 1854, which it was said, he observed, was a compro mise, but he denied that it was so; on the contrary, he contended that it was an aggravation of the grie vances suffered by the eight towns of Ireland upon which the tax was levied. He insisted that the revenues of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners were amply sufficient to meet the demands of this tax, and that the payment of the incumbents of the eight towns out of that fund was not inconsistent with its objects and purposes. Mr. HOR3MAN admitted that, as regarded the ope ration of the existing act, it was not satisfactory, and that in some respects the act required amendment. Agreeing, therefore, in Mr. Fagan's proposition to inticduce a measure to amend the act, he should re serve any observations on the part of the Govern ment until the second reading of the bill. Mr. NAPIER was surprised at such acquiescence on the part of the hon. member in the measure pro posed. It the Government were cognisant that the existing act required amendment, it was their duty to bring in a bill for that purpose, and not allow a private member to do so, and say that they would reserve their own opinion to the second reading. This unworthy, and he would add unmanly, conduct on the part of the Government was the most effectual means of preventing the subsidence of that religious bitterness and animosity which had so long prevailed in Ireland. Mr. MEAGHER and Lord NA.tS reprobated the con duct of the Government. Lord PALMERSTON said the Government were at perfect liberty to assent to the introduction of the bill, and reserve to themselves the right to take that course on the second reading which they might think proper. Admiral JONES condemned such a proceeding. Lord Jolts RUSSELL suggested to Mr. Fagan that the most proper course was for him to move for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the tax. After some observations from Mr. Maguire, Mr. Sullivan, and Mr. Black, who expressed a hope that, if the " Ministers . Money " in Ireland were repealed, the annuity tax in Edinburgh would share the same fate, the motion was withdrawn, and leave was given to Mr. Fagan to bring in a bill to repeal the tax. COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. S. FITZGERALD, on Monday, on presenting a pe tition against the bill from the Incorporated Solicitors of Ireland, moved that its second reading be deferred to that day six months. Urging various objections to the practical working of the bill, he reminked upon the inconsistency of the Solicitor• General for Ireland proposing to extinguish a court (the Encum bered Estates Court) to whose salutary operation he bore the strongest testimony, and to transfer its functions to a court which, upon the face of the bill, appeared to require reform. A vast amount of busi ness would by this measure be thrown into the already overlachm Court of Chancery, and no economy could result from the change, as the salaries of the staff to be created were quite equivalent to those to be extinguished. He objected to the introduction of exceptional legislation, as applied to Ireland, in the power conferred by the bill upon the Irish Court of Chancery of giving indefeasible parliamentary titles. Mr. POLLARD URQUHART seconded the amend ment. He believed that serious evils would result from the proposed interference with the operations of the Encumbered Estates Court. MI. DEASY generally supported the bill, reserving the right to object to any of its details when pre sented in committee. Mr. WHITESIDE opposed the measure, because he believed it to be impracticable in execution through the Court of Chancery. That court could not per form such additional work. It was the opinion of the solicitors as a body that, if the Court of Chan• eery had to manage the present business of the En cumbered Estates Court, it would take eight years to effect a transfer of land. He objected to the bill, moreover, as a job. The new officers were to be ap pointed not us usual by the judges, but by the Govern. ment, a course in his opinion not fair or respectful to the Irish Chancery judges. He objected strongly, likewise, to the Court of Appeal created by the bill, and to the making the Court of Chancery the great conveyancing engine, at the expense of the State, for Ireland alone. These were objections not •f detail but of principle. Mr. Sergeant OliatEs supported the bill. Mr. GEORGE and Colonel DussE objected to it. Mr. MA.Liss offered to vote for the second reading, pro vided it was referred to a select committee. 175 Mr. CAIRNS explained the reasons of the recom; mendations of the commissioners that the pri:ilege of acquiring a parliamentary title should be ex tended to unencumbered owners, and that the powers of the Encumbered Estates Court should be transferred to the Court of Chancery, the practice of the latter court being assimilated for the purpose to that of the former. He thought it would be satis factory if this and the other bilk were referred, after the second reading, to a select committee. After some further remarks from Sir E. Perry, Mr. Butt, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. I'. O'Brien, The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for IRELAND, in defence of the bill, replied to the various criticisms offered during the debate. He was willing that the bill should be referred to a select committee, but he would not agree that Mr. Whiteside's five bills should be sent also. Mr. NAPIER said, from all he had heard, it VMS his conviction that if this bill passed the whole thing would be brought to a dead lock. After a few remarks by Mr. BENTINCK, Mr. DISRAELI said he could not understand wby the hon. and learned gentleman (Mr. J. Fitzgerald) should not accede to the proposition made by his hon. an.i learned friend (Mr. Whiteside) : The Solicitor• General for Ireland had acceded to the proposition which was made on his (Mr. Disraeli's) side of the house, that this bill should he referred to a selet t committee in a manner that did him great credit. But it was a very ungracious course for him to object to the bills of his hon. and learned friend (Mr. Whiteside) being re ferred to the same select committee. If his hon. and learned friend should be a member of that committee it would be in his power to propose every single clause of his five bills seriatim, and to bring those bills before the select committee. The course he now recommended would be not only the most usual, but also the most gracious course to take. The question was whether this bill should be read a second time, with a view to being referred to a select committee. As the Solicitor General for• Ireland had acceded to that proposal, he did not see why the house should be called upon to Mr. S. FITZGERALD having withdrawn his amend ment, the bill was read a second time. JURIES (IRELAND) BILL. On Monday, on the order for the second reading of this bill. Mr. WHITESIDE objected that the Ui l would aggravate the evils of the present jury law for Ire land. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD shortly defended the bill. Ultimately the second reading was posponed nil 11l that day fortnight. THE NAWAB OF SURAT. Sir E. PERRY, on Tuesday, read a petition from the son-in-law of the late Nawab, complaining of the manner in which the East India Company has dealt with the inheritance of the Nawab, and praying in quiry and redress. ABOLITION OF THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM. Mr. L. KING, on Thursday, gave notice that he would, on an early day, move for leave lo bring in a bill to render unnecessary the assembling of grand juries in England and Wales. (Hear, hear.) ABOLITION OF CHURCH RATES. Lord J. MANNERS, on Thursday, gave notice that, on the second reading of the bill for the abolition of Church rates, he should move an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day six months. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. Mr. LowE, on Monday, in answer to Mr. Lush ington, announced that a bill, designed to secure a regular and comprehensive series of returns relating to agricultural statistics, would shortly be laid before the house. NEW MEMBERS. Mr. BLACK, on Monday, took the oaths and his seat for Edinburgh. The hon. member was introduced by Lord Palmerston and Mr. E. Ellice, son. On Thursday Mr. HARDY took the oaths and his seat for Leominster, in the place of Mr. Arkwright, deceased. The following arrangements have taken place during the week : The Charitable Uses Bill passed through commit. tee, with amendments, on Monday. The Drainage Advances Acts Amendment Bill was read a second time, on Monday, after a reply by Nlr. WILSON to a call for explanation by Colonel DUNNE. The Turnpike Trusts Arrangement Bill and the Commons Inclosure Bill were read a second time cn Monday. A resolution proposed by Lord F►EDESDALE, in re ference to the private business of the house, was agreed to after a short discussion on Monday. The Trial of Offenders Bill, the Metropolitan Police Bill, and the House of Commons Offices Bill, went through committee on Monday. The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up and agreed to, on Monday, after some remarks by Mr. W. WlLuAms, answered by Mr. Wu.soN. Leave was given on Tuesday to bring in a Tenant Compensation Bill (Ireland), and also a bill for the