The Sun. — London, England, 1845-03-15 00:00:00

I :VIPER' AL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 14. the Loan CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack shortly after Five o'clock. SCHOOLMASTERS OF SCOTLAND. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from the school masters of Scotland, praying for the provision of dwelling houses. Lord KENYON asked why the country did not provide for its own schoolmasters? Lord CAMPBELL said that in every petition which bad been presented to the House this provision had been expressly requested. The schoolmaster at present had what was called a " butt-end," which consisted only of two small rooms. He could tell the Noble Lord that these respectable individuals were accomplished in every branch of learning, and that if he had derived his education from one of them, he would have found that their skill in c ommunicating it would have rendered him as accomplishes! as he now was ; and he thought the Noble Lord might have spared his jeers. Lord KEN YON protested that he only asked a question, and that he had not the slightest disposition in the world to ex press the least disrespect for the body of individuals from whom the pet it:on emanated. THE SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR. The Illslnip of HEREFORD presented a petition against the union of these see s , COLLEGE OF MAYNOOTH. Lord KENYON presented a petition against the increase of the grant to the College of Maynooth from Newhall, in Cheshire. OTAHEITE. The Earl of 3IINTO said, that understanding that his Noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty was still indisposed, and unable at present to attend in his place, lie thought it would be unfair to bring forward the motion with respect to Otaheite in his absence. He proposed to bring it forward after the holidays, bat at any rate he begged to withdraw it for the present. FLESH WATER FISH BILL (SCOTLAND). Lord NIINTO moved the second reading of this Bill. Its object was to protect the fish in fresh water rivers in Scotland against the public, and the public in the enjoyment of the pro perty of it. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH agreed with the general prin ciple of the Bill, but w jib regard to its details he was not prepared now to give any opinion. The Bill was then read a second time. FREEMEN OF THE CITY. Lord BROUGHAM moved for a return of the number of non-freemen ma!e freemen of the City of London during the year 1843, ending on the Ist of April, 1844. He had no intention of throwing the slightest disrespect upon the Corporation of London, of which he was an honourable member, by moving for this return, nor did he in tend to bring forward the Bill which he introduced on the previous evening. Ile stated this to relieve'the anxiety of the Corporation, the head officer of which, he meant the Lord Mayor, had to-day directed the City Remembrancer to communicate with him on the subject. In that communication the City Remern brancer expressed. on the part of the Corporation, much surprise at his intstsclueirg the measure into Parliament. without previ.iusly con-ultitig the Corporation of the City of 'London. Certainly they were reduced very low, but he thought they were not reduced s.l low as not to be allowed to introduce a measure without the previous consent of a corporation. AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS. The Duke of RICIIMM.M . " gave notice of his intention, after Easter, to bring forward a motion to ascertain the pro priety of appointing a Select Committee to inquire whether it was not proper that some legislative enactment should be passed f..r the purpose of enabling the owners of entailed property effectually to drain and otherwise improve their estates. The Noble Duke, at the same time, moved for a return of the number of licenses granted to turnpike keeper in Scotland, distinguishing the names of the keepers and the places. SCOTCH BANKING. Lord ROSSYLN gave notice the, on Tuesday next, it was his intention to ask -a que!tioa of the Noble Duke, referrring to that part of tier, .Maj?sty's speech which stated that it was intended in the present session , of Parliament that some altera tion should be made in the law relating to the present system of banking in Se itla.nel. DISABILITIES OF THE JEWS. Oh the reading of the order of the day for the third read ing of the Jewish, Disabilities Removal Bill, The Duke of CAMBRIDGE rose and said—My Lords, allox me to say only a few words in expressing my cordial con eurrrence in this Bill. Since I have returned to this country I have hod many opportunities of seeing the good that is done every day by the members of the Jewish persuasion, and in the several charities to which I belong a great part of the go•el that is done may be placed to their credit. I have fre quently met with one ,gentleman who has been High Sheriff of Kent, and also of the city of London, and, my Lords, I know another gentleman, who is now High Sheriff of Kent, and has .beett - High Sheriff of London four or five years ago. My Lords, it is only justice to that gentleman to state one thing, which is a great credit to him. I happened, some time ago, to be summoned—to be invited— to attend a meeting at Winchester, for providing fends to pro. mote Church extension in that diocese. Upon that occasion, I met Sir Moses illontefiore in the gardens, and he put into my hands a considerable sum of money, the amount of which (as we understood the Illustrious Duke) lam not now at liberty to mention. I should alai say that, in the part of the world where I passed a long part of my life, I have found the members of the Jewish profession as distin guished for their high character and charitable disposition. Having stated so far, I am equally bound to state that no one can be more anxious for the passing of this Bill than I am ; and, with all sentiments of attachment to the Church to which I belong, I must say. that, as long as I live, I will give all my support to whatever measure of toleration may be pro posed without injury to the Established Church. The LORD CHANCELLOR said—My Lords, I am much gratified by the assent of his Royal 'Highness to this Bill—(Cheers) —and I now move your Lordships that it be now read a third time. The Bill was then - read a third time, amidst a slight, but pretty general, murmur of approbation. STAMP DUTIES ASSIMILATION BILL Ths order of the day for the third reading of this Bill was then read. Lord MONTF.AGLE said that as this Bill would affect a great number of disputes in Ireland, he thought that time should be afforded for the reconsideration of this Bill. He was far from wishing to elicit any opinion respecting this Bill from the Noble Duke, but he thought that a reconsideration of the subject of the Bill was necessary. 'fhe Duke of WELLI NGTON said that the Noble Lord seemed perfectly to apprehend the correct nature of the Bill, out he thotight that the Bill had better be read a third time. There would be areple time for the reconsideration of the • rineiple of the Bill even during the present session, and then the Noble Lord might, if he thought proper, act on the report of the Land Commissioners. The Bill was then read a third time, and the House ad journed a little before Six o'Clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 14. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) LANDS CLAUSES CONSOLIDATION BILL. Lord G. SOMERSET said the sheriff was bound to summon persons who were indifferent, and in consequence railway directors could not possibly form a jury . in their own case. As to the place of: meeting, there must be some power of fixing the locality. He would add some words limiting the circuit within which the meet. • .igshould be held. Mr. A GLIONBY thought the Noble Lord did not see the full It cof the objection that had been raised. The distance within which the juries was to be summoned ought not to be limited ; the jury ought to be formed in the same manner as others were. The clause was then agreed to. Clauses up tl 47 were passed without discussion. On clause 48 being put, Mr. AGLIONBY pointed out a great legal difficulty that would arise under this clause; • it was a nice legal question, depending on the construction of Lord Denman's Act of last session, with respect to the admissibillity of witnesses. A vase had arisen in which the evidence of a railway director was proposed to be taken in favour of the company, and a doubt arose whether, as be was only collectively interested as a director, he came under the ex clusion clause, which referred to pertics individually interested. This was a difficult question, in which it was desirable the opinion cl a higher Court should be taken. He wished to alter the clause sues to allow either party to carry this question by an appeal to a superior court, so as to set - aside any error in the decision of the sheriff Lord G. SOMERSVT sail the proposition would decidedly favour the railway companies, and operate against the landowner; as by the enormous expense of legal proceedings, individuals would be frightened into taking an arbitration, instead of taking the decision of a jury. Mr. AGLIONBY asked what the Noble Lord meant-by enor mous expense ? The proceEs would be merely that of an ordinary motion in the Court of Queen's Bench, a thing of es cry day prac tice. It was not to be supposed that the question would be car Tied through every court up to the House of Lords for decision. He believed the cost of such a motion was exceedingly moderate. Lord G. SOMERSET could not say precisely what the expense would be, but taking all the proceedings !ogether, it would be more than the Hon. Member anticipated. lie b lieved this clause was drawn up in strict accordance with every railway Act, and almost every company's Act that had passed through that House; and he was not prepared to alter in this general Act what Parliament had so repeatedly sanctioned. The c'•ause was then agreed to. Clauses 49 up to 77 inclusive were then agreed to. On clause 78 being proposed, Mr. AGLIONBY slid he thought it was not right that the owner of land should be compelled in all cases to incur costs in proving his title. - A man might have a good holding title, tkough a bad selling one: Lord G. SOMERSET said he believed the intention was, that landowners shoold he fully remunerated for all expenses which they were compelled to in c ur. He would make inquiry on the subject. On Cainel 92 be:ng proposed, imposing on railway companies the obligation of taking land in certain cases, Mr. AG LION BY objected that the clause did not provide for the case of a tongue of land being cut off and separated from other land in such a manner that it could not be conveniently used by the owner. Lord G, SOMERSET said that, after giving the matter some consideration, he thought it would be difficult to introduce the proposed amendment. In the selling of the land that was taken such s circumstance ought to be taken into account, In aggregation of the amount. On the whole, he thought it would be best to leave the matter to be considered in the arbitration; but he would again take the subject into consideration. Clause i 5 and the remaining clauses of the Bill were agreed to. 'I he Mouse then adjourned till Five o'clock. The House resumed at Five o'clock. SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY BILL. On bringing up the report from the Select Committee on Petitions en the petition for leave to introduce the South- Et.stern Railway Bill, Mr. DODD timed that such petition be withdrawn, anti that leave be given, in conformity with the recommendation of the Select Committee on Standing Orders, to present petiti3ns for the introduction of seven different Bills, with reference to the matters carnprised in such first mentioned Bill.—Agreed to. The Edinhargh:and Harwick Railway Bill was read a second time. The Dublin and Drogheda) , BR was read a first time. BM) CHOPS.—INCOME-TA Mr. CHRIS rol:itEit present e d a petitiOn from the femurs of Lincolnshire, stating that the crops of wheat and other agricultural produce wer e genera lly d e fi c i en t, and that this, tonponed with the alteration in the tariff, the admission of Canadian corn at a re 'need duty ; and the increased burdens upon them by reason of the income-tax, pres•ed too much upon the agriculturists, and they prayed the House to adopt measures for their relief. ARREST OF WAGES. Mr. SPOONER presented a petition, signed by 4,500 dealers in Birmingham, complaining of the Bill passed last session for the abolition of imprisonment for debt ; and they prayed that that part of it relating to arrest of wages might be i modified, as at present they suff ered great ncyrivemence in consequmce of the d.fliculty of recovering their just debts. BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY EXTENSIONS. The Host. MEMEE it also presented two petitions, one of them signed 'by the Directors of the Birmingham and Worcester Canal, against the extension of the Birmingham extension line POOR-RAT S. Mr. MILES presented a petition from the county of Wor cester, against the unequal burden of the Poor-rate. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 15, 1845. Co'onial-office had sanctioned the explanation; and therefore he (Mr. Aglionby) would say that this was an agreement, though Hon. Gentlemen opposite might say it was only " a document." But, let its name be what it may, he had many many times met Captain Fitzroy since, and conversed with him upon the subject. Yet he (Mr. Aglionby) up to that time had never heard of those letters, though he mentioned to Captain Fitzroy what had already taken place on this subject. Now, he would ask, what was the reason that those letters which, no doubt, contained — Sir ROBERT PEEL begged leave to remind the Hon. Member that he ought to confine himself to his arguments, and not assume the contents of a letter. Mr. AGLIONBY—He begged pardon for having trans greased any rule of discussion, but at all events he believed it was admitted that Lord Stanley had received those letters.— He could not understand how these letters had been kept secret. If he had been aware of this duplicity it would have induced him as an individual to consult Lord Stanley on the subject, and unless some explanation were given, he should never be able to meet that Nebie Lord with anything like allowance was made also to the retail dealers. He held in his hand a bundle of letters from all parts of the country, and by those he learned that the stocks in the hands of the retail dealers were never so light as at the present moment. That it was difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain the extent of the stock in the hands of the raid' dealers, he was quite ready to allow ; but he thought that this circumstance ought net to pre vent that justice should be done to wholesale dealers, and thus obviate that stagnation in the trade which was now so grievously felt, and he did hops that from these several consi derations her I4lajesty's Ministers would be moved to listen with attention to the representations of the memorialists, and with this hope he would leave the matter to the House and case the article might be considered as one which came under the Excise rather than the Customs. It being understood then that it was the opinion of the House of Commons that a draw back should be allowed on sugar upon which the duty was paid, and which remained in the Queen's stores, he thought, on this account, it would be unwise if the Executive Government op posed itself to what appeared the prevailing opinion in the House, but he trusted that they would be supported by the House in resisting the demands of those, whether wholesale dealers or retail grocers, who had not the same special grounds of exemption. To this extent, therefore, he was willing on the part of her Majesty's Government to make some pro vision by which the Treasury would be enabled not to restore the whole amount of duty to those particular parties, but to make them such compensation as would be equivalent to the whole of the loss sustained by them ; that loss being estimated to the period when the reduction was to be made. —( Hear. ) Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, that no person could suppose the Government were actuated by any other motive or wish than the protection of the public revenue. He thought that case which the Right Hon. Baronet had taken into his con sideration was exactly the case put by the Right Hon. Gentle man the Member for Portsmouth. That case rested in the first place en the justice of extending the time to the period con templated by the former Aet, and secondly in the certainty that no fraud could be committed, and lw understood that the Right Hon. Gentleman, taking the circarnstances into his consideration, was prepared to consider the loss sustained by those who paid the duty on sugar in bond, before the reduction of the duty, and to make them s-Jrne compensation. Such being the case, he thought his lion. Friend the Member for Lambeth could not do better than withdraw his resolution, and leave the matter in the hands of the Government. He sup posed that those parties so circumstanced would have a power of making representations as to the arrangements Government might think fit to make, and that it would be open to them, if they thought any circumstances with regard to their case were not fully considered, to make representations of those circum stances to the Government. Mr. Alderman HUMPHREY was rejoiced that persons who had paid the duty on sugar in those circumstances had the assurance of the Right Hon. Baronet that they would receive some remuneration for the money they had paid. Mr. HAWES said, that after what had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet, he thought the proper course for him to pursue would be to withdraw his resolution and leave the matter in the hands of the Government. Mr. WILLIAMS said, that as the Right Hon. Baronet had admitted the principle of allowing a compensation to those persons who had paid the duty on sugar which remained in the Queen's stores, he thought that in justice he was bound to carry out the principle, and deal in the same manner towards those who had paid the duty, and removed the sugar to their own warehouses, but who had not broken bulk. In that case, the Government. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER trusted that he should not seem to treat the motion of the Hon. Member for Lambeth with want of attention. If he did oppose it, public considerations alone induced his conduct. If he granted the petition of the memorialists he would be doing injustice to all other parties engaged in the trade. Now the petition which the Hon. Gentleman had presented was from six of the whole sale sugar dealers in London, when the wholesale dealers alone amounted to fifty-two. The Hon. Gentleman seemed to think that these gentlemen conceived themselves taken by surprise. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought that if any person had observed the course of the debates during last session, he must have conceived that one of the earliest mea sures this year would be some modification of the sugar duties. So far as the time at which the change in the duties had been proposed those parties had no cause of complaint, and, there. fore, they had no fair claim for a return of duty. The effect that the Government anticipated from this change in the duty was a greatly increased consumption, which woulel make up for any loss which the complainieg parties might sustain. The Hon. Gentleman had grounded his claims for these parties on precedent, and alluded to what had taken place some years ago with respect to sugar. That precedent to which the Honourable Gentleman referred he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought was not analogous to the pre sent one. In that case no notice as in the present case was given, se with the case of wine to which the Hon. Gentleman had referred. Wine was an excisable article, and therefore the course which had been adopted at the time of the reduction of the duty upon it could not be taken now with good faith. Mr. HUTT could not see how the subject could be brought before the House on Tuesday. Many motions of considerable importance stood on the paper for that day, and he therefore could not see how the question could be brought forward. He did not think that the Hun. Gentleman the Under Secretary for the Colonies would have displayed so much zeal to have the matter discussed on Tuesday, had Le not been aware that it was quite impossible that it could be brought forward. Mr. HUME said there was a charge made against the Noble Lord, the Secretary for the Colonies, and another against the Colonial Department of the Government. Now, he would suggest, that these two charges should be discussed separately. Would it not be better for the Government to take the one on an order day, when they could command time and pest pone the personal charge until another occasion ? The first question might be taken on Monday or Wednesday, but he thought Monday the preferable day. Sir R. PEEL said the sugar duties and other measures of importance were to be brought forward on those days, and he saw no reason why the New Zealand question could not come under the consideration of the House on Tuesday. Lord JOHN RUSSELL entirely agreed with the Hon. Member for Montrose, whatever was the day mentioned. It would be better to separate the personal charge against the Noble Lord from that question which related to the govern ment of the colony of New Zealand. For his part, he wished the question to be fully discussed, and every explanation given. There was no doubt there would be a large majority to support the Noble Lord ; bet the other question was invested with more importance, and he hoped it would not be lost sight of. New Zealand was an important colony, and, if rightly go verned, he thought it was destined to have a great influence on that part of the world. He believed the 18,000 or 20,000 Englishmen residing there were destined to become the pro genitors of the future governors of that part of the world. The correspondence which had taken place between the Colonial Government and the New Zealand Company did net evince a very goad spirit, but he hoped when the matter was brought forward it would be discussed with more calmness. Mr. HOPE said several of the important motions which stool for Tuesday had been withdrawn, and he certainly enter tallied the idea of being enabled to bring the question forward on that day. Mr. COLLETT, as one of those who had a motion os the paper for Tuesday, was quite prepared to postpone it, if it would in any way convenience the Government. The matter then dropped. GREECE. respect to sugar. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that upon this question he had been dispo ed to adopt the line which the Right Hon. Gen tleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer had done, but yet, upon mature deliberation, he had come to the conclusion that, in the present instance, a case had been made out by the mer chants of London, who had signed the memorial, and he thought that the House would not be acting justly by them if it did not adopt some measures which would be calculated to afford them the relief they prayed for. He thought that, under the pecu liar circumstances, it was the duty of the House to comply with the whole of their demands, and to make such arrange ments as would mitigate the evils they complained of. The sugar duties had been brought forward this session under cir cumstances totally unprecedented in the history of commercial legislation. Last year they had passed a Bill, fixing the duties up to the month of July. An Hoer. AIRMERR—No: June. Mr. L ABOUCH ERE—Well, June in this year ; and they were now called upon, at an (*Hier period, to alter the very spirit and letter of that Act. They were disturbing the ar rangements on which the parties connected with the sugar-trade had calculated, and on which they had relied. They had a right to conduct their commerce ia accordance with the principle of that Act, and it would be a most unusual circumstance if Parliament were to step in and disturb those arrangements. lie did not wish to introduce matters which had been already sufficiently discussed on the former evenings, and he would therefore confine himself to this one particular. What did Government do in this ease? They called upon the House to effect a total change in the very measure they had passed the year before. The respectable merchants who signed the memorial begged the House aid the Government to renounce their inten tions with regard to the sugar du ies. He had stated last year, and he teeeated again, that if the Government had settled the question during the last session, they would have been spared the difficulty of their present position. If they had settled the property-tax also last session, they would also have avoided the difficulties and perplexities which now attended that question. How would this proposed measure affect the holders of sugar in bond? They had purchased sugars in large quantities, at a con siderably higher rate of duty than would be levied under the present measure proposed by the Government. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer had said that if Government granted this boon, it would be a departure from established rule, and would furnish a dangerous prece dent. But he (Mr. Labouchere) thought that when they could so much and so easily alleviate the hardship endured by a large and respectable body of persons, it was incumbent on them to do so. If Parliament had passed a Bill for a year, and if they afterwards sought to disarrange the settlement made so lately, it was but perfecly reasonable that they should at least protect those individuals from the losses which they might sustain by such a change in the sugar duties. The Honourable Member for Lambeth had sated that many persons in this town would be great F u ffe re r s , and he knew of four houses in Liverpool that had at that time in bond at least 550 tons of'' sugar, on which they had paid duties to the amount of 6,0005. Was it fair or just that these men should suffer to this extent by the proposed alterations of the Government? Certainly not. He agreed with the general principle pursued by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but he greatly doubted the propriety of the answer returned by the Government to the memorialists. He greatly doubted the propriety of, after having passed a measure for one year, to seek to subvert it at the end of nine months ; and he was of opinion, therefore, that Government should use all en deavours to mitigate the hardships to which the sugar mer chant* would be exposed by the alteration. Sir H. DOUGLAS said that he had presented a petition, a few days before, to the acme effect ; bat he was not aware that any of the names of the persons who had signed the memorial would be found attached to the petition. Of this he was cer tain, that not one of the sugar refiners signed that memorial. He had, after a careful consideration of the circumstances, come to the conclusion that the representations of the memorialists were founded in justice and in equity, and he world therefore vote in favour of the motion. Mr. AGLIONBY was anxious that some indulgence should be extended to those smaller merchants who took sugar out of the Queen's warehouses, to supply the present demand. Those who had large funds could afford to purchase large stocks, and to leave them in the Queen's warehouses for an indefinite pe riod ; but there was a still larger class of purchasers who were obliged to remove from the Queen's stores what was required for the present demand, and he thought it hard that they should not have the same advantage as the other and more favoured class.—( Hear. ) Mr. CARDWELL considered that the Government, in pro posing the Act of last session, for one year, did not pledge themselves that no further alteration would take place until that period were expired. 'I hey had been told in the me morial that the Act of last year had been passed for twelve months, and that upon the faith of no change being made in it merchants were induced to make large purchases. But every body knew that some further alteration was intended. Mr. F. BARLNG said he did not wish to trespass long upon the time of the House, and therefore he would begin by saying that this question had been discussed in a spirit of of hostility more warm than he had been led to expect. But, then, he should observe on the other hand, that if he were disappointed by the manner in which this question had been met, he should also be ready to admit that the circumstances with regard to the importation of wine, and the bottling of it, demanded some explanation. The Chancellor of the Ex chequer had given a somemß i e g r h c ht reliefotn w . t o i B t with rh r oe e n g es a tm r daatllt the ee ts t o bottling ; a( ja b e s u et a t yri w h h e y a r ) o t eri v Government Thee had said something to the effect that such an extension of the excise laws would be made; and if so, he (Mr. Baring) caldietnicargotaifeiwhnresir_pssoiwer to extensive would ask why not also give a protection to the small dealers in sugar , ?—( Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Baring) had been told that the required relief would be found in the reduced prices of sugar that would follow the proposed alterations ; but he very much feared that no such result would follow. Sir GEORGE CLERK said he did not rise for the question ; but h e b egge d to assure Hon. purpose of defe ndin g the ch arges made against the Govern mMeenmtbeurpsoonppothsi is te, that the denial of the drawback, of which they so much complained, would not be found to present so many causes of complaint as appeared to be anticipated. lie hoped the house would agree with his Right lion. Friend o E ul z el eh b e e q a ue n dangerous precedent, and he Exchequer, that that any deviation from the th e establishedwonder e d Chancellor practiceo E that sluew t e lien. M sm b er e f or M on t r ose, and others who were the great advoca t es of economy, and always so 'care • ful of the public purse , should recommend this sacrific e o f the revenue. Mr. HUME said it was true that he had often had occasion to complain of the extravagance of Ministers, and of the House—( Hear, hear, and laughter)—but he had never complained of justice.—( Loud cheers.) The proposition of the Government in the present case was not only against justice, but it was against the law.—( Hear.) The Act of Parliament for the sugar duties now in force was to have continued until the sth of July next ; and he had received letters from Liverpool, London, and other places, stating that the holders of sugar in bond had acted upon the understanding that there might be some change in the law in July, but not until then.—( Hear, hear.) He thought that the late Chan cellor of the Exchequer had very properly pointed out the difference, as to whether the alteration was to take place now or in July.—( Hear, hear.) The parties who would he prepared for an alteration in the law in July were now taken by sur prise.—( Hear, hear.) He agreed with his Right Hon. Friend the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, that no cleinge of this kind could take place without some loss to individuals. But he never before heard, that where there was gross injus tice done, the House would not interfere to remedy that, be cause justice could not be completely done in all cases.—( Hear, hear.) The practice of the Government in this case was very sharp practice indeed—( Hear, hear)—and this was not the case with regard to sugar alone, but every other exciseable stock now on hand. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer should read in the newspapers to-morrow what he had said this evening, he would are that it was unworthy of a Minister of the Crown. The House was bound to interfere to prevent in justice, which no consideration of reven ue could warrant. Sir ROBERT PEEL was sure the House would believe that it was the wish of the Government to effect great com mercial changes with as little inconvenience as possible to in dividuals. He had received deputations from Liverpool, Lon don, and other places, and he appealed to the Hon. Members who accompanied those deputations, whether he had not given every manifestation of a desire to avoid injustice ?—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman who spoke last accused the Go vernment of "sharp pr:ctiee," as if he were speaking of low practitioners upon the outskirts of a profession. The Hen. Member overlooked the fact that they (the Ministers) were public men, actuated by no other influence than a desire for the public interest.—( Hear, hear.) In the case which had been referred to—that of the wine duty—what his Right Hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury had said in his letter was, that in the event of an increase of the duty it was not the practice to add the increase to duty previously paid upon stock still in bond. Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY—Ii not the duty increased upon stock still in bond ? Sir R. PEEL did not think that a single case could be shown where stock in bond, having paid the lower duty, was afterwards charged with the increase. Ministers had felt it their duty to adhere to the usual practice, at the same time that they admitted that there would be a great loss to indi viduals, which they regretted.—( Hear.) Ile could not deny, however, that it seemed to be the sense of the House, that in this case there ought to be some amount of drawback.—( Hear, hear.) But he did not believe that the late Chancellor of the Exchequer or the late President of the Board of Trade would give their opinion in favour of that view, if they did not think that this was a special case calling for s pecial consideration.— ( Hear, hear.) He had frequently supported them on similar occasions, as in the case of the Danish Claims; and, on the other hand, he had frequently received their support, for s he believed that all men in office knew. what it was to have to con tend with pressure in these cases.—( Hear, hear.) lie thought that the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exche quer proposed in this case that the total amount of drawback which had been paid should be returned to the party who paid it, but that, if in consequence of the reduction, and the keep ing back of stock, prices should rise, there should be no greater amount of drawback than the actual loss.—( Hear.) He consi dered that Ministers had done their duty in adhering to the general rule. But he understood the sense of the House, unin fluenced by party feeling, that this was a special case, and that it did not necessarily lead to a precedent for other demands.— (hear, hear.) He hoped the House would understand the difference between sugar in bond in the Queen's warehouse, under the seal of the Customs and that in the hands of the general dealers.—( Hear, and cheers.): In this no fraud could be committed. The resolution was then withdrawn. REFINED SUGAR. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did not think that the Hon. Gentleman opposite ( Sir W. Clay) would act with prudence if he brought forward his motion with respect to refined sugar, after the discussion which had just taken place. The case of the refiners had a double aspect— they had claims fer the sugar which was in bond, and on which the duty had been paid, and they also put for ward claims on account of the sugar which had been taken out of bond. Of course, with regard to the sugar in bond which had paid the duty, the refiners would participate in the general advantages which all other persons similarly circumstanced would have. But the Hon. Gentlemen would see that the other question was one of a dif ferent character, and that they had not the same claim upon the sugar which was taken out of bond, and which they might have exported. Sir W. CLAY said that the case of the refiners was different from the other persons who took sugar out of bond, because the refiners must of necessity take it out, while the others need not. The case of the refiners was not different from those who had sugar in bond upon which the duty was paid, be cause it was impossible that any fraini could be committed by them. The same concession, therefore, should be made in their favour. On a former occasion, the Right Hon. Gentle man the Chancellor of the Exchequer had said that the refiners could take case of themselves, and that they had exported con siderable quantities of sugar. Now, he begged to say, that the Right Hon. Gentleman was mistaken in the information he had received on that subject. The refiners of London exported very little, with the exception of one gentleman who exported sixty tons of refined sugar. They did not ask for a remission of the whole duty, but for a remission calculated for a given number of weeks. He would not now call for any expression of opinion on the part of t'se House, but he hoped the Right [ion. Gentleman would consider the case of the refiners, which was one of great hardship. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was under stood to say that he would state on Monday what he would do. The case of tl.e refiners was somewhat different from the other case ; but he held in his hand a return, from which it ap peared that forty-five thousand three hundred cwt. of brown sugar and 1,0('0 cwt. of refined sugar was exported from London, the drawbaek on which was received by the refiners. If the House would allow him till Monday he would isquire inte the subject and state what he would do.—( Ilear.) Sir W. CLAY said that this statement was to him per fectly satisfactory, and he only hoped the details would be as satisfactory as the plan. Mr. HUME said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had postponed the further consideration till Monday, and he must say that on all the points the statement appeared to show a very satisfactory conclusion, but as time was afforded for the consideration of those matters, he trusted that some infor mation would be given with respect to the exports. The Right Hon. Baronet had stated that he was anxious to bring about those changes with as little loss and unpleasantry to individuals as possible ; and this, he thought, ought to be sa tisfactory through all the country. SUGAR DUTIES. The House then went into Committee on the Sugar Duties, and on the clause for levying the duty on refined sugars, Mr. HUME said that he wished to ask the Chaneellor of the Exchequer, whether, as they were desirous that the colonies should enjoy the advantage of protection, why they subjected sugar which was introduced into this country from the East Indies of the same quality as refined to a greater imposition than that which was laid on refined? By this imposition there was a duty of 2s. 4d. against the colonies. Now as the co lonies were a charge on the revenue of this country he could not see any reason why there should be this imposition laid upon that produce which ought to support the colonies ; he could not see why this 2s. 4d. should be retained. He thought the better plan would be to give two years after the 14th March, when the new duties were to come into operation, and then to alter the duty by the amount stated, so as to make the duty upon sugar refined, but only equal to clayed sugar, the same as that on clayed sugar. He wished to protect the public against any combination of the sugar refiners, for he thought that such a combination might very easily be entered into ; but of the fifty-two sugar dealers in London he believed there were twenty-four who were very large holders of stock. He could not see why the growers of the East and West Indies were unable to introduce any sugar in a refined state into this country. He could not see why they should not avail themselves of the advantages they possessed for refining, and so introduce it into the country in a refined state, He knew it was the policy t 3 protect the manufactures of England ; but he thought that, in the present instance, such a deviation from the usual policy was for the benefit of England as well as of the colonies; and he should, therefore, propose that instead of 18s. Bd. the duty at the end of two years, the duty on refined sugar equal to clayed sugar should be 16s. 4d., and that these words should be in serted after 18s. ad. in the clause. On the amendment being put, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Hon. Gentleman was proposing an amendment in 1845 which would not come into operation till 1847. The fact was, that refined sugar was introduced at the same . ate as Muscovado. Mr. HUME said that perhaps it would be better to alter the time from two years to six months; but he saw a difficulty, and he would, if permitted, withdraw the motion. The amendment was accordingly withdrawn. On the 3d clause, which directs the imposition of classified duties, Mr. HAWES said that he had hoped that this system of classification would not have been persisted in. He was certain that the plan was so objectionable that he hoped the trade would have influenced the decision of the Right Hon. Gentle man the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and led him to withdraw this plan altogether. He held a letter in his hand from a per son very largely engaged in the sugar trade, who stated that it was utterly impossible to distinguish the several classes of sugar. He could sot, in fact, understand the motives for the imposi • than of these extra ditties on foreign sugars, buthe now thought he saw the reason for them. The fact was, that foreign sugar. generally speaking, was of a higher quality than colonial sugar, and it was in order to prevent it coming into competition with colonial sugars, that this duty was imposed. He thought it was unfair that the consumer should be made to pay simply for the sake of giving advantage to the colonists, and lie should feel it his duty to take the sense of the House on the insertion of this clause. He had lately had a communication from Amster dam, where they had got experience in the sugar trade, and it stated positively that it was utterly impossible to distinguish the qualities of sugars, for it very often happened that sugars of an inferior sort were sold at higher prices than those which were obtained for qualities rated as of a superior description. At Liverpool a great sugar business was done, and a friend from that place had written to him to say, that if these classification duties were brought into play every different parcel of sugar would have to pay a different duty, and that many would have to employ a Custom-house officer for every hogshead of sugar that was opened. The Govern ment ;Toposed to procure sample tests or standard samples, as they called them, by steam and railroad, so as to rectify the mistakes of provincial officers. But he would tell then) the quality of those samples would alter every day. He had hoped to have had the assistance of his Hon. Friend the Member for Beverley (Mr. Hogg) on this occasion. He had had it on the discussion of the duty on East India sugar, and he could not understand on what princip'e ho did not vote on this occasion. Much had been said about the American tariff. He held in his hand a copy of that tariff, and he could assure the House that there was no country in which sugar was introduced at such low rates as in America ; and he, therefore, hoped that this clasification of duty would not be retained. The Hon. Member concluded by moving the omission of the clause. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that had the Hon. Member for Lambeth been present at the discussion of the duty on East India sugar he would have been aware that every point to which he had addressed himself had been very fully considered.—( Hear, hear. ) When the sugar trade was in its regular state the difficulty ap prehended by the Hon. Gentleman would not arise. The sugars were sampled as delivered out of the ships for the pur poses of trade. After the immediate difficulty arising from the first rush into the market, no difficulty would exist. The Hon. Gentleman said he had received letters condemnatory of the proposed plan. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had received letters some condemning and some approving of the plan, but many of the reasons alleged against the plan were in reality strong reasons in its favour. Mr. BRIGHT said he had had an opportunity of conversing with a wholesale grocer, who had been present at the first sale of Manilla sugar, and this person told him that great difficulty arose from this classification. The reason assigned for this was that it was felt impossible to tell what amount of duty the sugar would be liable to under the new classifica tion. This individual expressed his conviction that this classi • fication would be the source of endless difficulties to the trade. If the Hon. Member divided the House, he should certainly divide with him. The clause was agreed to without a division. Clauses 4 to 12 inclusive, were then agreed to. On clause 13 being proposed, Mr. HAWES complained of the clause as a departure from the Warehousing Act. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the clause was not such an infringement of that Act as would justify the House in rejecting it. On inquiry, he had found that the re-weighing cost the Government 8,000/. a year ; whilst the variation was found to be only 14 lb. in 1,509 cwt. of sugar. Mr. }FUME said, the proper course for the Government to pursue, was to levy the duty on all the sugar that actually went into consumption and no more. Why could not the Chancellor of the Exchequer take an average of the quantity of sugar in different warehouses, and make an allowance of one per cent. ? Alderman HUMPHREY said, the proposition of the Go vernment would he a premium for fraud. Mr. FOSTER said it would cause great injustice, and no individual would be satisfied. Mr. HAWES said, the Government was undoing what had been done by former Acts of Parliament. The Chan cellor of the Exchequer said it would effect a saving of 8,0001. a year; but he thought it was a very large estimate. He Mr. B. COCHRANE said he wished to ask a question of the Right Hon. Baronet respecting the communication which hal been held with France upon the affairs of Greece. He did not wish to say anything which would interrupt the entente cordial between this country and France. He was aware that, whatever might be the nature of the conduct of the Government, the people did not share in the feelings of the Minister. He had been lately there, and had heard the conduct of the Ministry denounced in the most unmeasured terms, but, if there was any difficulty, he did not wish to open the question, but he trusted such was not the case. Sir 11. PEEL said that the opinion expressed on this oc casion was not, he thought, affected by anything which had fallen font him. With respect to the country of Greece itself, it was most desirable that the present attempt should prove successful, for it was a great attempt to combine a popular government with a limited monarchy. With respect to Sir Ed ward Lyon, he had heard some comments the other night on naval officers ; but be believed that all would allow that in the difficult position in which that gallant officer had been placed, he had exhibited an example that the affairs of a great country might with safety be committed to the care of a naval officer. With respect to M. Piscatori, the Hon. Gentleman most excuse him making any remarks. With respect to General Church, he must say that he and every Member in that House had joined in the expression of deep regret for the removal of that gallant and distinguished officer from office. He had served his country with ability 'and zeal for more than twenty years, and what was the cause of the removal of that distinguished officer? With respect to the loan promoted by Russia, France, and this country, he believed that Greece was ready to pay the burden of its debts. He felt sure the House would excuse him for not expressing an opinion as to the acts of the Government. He conceived it to be his duty to respect the independent actions of the Government, and he would rather not trust himself with the expression of his opi nion, however strongly he might feel on the occasion. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. _ Mr. WILLIAMS asked if the Right Hon. Baronet in tended bringing in the estimates on Monday? it R. PEEL said that it had been his intention to bring forward the Army and Navy Estimates before Easter, but other matters of greater importance would prevent his doing s). Those questions which affected the settlement of our com mercial policy, and the affairs of trade, must be first disposed of. It was, however, absolutely neoessny that the Government should have a vote of money before Easter, and he hoped the House would make a sufficient grant, which would not at all prejudice the discussion of the Estimates. Mr. HUTT said that certain documents had been trans mitted to the Government by the East India Company, relative to the trade in grain and flour, which had not been yet laid on the table of the House. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had made some inquiries, but could not account for their non-pro duction. Mr. HUTT said he had taken great pains to obtain this do cument. He spoke to the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir G. Clerk) four or five times, and, finding it of no use, mentioned the matter publicly to the House. Ile had offered to copy the document himself, or send his servant to do it, but the offer was declined, and the document had not been produced. Really the business of the country ought to be more punctually attended to. Sir G. CLERK said he had made inquiry and found that no official notice had been sent to the Board of Trade from that House for the production of the document. He had notwithstanding given directions that the paper should be laid on the table of the House. Mr. HUTT said he was the more anxious about it, because he had intended to make a motion on corn and flour, grounded upon this document, and that notice he intended to place on the paper before Easter. Sir R. PEEL said he would take care that the Hon. Mem ber should have the document. THE SUGAR DUTIES. On the motion thet the Speaker leave the ohair for going into Committee on the Sugar Duties Bill, Sir WILLIAM CLAY presented petitions on the sub ject, and Mr. HAWES presented a petition from wholesale houses in London, praying for a drawback of duty on sugar now in bonded warehouses. Sir W. CLAY, in the absence of Mr. Wallace, wished to move, on going into Committee on the Sugar Duties Bi I, that compensation be made to such refiners as have paid the duty of 2..a5. 3d. on their stocks undergoing the process of refin►ng, and who shall not have had time to get quit thereof, previous to the new scale of duties taking effect. A long discussion ensued as to whether this motion or that of Mr. Hawes, which followed on the paper, should have pre cedence. _ Sir R. PEEL observed that it was of the greatest import ance that, in respect to moving questions, they should adhere implicitly to the rules of the House. However, he did not wish, in consequence of mere technical formality, to prevent a full discussion. t Itimately the SPEAKER decided that Mr. Hawes's motion should come on first, then the Bill be recommitted, after which the other motions on the subject could be brought forward. ?fr. HAWES then moved " that provision be made in the Hilt for the drawback of the amount of the duty reduced, on such duty-paid sugar as now remains in the Queen's ware house," The course pursued by the Government in this matter was altogether unusual. A change was about to be made in one of the great articles of commerce at a most unu sual period—at a time too when the dealers in this commodity were wholly unprepared for such a ehaege. A great quantity of sums' lay in bonded warehouses in this country, over which nobody had any control but the Government officers. How ever anxious the House might be to confer a great publio benefit, he was sure they would be anxious to avoid doing so with the certainty of causing great individual losses. If some sush motion as he proposed were not sanctioned this would certainly be the case. The petition he had that night presented was signed by six of the principal London sugar dealers, and he begged the earnest attention of the House to the situation of tho-e individuals. Messrs. Conway and Co. had in bond 10,000 cwt. of sugar; Messrs. North and Co. more than 3,000, and Messrs. Stubbs and Co. about the same quantity. Now, in one instance, there was a stock in hand of not less than 550 tons, and one house had experienced a loss of not less than 5.01)01., and several others between 2,000/. and 3,0001. Not only was this the case with respect to houses in London, but in the country also, as might at any time be seen by the circular of the trade. Liverpool and London, two great depots of sugar, the wholesale dealers there were in the habit of retaining considerable stocks in their hands, for, in consequence of railroads arid steam, the communication was so rapid that the retail dea'ers could order whatever they required almost from day to day, and thus the large houses were the parties who held the stocks for present consumption. He (Mr. Hawes) could draw precedents both from past times and the present. The first precedent he would draw was from the year 1838, when the Right Hon. Barnet was in office. They allowed the drawback on glass. In the case of glass, the glass manufacturers had the power of exporting glass, and demanding the drawback ; and if, in consequence of any peculiar circumstances, the trade was depressed, the merchants could resort to the Act of Parliament, and get the drawback ; and this actually took place on one occasion. The whole of the stock in hand was ex?orted, and the foreign market was flooded. The Government then en tered into a compromise, and granted 75 per cent. reduction of the duties. In the case of wine, also, the duty had been remitted on the stocks in hand. In 1843 a me morial had been presented to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the case of French wines, and the Right Hon. Gentleman had promised that, although the negotiations with Portugal had terminated without any favourable result, yet that, in any future treaties, the claims of French wines should be attended to; and with respect to the stocks in hand, the drawback was always allowed—when the alteration of the duties took place, in 1787, by the 27th Geo. 111., and when again, in 1814, by the 54th Geo. 111., the drawback was allowed; and by 6th Geo IV., in 1825, the draw back was again allowed. By the Ist and 2d William IV., the duties were equalised, and the drawback was again allowed. When application was made to the Vtee-President of the Board of Trade, he had pro mised that, on the reduction of the duty, consideration should be made for their case. Now the sugar on which the remission of duty was prayed for, the goods were in the iden tical state, of the same colour, and in the identical place where it was when the duty was paid. He held in his hand the me morial of the sugar dealers, upon whose representations the Right T-lon. Baronet had said he had thus early brought on the reduction of duty, and by that it appeared that the memorialists did not expect the change at this unusual period of the year ; and the memorial does not justify the argument which had been used for the unusual course which had been pursued. What the memorialists desired was a permanent set tlement of the question. The trade wished the continual changes to wh;ch they were liable to be done away with—they did not look for a settlement at this early period, and certainly anticipated that time would be allowed them to work off their stocks in hand, for, if not, they certainly would have invested to the extent of the stocks which they held. It was the cus tom to make the vote for the sugar duty an annual duty, and they desired that the fluctuations to which they were subjected should be done away with by some permanent enactment. If this early settlement, and not the permanent settlement, had been the end the memorialists sought, their object would have been attained. It was, however, said that the allowance to the wholesale dealers would have been an injustice, unless the trusted Hon. Members had heard enough to justify them in observin g that the Ri g ht Hon. Baronet apposite ba,l/ser voting for the omission of the clause. that he would g o throu g h as much of the Committee 0 1 3 _ t ee Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the Corn- pie before Easter as would enable the House to agree weer mittee divided, when the numbers were, Mutiny A ct . For the amendment 74 sity give rise to prolonged discussions, he thought th . , Against it Majority for the clause.. .......... On the gallery being re-opened, Sir R. PEEL said that he did not intend to proposenAlDl Mr. HUME was addressing the Committee. He wanted other estimates before Easter,' but those that were neeTe'S the Chancellor of the Exchequer to explain how the propo:i - for the p ublic service, such as the half-pay list, &c- v'e tee tion could be said to be founded on economy ? take that. opportunity of saying, that he could not put scree The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained motion of the Hon. Member for Somerset the same counnoS that he had taken the opinions of those acquainted with the tion that had been put upon it by the Hon. Member foil subject, and he was justified in adopting the measure. him (Mr. Bortheick. ) He thought it would be h 11 17„ell Dr. BOW RING said, for the sake of saving 5,0001. a year for the House to affirm that resolution with leenot to the Government, a gross injustice was about p led g in g itself to the remission of some tax or ot o. llen OPie vo to be done. Applications had frequently been made to the p ressed u p on a g riculture. As he was not prepared to Treasury for a drawback of the duty on the waste of bonded in such a pledge he could not agree to the motion. o s the goods, and they lied seemed so equitable in principle, that they Alr. MILES would not refuse to answer the question je to had again and again been conceded. Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell). His motion would en/1 0 0 Alderman HUAIPHREYS could not see the use of having the reduction of the county rates, and other burden" such officers, or of having sugars under lock at all. He would land, to the amount of about 400,000/. no °bell ask why not make the parties give securny for the sugars when Mr. BRIGHT wished to ask the Right Hon. Bare . ler entered, and have no officers at all? it was his intention to put an end to the anxiety seb ie smo r Mr. II A WES said it appeared to him that the Chancellor of vaned on the subject of the cotton duties? With ;tid° the Exchequer was putting his authority against that of Mr. tent Government—( A laugh)—the question could be t , the Huskisson ; and he ( Mr. Hawes) would ask, Which was the five minutes. There was at present great difficult , eels }louse to be led by? What was the object of warehousing manufacturing districts, in consequence of cotton belt* bei4 sugar at all ? It was, in fact, only making men pay a duty on held from the market, in the ',respect of the clutY waste, white the object was to prevent fraud, by compelling them speedily taken off. itter to pay duty on first-class sugar, and thus increase the revenue. Sir R. PEEL said that he would bring on the CoMe / Now he did not think this should be persevered in ; and if it soon as possible. he &I' . should, he now would give notice that on bringing up the r e- The House then proceeded to the other orders of t port he would move for the omission of the clause. The Bastardy Bill was read a third time, and pawe d ' Mr. HUeIE said he understood that the actual waste on a NEW ZEALAND—LORD STANLEYecietsl ton of sugar, after it had been warehoused , was about three Lo-d EBRINGTON said that the Noble Lord the WI cwt., and, therefore, nothing could be more unjust than to for the Colonies stood amused, for nearly a yearn l , l , n ipse/' make the merchant pay for that. If the Bill were to pass under grave charges , brought by the New ZealanL'", to e , with these imperfections, he would say it was a mode of retro - and he wished to ask whether an y answer was inteua°6 grading that would be most unwise. given to those charges? el e l Stn Alderman HUMPHREYS would ask the Chancellor of the Mr. HOPE said that the char g e a g ainst Lord 01110 Exchequer to suppose that one of the weighers could not write beets made in that House only two or three days age , d, the figures in his Blue-book, and, therefore, he passed a quan- House might be assured that it would be fully answer . 4 tiser , tity of !tiger a quarter of a cwt. short, then the Crown would The Infeftments Bill (Scotland) was read a a see° be defrauded by employing such officers, and yet such were not and ordered to he reported. „ s unfrequent. ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY. et her' Mr. MILNER GIBSON begged to draw attention to a Mr. SHAW said that at that late Ise,ur of thenigtee fi, fact which this Bill presented. He understood by it that mo- not mean to occupy the time of the House in e 5 .6 , 1 , 4 1; lasses were to be admitted at a duty of Bs. 9d. from all foreign a select committee to inquire into the Prle c i: t oo 6 countries from which sugar should be admissible. Now, the the atmospheric railway. He asked far the aPP ° ' - ne pot / 6th cause gave a power to admit sugar at a duty of 28s 9d. of the Committee principally en the ground of r g et e e llr from countries under reciprocity treaties, but there was no of the Board of Trade, which stated that the anatospeetoin, p:ovision for admitting molasses from these countries. tem had succeeded in a mechanical point of en yes bat rion'b The clause was then agreed to ; and clauses 15 and 16 were success in a commercial point of view was doubtful. be d bee next agreed to, without discussion. would ask for a Committee even on that ground. lt %ore; Mr. RICARDO would like to know how white clayed tried in the Dublin and Dalkey line, and was found to . P oi. go sugar could he distinguished from brown, by sample, in ten and it was about to be established in two lines in Eng e a . , t i o ss years hence? thought that it was most important to decide the eu" • The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that this important period of railway speculation. tie°' tie; • the Bill contained ,a provision for renewing the sample from Mr. s WARBURTON said he would oppose them sor time to time. cause he did not see wh y a different principle should betbrer Mr. M. GIBSON could not see why the preamble of this in this case from what was a pp lied in the case of all ° Act should not set forth the fact, that it was merely inte n d ed vention. Let the atmos p heric principle be proved by opery as a protection to East India proprietors.—( Hear, hear.) ment, and then it would be easily introduced. w est r e Mr. BRIGHT believed that the question was now better Mr. HODGSON HINDE agreed very much in _ h oer understood in the country than it had ever been before. Hon. fallen from the lion. Member. He had no objection. r ee ves Gentlemen connected with the West India interest m ust not to an in q uir y into the merits of the atmospheric 'J' e nsot imagine that the question was finally settled. Next year, when though he believed it would have very scale,lit Irenee!,/, the question would be brought forward scale, a more deter- until the results of the experiments wernionesenn mined opposition would be made to the passing of this measure, but he was afraid that o rder his Right 11 D id ,tr and he trusted that the opposition would be backed by an in- Friend's motion there lurked an inte n t ion of letr/lesefty crease of public opinion. He h.,ped that Hon. Gentlemen railway Bills before the House. There were two m o o !ll g .t opposite would take warning and cultivate their estates to the q uestion. Not onl y were there engineers who d°,nevrt utmost possible extent. He entered his protest against this success of the experiment in a mercantile point of. Bill, as one that was altogether unjust. there were many who doubted it in a mechanical pole' ,so Mr. BORTHWICK contended that pratection to the West and he could see no reason for supposing that the Iln use e ptiet . India interest had been rendered necessary by the legislation of settle the difficulty. At all events, he should object totelet;, t or that House. ment of the Committee, if the progress of the railwar his Lord JOHN RUSSELL wished to say a few words upo n a impeded by if it. subject concerning which he had addressed the House on a Lord HOWICK said it would have been well to tlsida former eccasion. He alluded to emigration to the West Indies Friend had applied a little of his usual acatenet pe; and to the Mauritius. This country, which had done so much question. A Committee had been asked to assist Abe for the destruction of slavery, should take care that no course in forming an opinion. It so happened, in the Pros e n li p e6; was permitted which would revive it. lie had received seve- great number of railway Bills had been proposed to t heero 3e, rat letters from persons who were related to missionaries, and In two or three cases the competition was between s o i c ' o por b ; who stated that considerable alarm existed in consequence of atmospheric line, and a prcpesed line upon the ste ete . te some proclamations which had been issued regarding emigres- plan. Mr. Stephereton, the only enginees who oleos, K ti , tion. When he had spoken on the subject before, he adverted atmospheric principle, had stated before the m 11 0 of ie to Jamaica, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer told him that on the very first trial which had been a ke ool o° ol a loan had been made for the purpose of emigration. He it had exceeded both in safety and in speed the Ualed (Lord J. Russell) was informed that a proclamation had been system after sixteen or seventeen } ears-b ° O en ., issued sanctioning loans for the purpose of emigration. Thus other hand, engineers of the greatest eminencesi r e eh he thought it was only proper that the Government should lay that the atmospheric system combined great s pa a reP; i f all the information they possessed on this important matter be. feet safety; arid in a commercial point of view, it ePlO e 9 4denic fore the House. Previous to any measure regarding sugar the ex p ense of workin g a line u p on that system via' o cin, being sanctioned by Parliament. they should be aware in what mile, while that of the other mode was Is. 2den. ores manner Gov.rnusesst approved of what had been done regard- proved. They ought to inquire into the merits of thel o ° eoee t , ing emigration. It was said that the Noble Lord the Secre - as the time must come when it, the atmospheric sYsteneibl i tl tary for the Colonies some time ago stated that it was in contem - su p ersede the p resent one. If the y did not they w/orth plation to propose a guarantee for such loans. t•e wished to the whole question over the Kent, the Cornish, and te gleq; know s'hether it was really intended to introduce any Bill on brian lints. He knew the Board of Trade could lot t eseseed the subject? the inquiry, from the mass of business it had to get 10, Sir W. JAMES denied that a single farthing would be put into hut the appointment of the Committee, instead ,t ) the pockets of the planters by the proposed ethange. When the pi ogress of the present railway Bills throng the Hon. Member for Durham (Mr. Bright) was Chancellor merit, would, no the contrary, expedite them• Lord of the Exchequer, which no doubt he expected to become one Sir GEORGE CLERK said the Noble wo n. day nr another, but which might God avert, said the Hon. given a most able panegyric on the $ v oi Member earnestly.—( Laughter.) When the Hon. Member system, but lie had also furnished reasons 01" had attained that position and entirely removed protection from Committee should not be appoin t ed. The Co o„ „s of 9 the colonies, then their ruin would speedily follow. last sessi n elicited all the facts, but they bad Tio me an be e r Alr. HOPE said he could assure the Noble Lord there were perly knowing what the expense of the system n s ) . u pte ie fr i t o no grounds whatever for his apprehension. It was an erro- lines where the traffic would require large s team-entl i neel et neous supposition that there was not now sufficient work for stant action. The experiment on the Kingston an most Ali the emigrants in the Mauritius and West Indian c donies. was not suffieient, and, without any prejudice 911 ,teeTsot Since the Government had taken up the system, there was atmospheric principle, he did not think the COOl/°"tnee theiv, abundance of employment. Some might be unemployed there, be productive of any good. It would not influel but they were persons unfit for agricultural labour. The Go- Committee, and would much retard the progress 0 vernment would have no hesitation in producing all the papers. ing Bills. Lord HOWICK said that he had no desire that emigration, Air. BARKER did . not think the atmospherleoPritill?., however desirable in other respects, should be eari ied on by would ever succeed, but he would not do auythlng means of these loans. prevent a fair trial of the experiment. /* W ig Mr. HOPE said that there was no report from Antigua. Mr, W. R. COLLETT did not think that the e e t MP. P. M. STEWART said that all the West Indies re- this subject could be of any importance, unless v quired was a sufficiency of labour. They were told that there private Committee. The eyes of Europe, he might e o tl o was a sufficiency of labourers to be obtained at Penang and Sin- now on this country, and upon its decision would d pt o d. gapore, and that they could lie obtained in any numbers ; but ther other lines now in contemplation would be con 3 P' w ele, in the present state of the West Indies, he did not think that it Air. AI. J. O'CONNELL said, great interest!, be would be advisable to het upon the licences. The Hon. Alem- stake in railways, and therefore he h o p ed it sol s . ' 0. 0 1 ber for Durham (Mr. Bright) had said that it was a g ood p lan turel y considered. He was himself rather seeP /1 0 00 to kick a man when he was down , but he would beg to tell yet he hoped the appointment of the Comm tee -• s td the "on. Member that they yet retained sufficient vitality in be opposed. • t them to resist any attack that they could bring. The Hon. Mr. RICARDO could not see how this prele c ti os o ff Member for Northumberland said that there was no want of opposed merely because it, had hitherto been tried e ° foe labourers in the West Indies, but he would ask the Hon. Mere- lines. If the power had been given for making of ber what would be the state of their cotton factories if they they would have been made also. s etit deprived them of labour ;he had said that without labou r it Sir R. PEEL said he would be in favour oft r fine would be impossible to continue the manufactures of this Committee, thou g h he could not see what would re'dvestie country.—( Hear.) for the public alone were the party to decide as t ° 0 0,9 Sir W. JAMES explained, amid much interruption , and sa i d should be ado p ted. He was himself in favour of the from se that he only wished to say that if they would give the West ric plan, but he could not see what good could f 411000,14 Indies plenty of labour, they would beat slave - grown sugar a pp ointment of the Committee. However, be Jet out of the market. o pp ose it. 11/4 Mr. HOPE believed that all the papers which contained the After a few words from Lord EBRINGTON eso, 110 ' ) instructions had been sent out for the transmission of la - GILL, the motion was a g reed to. e we' bnurers to the West Indies. He believed that the difficulty Mr. en HA W hoped the Committee would b e . 01 . was this :--the vessels which had been sent out to carry the Monday next. Chinese had not been sent direct to Sinteapore, and on theirROBERT PEEL, in answer to a questions°l Sir ROB 0 0 arrival at the island the shipping agent did not perfectly under- appointment of this Committee would not interfere ty stand the instructions which he had received, and he declined general progress of railway business. to act upon them. The other orders of the day were then disposed The Bill was then passed through Committee, the Chairman Hou-e adjourned at halt-, act One o'Clock. reported progress, and the report was ordered to be brought uo on Monday next. On the inquiry of an HON. MEMBER, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the Customs' Puti's Bill would be taken the first thing on Monday. NEW ZEALAND. Lord EBRINGTON wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government when the discussion on the New Zealand business would take place ? Sir R. PEEL replied, that though it was inconvenient to say on what day the discussion would be taken, in consequence of the indisposition of his Noble Friend, yet he would, for the present, appoint Tuesday. COTTON DUTIES. Mr. THORNELY said that he did not know whether the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government was aware of the quantity of cotton now waiting for the decision respecting the duty. He believed there was as much as 300,000 bales now in the country, and he should be glad therefore to know on what day the consideration of the duties would be brought on. Sir 11. PEEL said that it should be brought on as soon as possible, but it was evidently clear that it was out of his power to force the business of the country. The House sat frequently from twelve at noon till twelve at night, with little intermis sion, but the cotton duties should be brought on as soon as an opportunity could be provided. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. After frequent calls from the Opposition beneltes, Mr. MILES said that he would not interrupt the Corn mittee.—( Hear, hear, and cries of "Go on," "Go on.") He thought that it was at his own option whether he went on or not, and helwould not go on at that time of the night. Great aspersions had cone abroad, the most gross calumnies, that the friends with whom he acted were only going into a. sham battle—(lronical cheers for some moments)—now what they de sired was a fair, stand up fight, and they wished to show that the distress among the agriculturists was deep and widely sprea4. Mr. HUME wished much to know what the fight was to be abort. Mr. FERR AND slid he would tell the Hon. Member for Montrose what it was to be about. The Right Hon. Baronet the Secretat y for the Home Department had stated the other night that distress was prevalent and serious among the agri cultural labourers, that it could be no longer neglected. Now he (Mr. Ferrand) would tell the Bight Hon. Baronet that not only was the distress treat among the labourers, but that thousands and thousands of farmers in England were at this moment insolvent and ruine•l by the measures of the present Government since the came into office. —( Hear, hear) —and the fight was to show that this was the case. If the Right Hon. Baronet was sincere in his regard for the labourer, why did he not allow the Committee—( Hear, hear) —asked for by the Hon. Member for Stockport (Mr.Cobden)? Why did he not meet the challenge which that Hon. Me über threw out to him ?—( Rear, hear.) In saying this he would tell them why he did not vote for that Committee. He did not vote because he was for the protection of the agricul turist and not for his destruction.—( Hear, hear.) The motion of his Honourable Friend was intended to protect the agriculturist, and he hoped he would persevere. Her Majesty's Government had forfeited—and forfeited de servedly, the confidence of the agricultural interests. They obtained power by making the agricultural interests believe that they were their best friends. They had the confidence of those who sat behind them, and his firm conviction was, that if another dissolution of Parliament should take place they i rue might rest assured that instead if a majority of ninety, they - eG FIRE IN THE CITY Yes' would be in s minority of two nineties. Mr. P. BORTHWICK said, that the Hon. Member for Knaresborough had risen to answer a question put by the Hon. Member for Montrose, but he had not done so in the manner the Hots. Gentleman had expected.--( Hear, hear. ) They could all affirm the proposition of the Hon. Member for Somersetshire ; but what, under Heaven, did his proposition amount to? They all were agreed that the interests of all classes ought to be rightly considered. Ile trusted that the agricultural section of the Hou m would set up some real and not abstract principle. He had heard from those (the l'ory) benches that restrictions in trade were owing to the Whig Lord—(Laughter)—and the aristocracy of England— ( Laughter)—and he had heard from the opposite benches that the truest and the best friends were the free-traders. But the Hon. Member for Somersetshire, had put a proposition which might be equally coincided in by the Hon. Member himself, and by the Hon. Member for Stockport. Why if they carried the resolution it only affirmed that the House thought the agricultural interests deserving of consideration. Whatever intention the Hon. Member had in bringing for ward the subject, the result was, that it served only to mystify and delude the farmers of England. The free-traders called themselves the farmers' friends, the Hon. Member for Somer setshire, called himself the farmers' friend, and the Government called themselves the farmers' friends, and among them the far mer were suffering most intensely from the proceedings of their friends.—( Laughter. ) Lord JOHN RUSSELL would not trouble the House at all at this time, but as the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Miles) had put off to Alonday next the motion of which he had given notice for to-night, he thought the Hon. Gentleman ought to let the House know what were the particular taxes which he would promise to be remitted.—( Hear.) As he was on his legs he would take the opportunity of POLICE INTELLIGEN C (Y ESTE R DAY.) MANSION-HOUSE. John Crellier, a licensed victualler, in Mark-lan e, " ia with a violent assault upon an omnibus conductor. Chapman, the complainant, stated, that pfter tee aeolol the preceding night, the defendant assaulted hiln ls Tb s , ti / without having received the slightest provocatioa. ty fendant, who was accompanied by a drunken IrfarL'orrfaitii omnibus in the Poultry, but the complainant °lceth."or condition in which his companion was, refused to gl era /tad mission. The defendant was exasperated at th is cr ib %if° struck the complainant, accompanying the blow r i te Ic A it language. That offence, however, was perraitte o i cately impunity, and the omnibus passed on till it reache a v pet when it was hailed by a gentleman, who wished` thetf, inside. The defendant took the opportunity t1,00;e1 tleman not to allow the lady to go with such hem, i , 00 pr the complainant having stated the facts, tlf bolk whereupon the defendant knocked the complainalib ot! was then handed over to the care of the police. 4410 The principal parts of the statement of the coroP. t DJ confirmed by a witness. a or ° bc # 4 The defendant said that he had been abused had Os° a m the complainant before he raised his hand. He k arl °- 1 0, kicked in the stomach by the complainant, who too fle of the elevation of the footboard to make the attec k "„ e l cla 6 ac t. positively denied that his friend was at all drunk• a",000' that it was quite impossible to endure the insolent 41 "ai the eonductor. oirlo? The Loan MAYOR asked whether the person t ,.. panied the &fondant was present? The defent lan o Lord ,he knows nothing about it; but I cart Pr ° he witnesses that I was struck first. h ot . 0 •1 1 The Loan Alaroit— Your witnesses should have cooll°, I have the evidence upon oath that you struck the oi r repeatedly, Coe° The Lord Mayor and Sir John Pirie hav in g fe l gether, His ' LoRDSIdIY said that he and his brother rag / of opinion that the conduct of the defendant set a e hot f; reprehensible, inasmuch as, - being a publican. i!bui, voured to obtrude a drunken man into an °malt, sliagell sented the very proaer refusal of the conductor 00 ie passengers to be disgusted and insulted by a Per2ereforb' condition. The sentence upon the defendant, tu 4 00 that he be fined the sum of 31., and, in defaul t of Pal he be imprisoned for one month. The tine was immediately paid. 0 -- - , Of i CHARGE or FORGERY.—The inspector f .ka. Rochester recAved instructions from the Board ( l e /Q; to apprehend Mr. Frederick Janes, the collectied or - , the Custom •house, Rochester ; the officer Proc ec ,oll44 Wednesday afternoon and apprehended the J l i t i o j whilst he was attending to the duties of his ofal OA soner is the son of Mr. Janes, a respectable eeiTheoli.li who has resided in Rochester for many Yea"' uer, be against him is for obtaining from the comptre „ 0 t 4 Sawyers, Esq., 121. 10s. on producing a receipt Wsti., nature of Mr. Simmons, a blockmaker, residingra,h7 end, who had sent in his account to the Ca, 3 T,lel 0 , payment. It is stated that there are other ea'' , the prisoner. terCILICIP ALARMING EIRE IN THE (ATT.— f . 74 about half-past one o'clock, a fire burst fort' esoigi lower part of a large pile of buildings occup ied A . on the ground and upper floors by iges i : l if plq M‘Lattren and Mr. G. Clapham, both s,' ...t a ble situate behind the General Post-office. A viu i l o reo of stock is destroyed, and the premises ranch fire and water. 111•19110126111161• 1 1. BIBTE,T.. d o iip ti f ; On the Bth inst., at Coblent2, on the Rhin e, 1 11: Rev. W. Moxon Mann, Bri..ish Chaplain, of . 1 ) ,0- On the 10th in3t., at Salt-bill, KingstoWih • 1 D. L. Jones, of a soLl, the if On the 11th ina.; at TerUngs-park, Herts, T. Rivaz, Es.q.. of the Bengal Civil Service, of 9 , On the 12th inst., at Woolwich, the lady of " Mundy, Royal Artillery, of a daughter. ' On the 12th inst., Mr. Samuel E. Perkins, o f to Anne, third daughter of Mr. George Ja Wilton, near Guisborough, Yorkshire. DIEI; t 13 41 On the 29th ult., at Berlin, firmly believini* t heill merits of her Redeemer, Jesus Christ, daughter of the late Mr. John Priekett, surveyor' $4, 0 0 x °lithe 12th inst., at Little Holland no- - , 0 9 the Hon. Caroline Fox, niece of Charles sister of the late Lord Holland. : ar,,l eubiishwl , )17 MUl ll 3 ° 4l (c/o Y. - . 12. - 'tr, , ,!t i?rint.r The Sun , I:% i r e , Stra - id. in ! ) r...dc., , d of the Savoy, in Middlesex, Saturday, March 15, 1845. FOULM IRE INCLOSURE BILL. On the motion of Mt. ALLIX, the Foulmire Im.lorire Bill was raad a second time. CHARITABLE BEQUESTS ACT. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL presented a petition, sig'ied by 146 of the Roman Catholic clergymen of the archdiocese of Dublin, complaining of certain provisions in the Einancipation Act ; and also against the late Charitable Bequests Act, and praying for its total repeal, and the substitution instead of the Bill drawn up by the Hon. Member for Cork. MAYNOOTH COLLEGE. Mr. YOUNG presented a petition from the county of Cavan, against the proposed increased grant to the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth. LIGHTING THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. HUM E. begged to give notice that he would, on Mon day next, call for the report of the expenses that had been in curred by the experiments made in lighting this House. Captain PECHELL gave notice that he would to-mor row put a question, in order to ascertain the number of places in Wales in which petty sessions were holden ; also a question relative to tke Ju,tices' Clerks' Bill. Sir W. CLAY gave notice of a motion relative to Messrs. Smith's distillery case, the nature of which we could not understand. WINDOW-TAX. Lord DUNCAN gave notice of a motion for the purpose of inquiring into the operation of the window-tax, and the mode of applying the tax so levied. THE PORTLAND VASE. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL gave notice of his intention to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the protection of pro perty in the Mu Pseu m OST •OFFICE and other pESPlpublic ON AGE laces.—( Hear, hear.) . Mr. WAK LEY moved that the petition from Finsbury re specting the Post•office, presented on the previous evening, be printed.—Ordered. NEW ZEALAND COMPANY. Mr. G. W. HOPE said that several charges against his Noble Friend at the head of the Colonial-office had been made in and out of that House, accusing that Noble Lord of a breach of faith. The Government had not had as yet any opportunity for vindication, for, on a previous occasion, when the subject was brought under their notice, it was done in such a manner that though the Government were indirectly accused they could net enter into their defence. He had been informed that a peti tion was in course of preparation, and that several merchants in the City had been solicited to sign it. These petitions imputed to the Noble Lord misconduct, and breach of faith in relation to his conduct towards the New Zealand Company. He felt sure the House would agree with him that it was only the fair play which an Englishman had a right to expect, that when a charge was brought against him he should have a full opportunity of answering it on the earliest opportunity. He should therefore bring forward a motion on Tuesday next, giving the New Zealand Company an opportunity of substantiating those charges if it were in their power. Mr. AGLIONBY was one of the Members who had spoken on the occasion alluded to. He did not know whether or not the Government alluded to him, but if they did he begged:to inform the Hon. Under Secretary that he need not wait until Tuesday, for he (Mr. Aglionby) was perfectly read now to substantiate any charges which he had made against the officers at the head of the Colonial Department. If the Hon. Under Secretary did not wish to wait until Tuesday, he was perfectly ready now to give his opinion as to the conduct of Lord Stanley. Lord HOWICK understood the Hon. Under Secretary to say that on Tuesday he meant to go into the defence of the conduct of Lord Stanley. Now, if the papers for which the Hon. Under Secretary meant to move were necessary to the defence of Lord Stanley, he must protest against any discussion taking place on the subject until he should be in possession of those papers, so as to be enabled to form an opinion on the Noble Lord's policy as regarded New Zealand. Me. MANGLES having been a party to that debate, and having expressed a strong opinion on the conduct of the Co lonial-office, rose to answer s the accusation of the Hon. Gen tleman. He was quite ready to substantiate any charge which lie had made against Lord Stanley. He would not allow the Hon. Gentleman to dictate to him. Mr. HUME rose to order, but was interrupted by Lord J. RUSSELL, who said that the Hon. Gentleman had made a statement which he (Lord J. Russell) did not clearly understand. He wished to know what it was that the Hon. Gentleman proposed to do ? Mr. G. W. HOPE said that the character of the Noble Lori who was at the head of the Colonial Department had been attacked on the other night, when the motion on the sub ject of New Zealand had been brought forward. A charge had been brought against him by the Hon. Member for Lie keard. Now he was desirous of defending the conduct of the Noble Lord, and he wished to introduce a notion for papers, for the purpose of having that opportunity. Mr. HUME asked if those papers furnished a specific an swer to the charge against the Noble Lord ? He should wish to knew what was the specific charge made against the Neble Lord, from which the Hon. Gentleman wished to defend him. Mr. G. W, HOPE understood that the charge brought against the Noble Lord at the head of the Colonial Depart ment was, that he had produced one set of instructions to the New'Zealand Company, as the instructions which he had given to the Governor who had been sent out, and that he had given another set of instructions to the Governor inconsistent with those shown to the Company, and which he did not produce to them. And that, thereby, the Noble Lord's governor or agent in the colony was not in possession of instructions, or rather his instructions were not such as to enable him to carry out the arrangement originally made by the Noble Lord with the Company. Sir R. INGLIS said, that as the House would have no means of investigating the charge unless it had time to read the papers, he would suggest that it would be better to post pone the question till after the recess ; they would then have been able to consider the documents. He did not see the Hon. Member for Liskeard in the House, or he was sure he would consent to postpone his motion till after the recess. Mr. MANGLES said, as the Noble Lord tLortl J. Russell) and the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for the University of I Oxford had prolonged the discussion, and the Hon. Under Secretary for the Colonies had been allowed to speak twice, he did not understand why he should have been considered out of order. If the Hon. Gentleman the Under Secretary for the Colonies imagined there was any disposition on the part of the New Zealand Company to shrink from inquiry with respect to the charge made against the Colonial Department in general, and Lord Stanley in particular, he was mistaken. The Hon. Gentleman need be under, no apprehension but that he would have a full discussion of the whole mater. With respect to what the Hon. Gentleman had said of a pe tition in course of signature in the City, he might depend on it the merchants and traders of the City were not the per sons to be influenced to sign a petition containing charges against the Colonial Department, or any other department of the Government, unless they were convinced of the justice of the charges. If he supposed the Colonial-office stood well with the country, the Hon. Gentleman was under a delusion ; if he thought the Colonial-offiee was not reprobated by the whle Country, and considered as a plague and a nuisance, he believe the Ilon. Gentleman the Under Secretary, and the Noble Lord at the head of the department, were the only per sons who held that opinion. Sir R. INGLIS ssid,nhe intention to press the charge had now been stated in terms about which there could be no mis take. His Hon. Friend, therefore, should not be content to I take the discussion on a motion on which the House could express no opinion. He should frame his motion in such a manner as to elicit the opinions of the House. It would then appear whether it was true, as alleged by the Hon. Member who spoke last, that the Colonial Government was reprobated by every individual in the country, except the Noble Lord at the head of the department, and the Hon. Under Secretary. He ( S.r R. Inglis) believed it would appear by a large and unanimous majority of that House—(Cries of " Order")--he was perfectly in order ; he believed it would appear by a ma jority of that House, and what was no less important, by the opinion of the majority of the country that such was not the general opinion of it. Lord 110 WICK thought, after what had passed, that the policy that had been adopted by the Government with respect to New Zealand ought to be brought before the consideration of the House. Sir R. PEEL felt that he was bound to say something on this question. He was certain that the course pursued by the Noble Lord opposite would never az.swer the purposes he had in view. But, besides the general question, there was another question in which his Noble Friend was distinctly charged with bad taith—a charge brought forward at the close of the discussion the other night, after both his Right Hon. Friend and himself hal addres-ed the House. His Noble Friend was most anxious that they should not separate for the holidays without having an opportunity of dis tinctly explaining his conduct by referring to the documents, and showing, as he (Sir R. Peel) thought he could conclu sively show, that the accusation of want of good faith in his transactions with the New Zealand Company was without foundation. Ho did not apprehend that his Noble Friend wanted to call on the House for any expression of opi nion on the general question, but his Hon. Friend, as the re presentative of tom Noble Friend, was most anxious in a matter that need not necessarily provoke any disco lion on the ge neral policy, but on a matter in which his personal conduct was involved, and an accusation of want of good faith made, that an opportunity for explanation should be given.—( Hear, hear.) His Noble Friend, feeling as a man of honour on this subject, did not wish the House would separate without such an oppor tunity being afforded.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. AGLIONBY was glad that the Right Hon. Baronet had spoken out in the way he did, feeling that any person whose public conduct was arraigned should have an opportunity of offering an explanation to the House. And if the Hon. Secretary for the Colonies had taken the same course, he believed that this discussion would have been termi nated before. Those who took part in the former debate, com plained that no notice had been given to them. The Hon. Se cretary for the Colonies had given notice, indeed, five minutes ago behind the Speaker's chair.—( Hear, hear.) But was that an intimation which ought to receive Parham eitary sanction? —( Hear, hear.) The Committee who sat last year took an in terest in this discussion. Was any intimation given to them that this question was about to be raised? If he understood the Hon. Gentleman, he intimated his intention of bringing before the House, for discussion and division, the whole ques tion of the complaints made by the New Zealand Company against the Colonial-office, and the demand for reparation. But he begged to tell the Hon. Under Secretary, that he could not drag on a discussion when he pleased. The Hon. Baronet had correctly stated his ( Mr. Aglionby's) views the other night. He did not think that debate would take the angry turn it af terwards did,' and he certainly did not intend to bring on the New Zealand question except as a dernier resort. He would tell the Right lion. Baronet that the petition to which reference had been made was one to which the atten tion of lion. Members was particularly requested. Great con sideration had been given to the wording of it, and they only made application in it to the justice of the Government. The petition was not yet ready, and it was doubtful whether it might be presented, and a motion founded upon it, before Easter. Until th , facts produced before the House were ex.. hibited in a condensed form, it would be useless to expect Hon. Members to enter into a discussion upon the subject. There existed a feeling in the minds of Hon. Members prejudicial to the interests of the New Zealand Company and in favour of the Government. He had many striking facts to show that the New Zealand Company had endeavoured to de a great public good, but they had been thwarted by the Government. He could not think that the Right Hon. Baronet hail ente. ed into the merits of this case. the claims of the Ne,v Zealand Company could be shown to be just, and if their interests ware injured by the proceedings of the Colonial Government , if their hopes were protracted, surely it was but reasonable that the Howe should pay some attention to their claims. He did think that the recent appeal to the House might be useful. The Company appeared before the House as claimants for justice. He did not object to state all the reference that had been made to Lord Stanley in the petition which was in course of signature, and if he entered upon the subject somewhat lengthily, he hoped the House would excuse him. He had not expected that the discussion on the other evening would have degen e bt r io a e t et e llt d eed i N n vt t oo o r d t t h h e ,es s nw p set e rr r da s t, instructions."e,sa.n d H t o e h ( Mr. Aglionby) had then ojec o t v e H s u e b s w t i as t t a e b d 'fuotr to the word " order," but he would now allude to another point before he did so. He had heard of very hostile and angry letters that had been written and passed between Lord Stanley and Captain Fitzroy upon this subject ; but he could not further allude to them, as he understood they had been withdrawn. However it might be said that the New Zealand Company should make out their case, and then it would devolve upon Lord Stanley to make good his objection to it. It bad beers further said that that had been done, and that the Irin ,:fit ICE 2 0 T u ) )IPA2, on tiv En ~ ~g Paper am Octobper 1 Court, hel 14 p apel AU RUgt, Pae, Au gust, 1 R • t'i ft 1:11 L a Mated 1 11 for Ito 7.11: IZlat ? r lta ga ° tit 3 ~---