The Press.
London, England, 1857-06-13 00:00:00

DUCHY OF LANCASTER.

Mr. WISE called the attention of the house to the
financial accounts of the Duchy of Lancaster, and
moved for returns setting: cith certain details of the
estates appertaining tc .tat Crown property, and of
the sales, grants, leases, purchases, and exchanges
of lands, mines, and rents forming part of the duchy.
In support of his motion, the hon. member stated
the revenues were absorbed by useless functionaries,
or lost by mismanagement. The staff included a
chancellor of the duchy with 2,000/. a year, a vice-
chancellor with 6001. a year, a receivergeneral with
8781. a year, an auditor with 2001., a clerk, secretary,
and registrar with 1,310/. between them ; a solicitor
with 300!., and a surveyor with 500/. There were
also two attorneys general' one for the County
Palantine and one for the Duchy of Lancaster ; also
fifteen receivers and twenty-three stewards. Other
charges on the estate are as follows:—Donations,
1,603/. ; law, 333/.; surveys, 540/. ; annuities, 0031. ;
and "sundries," 1,8731. The income of the royal
property for a term of years had only averaged
38,0001. per annum, of which the privy purse re-
ceived not more than 13,000/. per annum.
Alderman COPELAND seconded the motion.
Mr. BAINES, in reply, admitted the existence of
abuses, but maintained that great improvements in
the management of the property were being carried
out. The privy purse, which in 1851 only received
12,0001. as the yearly rental, in 1856 had received
20,000/., and there was a prospect of p further
increase this year.
The motiQu Tins agreed to.

THE PRESS.

INDIAN ADMINISTRATION.
Mr. KINNAIRD called attention to the Bengal mis-
sionary petition, and moved two resolutions declaring
that the Bengalese population suffered grievous
oppression from the police, and from the want of a
proper administration of justice, and enjoining on
the Government the duty of making special inquiry
into the social condition of the people, especially
with reference to the system of landed tenures, the
state of the police, and the administration of justice
generally in the lower provinces of Bengal. The
hon. member cited Many testimonies corroborating
the allegations contained in his resolutions, and en-
forced the necessity of instituting a full inquiry into
grievances and maladministrations, of which com-
plaints had been made.
Mr. DUNLOP seconded the motion.
Mr. VERNON SMITH denied that the East India
Company was answerable for the mischief complained
of. The chief allegations, he observed, were the
deficiencies of the police and of the administration
of justice, and the answers to these allegations were
contained in papers already presented to the house,
extracts of which he read. Questions connected
with the land tenures of India were beset with
difficulties. With respect to the police, inquiries
were being instituted by the Government, and
remedies for ascertained grievances were in operation,
while the Legislative Council of India were passing
bills for the improvement of the judicial administra-
tion. He should resist the motion upon the ground
that the Government had neglected no inquiry, and
were now acting vigorously in the very direction
suggested in the motion. A commission of inquiry
such as was proposed would really delay improve
ment, embarrass the progress of refotrns already
commenced, and infuse into the minds of the nation
an expectation of change, and distrust of the exist-
ing system, which might lead to very serious per-
plexities.
Sir ERSKINE PERRY supported the motion.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL r. joiced that this discussion
had occurred, though he could not support the
motion ; for the time had come, not for inquiry, but
for action. There were serious faults in the Go-
vernment of India. It was incontestable that very
serious evils existed. The police system was highly
mischievous. The courts of justice were also im-
perfect in constitution end badly administered. On
these and other points remedies were urgently re-
quired, and he saw no difficulty in devising and
applying them except such as might be interposed
for the sake of an unwise economy.
Mr. R. MANGLES, on behalf of the East India
Company, gave a pledge that no economy should
stand in the way of establishing the best administra-
tion of justice and system of police that could be
found practicable throughout India.

Mr. KINNAIIW then desired to withdraw his motion.

Mr. HADFIELD, however, insisted on a division,
when the previous question was moved by Mr.
EVAtiF, and carried by a majority of 119 to 18.
The house then passed to the orders of the day,
and agreed to the clauses of the Joint stock Companies
Bill. The Sound Dues Bill, and Militia Act (Ire-
land), were real a second time, and the Court of
Exchequer and County Cess (Ireland) Bills passed
through committee.
The house adjourned at twenty minutes passed
elven o'clock.

NOTICES OF MOTION.
MONDAY.

Mr. HENLEY, on behalf of Sir J. Pnkington, who was pre-
vented by an accident trout coming down to the house—that it
was not the intention of his right hen. fi tend to move his reso-
lutions on national education on Thursday, in consequence of
the state of public business:
sir PERRY—that on Tuesday next, on the resolution for
the member tur Perth. in reference to India. he should move as
an amendment to the second resolution, that the evils com-
plained of might be remedied by the appointment of proper
persons as judges and magistrates.