The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-21 00:00:00

DIINISTERS' MONEY BILL.

Mr. FAGAN moved the second reading of this bill.
Mr. BAGWELL and Mr. MEAGHER supported the
measure.

Mr. HORSHAM stated the intentions of the Govern-
ment with regard to this question. Considering the
difficulty experienced in collecting the tax, and that
the attempt to enforce it by litigation was futile, the
Government had come to the conclusion that the
only adequate remedy was that suggested by the
committee of 1847, the spirit of which was embodied
in this bill—namely, the abolition of the tax.
Mr. G. A. HAMILTON protested against this mode
of dealing with the matter, and moved to defer the
second reading of the hill for three weeks.
_ _

Admiral JONES seconded this amendment.

Lord PALMERSTON said the ministers' money would
be provided out of the resources of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, by whom :he amount was at present
advanced.

The amendment was then negatived, and the bill
read (formally) a second time, being ordered to be
committed that day three months.

INDIAN TELEGRAPHS.
Mr. WILSON, in reply to questions by Sir D.
Norreys and Mr. Otway, stated that the only line of
telegraphic communication between India and
Europe with regard to which the Government had
entered into any engagements was that from
Seleucia to the Persia Gulf, and the only assistance
to be given to the company would be in the shape
of payment for work done when the liue was com-
pleted.

DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.

Lord PAL3IERSTON, in answer to a question put by
Mr. Otway, said that the affairs of the Wallachian
provinces were now in a trt.in of settlement; the
Austrian troops had began to evacuate the provinces,
Divans were about to assemble to make arrangements
for the future settlement of the country, and he had
no doubt that the Wallachian refugees would be
allowed to return to their homes.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAY.
NAPLES.

The Earl of HARDWICKE inquired the reason why
the squadron sent to the Bay of Naples had been
withdrawn.

Lord CLARENDON replied that the French and
English Governments had been induced to withdraw
their ships of war in consequence of their apprehen-
sion that their presence might lead to an insurrec-
tion in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
The matter shortly afterwards was dropped.
THE TURNER BEQUEST.

Lord Sr. LEONARDS called the attention of the
house to the Turner bequest to the nation, and
complained of the way in which the testamentary
dispositions of that great artist had been neglected
or set aside. He also complained of the "dark
holes" in Marlhorough-house, in which a portion of
the pictures constituting the bequest had been ex-
hibited to the public.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, it was clear,
though that great artist could draw everything else,
be could not draw a will. The result bad been that
the nation bad been forced to submit to a compro.

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miss with the next of kin. With regard to the
exhibition of the pictures at Marlborough-house'
that was the only place of exhibition at the disposal
of the Government, and rather than not exhibit
them at alt the Government had resolved that they
should be exhibited at Marlborough-house, though
it certainly did not intend theta to remain there.