The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-05 00:00:00

THE AIISTILALLAN COLONIIM

Mr. MARSH salted the Usder-fieorstary of State for the
Colonist whether any, and if any what petitioos bad bees
received within the last thus can at the Colonial-office, for
presentation to her Majesty, hem different districts in Ana.
truths, praying for separation hem the existing colonies and
the tormationof new colonies.

Mr. C. FORTESCUE said that in 1881 three petitioe•
were received from certain districts in New South Wales (the
Richmond sod New Seemed districts), praying for a sepa-
ration from New Swath Wales, and annexation to the
colony of Queensland. Is 1862 a petition was received
from certain inhabitants in the western portion of the
colony of Victoria, praying for separation from that colony
for the purpose of forming with portions of South Australia
• new and distinct colony. Those were the only petitions
which had bees received upon the subject.
THE ISLAND OF SOMBRERO.
Mr. MAOUIRE asked the Under Secretary for Foreign
Affairs whether the government had received any informa-
tion that Ousted Tatham, of her Majesty's ship Fatal, 50
guns. had, on the island of Sombrero, inled down the
American flag. He wished to know whether there would
be any objection to produce the corre=pondence.
Mr. LAYARD said it was • mistake to say that the
island of Sombrero was discovered ten years ago by an
American. The island of Sombrero was well-knows, and
bed long formed part of the British posseedoos in the
Caribbean Sea. It was surveyed is 1810 by Captain Hayes,
• British officer, and again in 1850 by another British offi-
cer. In 1856 Captain Johns, of the United States, dis-
covered some deposits of phosphate of lime, and
since that time this mine had been worked,
sad people had settled on the island. When
Captain Tatham visited the island a abort time ago he
found the United Stets Ssg hoisted, and bciog a British
*Close he was unwilling that that flag should be bolded
while he remained there, as he considered it would be ac-
ksowledging the sovereignty of the United State. Captain
Tatham therefore reqnseted it to be pulled down, and on
refusal he caused it to be hauled down. There wu no cor-
respondence on the subject.
INLAND REVENUE BELL.
_ _ _

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER announced
that was his intestios to take the Inland Revenue Bill
on Thursday next
CITY POLICE AMALGAMATION BILL.
Sir J. DUKE asked whether, after the decision of the
esaminer, it was the intention of government to proceed
with the Police Amalgamation Bill?
Sir G. GREY said that be had already answered that
question. The bill for the ELIDAIPIIIIIAOII of the Metro-
politan sad City police proposed to repeal a Qty set,
which was termed a local set, and therefore required to be
seat to the examiner to report whether the standing orders
bad been complied with. The atomiser's report was that
they had not been complied with, and the matter had
been subsequently referred to the standing orders com-
mittee. Until the report of that committee had bees
received no further steps could be taken with the bill.
THE "NO HOUSE. ON FRIDAY LAST.
Lord R. MONTAGU roes to briu4 under the notice of
the house what be believed to be a serious infraction of its
rules and a violation of the pledges given by the government
in 1962, when the orders were chaoged. He alluded to the
count out on Friday last. On that occasion the right ho s.
gentleman in the chair did not begin to count until the •
latest moment. He gave the government the greatest lati-
tude, and reamed so very slowly that every number wooded ,
like a minute min or a signal of distress. It seemed also
horn the right hon. gentleman's voice that he was distressed ,
and grieved at the prospect of a prompters adjournment. ,
(Laughter.) When last year it was agreed that the house I
at its rising on Friday should adjourn until the following
Monday it nasals" arranged that supply should be placed
Ant on the paper in order that honourable members
might have the opportuoity of spniking the same
as on the question of adjournment. The noble lord here
quoted the speeches of Laird Hothara and other members
In the discussion of the previous year, in order to show that
the understanding then use that government should make
and keep &house on Fridays, in order that private members
might have the opportunity of bringing forward their ques-
tions. He urged that her Majesty's ministers had com-
mitted a breach of faith with the house in not doing no on
Friday last, ad concluded by moving an adjournment of
the house.
Mr. GRIFFITH, in seconding the motion, boned that
no subterfuge would be resorted to by the government to
justify their conduct. There were actually thirty-six
members in the house on Friday last, and the Speaker made
thirty-seven. If, therefore, the hoe. member for Lewes
and bin two satellites had only attended, them would ham
been sufficieot, There had, therefor% bees an evident is-
tention to evade some motion, for not only was the house
not made, but it was prevented from being merle, as was
very well known to numbers of members then present,
Mr. B. COCHRANE said it was very desirable that the
house should understood what was the real position of the
governmeet with respect to these Friday sittings. He had
been there on Friday last, and he could safely say that not
a single member of the government was then present, whilst
certain parties in the lobby employed themselves in pre-
'eating members from coming in. (No, no.) He thought
the house should know whether government was bound to
links and keep a boom on Fridays.
Vie:oast PALMERSTON said it would be an affectation
is any member of the government to my, ea the occasion of
a boom not being merle, that be was as much grieved sad
distressed as the right boo. gentleman in the chair
was repropasted to have bees as Friday lost

tls laugh.) He could, however, ocarely say that
be was sorry the house had d
not bees made.
for he felt that thew:imminent would havebeen strengthened
by the conclusive answers they could have given to the
motions on the pew. It was said that a promise had been
made that on -Fridays the government should make and
keep a howl., awl there was certainly an understanding that
go ernment should do what was usual for that purpose. He
could assure the house, however, that the adjournment of
Friday teat was purely accidental. There was no prevention,
and surely if there were 37 members present, and a great
many more in the lobby, a house might easily have
been made without any interference of the govern-
ment. He mat say that in his judgment there
was a fellowship of duty in these matters, and
whilst he admitted that government should con-
tribute its quota, be thought that members having motions
should also do something. He was thankful for the admis-
sion that the remnants of Friday nights belonged to govern-
ment, for he remembered that on a late occasion a govern-
about motion was restated at half-past nine o'clock on the
ground that the night belonged to private members. It
was to be observed that this was the first instance dining
Os session in which a house faded of being made, and there
was only one instance in which it was broken up on the
arithmetical question—that was when the hon. member for
King's County being, which was very unusual for him, WOMB
anxious to go to bed then to businem, moved that the
house be counted at half-pest one in the morning.
He could only assure the house and private members that
Ihe was sorry they should have been put to any inconve-
nience. It was really no preconcerted scheme on the part
of the government, and there was no action on the part of
his hon. friend to prevent members coming in. It was
simply an accident, but he could assure the noble lord the
government would take measures to prevent its recur-
rence. (Cheers.)
Mr. DISRAELI expressed his regret at the occurrence of
Friday, as he thought it a violation of a compact with re-
gard to the conduct of the business of the house.