The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

GOVEINIIENTIOF INDIA BILL.

On the motion for the thud reading of this bill,
Mr. BRIGHT remarked that the clause as to the quali-
fication of the directors, which had been omitted at his
instance, tad been introduced on the previous day when he
was cot present. He thought whin such a change was to
be made in a bill under such circumstances some notice
should l)e
. . .

Sir C. WOOD explained that as the clause now stood
the same amouut of stock qualification was fixed for all the
directors, which he believed met the objection to the clause
as it originally stood.
Alter a few words from Mr. Bright, Mr. Hume, and Lord
J. Russell,
Mr. HEY WORTH rose to move the following resolution
in the shape of a clause —" That whereas the East India
Company are the territorial landlords of India, it be an in-
struction given by this act, to the government now esta-
blished in India, that it shall forthwith institute a survey of
all the jungle, uninclosed end unoccupied land*, and shall
cease the same to be mapped out, for the purpose of selling
the said lands as freeholds, at prices Rot exceeding Is. per
acre, and thereby without interfering with the present
tenure of the lands already occupied and brought into culti-
, tuition, a system of freeholds in land may be introduced,
which is a main stimulus to productive agricultural in-
dustry."
The clause was then negatived without a division.
Mr. J. 0. PHILLIMOItE moved the following clause :
Whereas it is essential for the good government of British
India, and highly conducive to the contentment of the
people, that no case of real misgovernment or of well-
grounded grievance, should be without all real means of
redress, be it enacted, th,t persons suffering under alleged
wrong may lay their cue before the Lords Justices, and
that if they shall allow the farther prosecution of the
case, it shall be referred to the Judicial Committee
of the Privy Council, and the decision of the Judi-
cial Committee upon such case shall be final."
Mr. LOWE soid the question raised by this motion bed
been already decided by the house in committee; and the
cases that had been citcd about the Rajah of Coorg and
others were quite irrelevant to the motion. No ground
whatever had been laid for the proposition. There was no
peculiar fitness in the Lords Justices, equity lawyers, for
deciding questions relating to India. If there was any
appeal at Al, why should it not be to the Privy Council at
once ? But the matter bad been already once decided, and
therefore he would not waste the time of the house in dis-

cussing it.
Mr. MALINS said the Lords Justices had enough to do
without having this additional duty imposed upon them.
Mr. BLACKETT complained of the offhand tone and
manner in which the hon. member for Kidderminster had
met this proposal, but particularly with the way in which he
had dealt with the cases of the Rajahs of Coorg and Setters.
Mr. MURROUGH said that the time was not far distant
when all these cases of complicated and long-endured
wronas would recoil upon the heads of the Court of Di-
rectors who had inflicted them. If, therefore, parliament
wished to preserve our Indian empire, it would at once see
that justice was done to the natives ; and, as he thought this
proposal was a step in the right direction, it should have
his most cordial support. (Hear, hear.)
Sir R. H. INGLIS wu very much inclined to agree with
the view taken of this question by the hon. and learned gen-
tleman the member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne. But it was
quite obvious that if they wished to make these tribunals
operative, they must make come provision by which their
decrees could be carried out; and although he did not dis-
pute the cases of wrong which had been cited in favour of
this case, he yet thought, for the reason he had just stated,
that the tribunal which it suggested would prove ineffec-
tive, even if it were established. (Hear. hear.)
Mr. HUME said this bill would certainly be incomplete
' if they did not make an effort to fill up that omission, and
he therefore hoped the government would suggest a remedy
themselves. (Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL contended that the remedy then
which this clause proposed was a remedy which ran through
the whole bill, at least if it did not the bill was good for
nothing, and they ought at once to set about seeking for
another and a better government for India. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. BRIGHT said he took a different view of this sub-
ject from that of the noble lord, who seemed to think that
no evil could now be done in India, and that what had
occurred under Warren Hastings could net occur under
Lord Dalhousie. New he (Mr. Bright) was of opinion that
in the last fifteen years, as in the cases of the .ajah of Sat-
tara and the Ameers of Scinde, there had been committed
crimes of as great magnitude as there ever were in the ear-
liest
and worst times in India. He; hoped the noble lord
would not let this bill pass without • clause establishing
such a tribunal. He hoped, even if this clause was not ad-
mitted, that some similar clause would be introduced in the
other house.

After some further discussion, the house divided :
For the clause
Against .
Mr. WISE brought up a clause affecting the patronage
of the college at Addiscombe. 11e proposed that that patron.
age should be distributed between the Board of Control, the
Governor-General of India, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland,
and the directors. in equal proportions. (Laughter.)
Mr. 111.31 E could not tee what connexion the Lord Lieu-
tenant of Ireland had with Addiscombe ? (Hear.)
Sir C. WOOD said that this question had been fully de-
cided in committee. A general expression of opinion had
been obtained t►at Addiscombe was as perfect an institution
as could be obtained.

The clause was then negatived.
Mr. BRIGHT proposed • clause which he was con-
vinced the house ought to pass, and which would
greatly improve the bill, the effect of which was
to bring together into one building the " India
house," and the . Board of Control." He appealed to the
house, as men of business, whether such an arrangement
was not desirable ? The noble lord (Russell) had said that
evening that the government of India was compli-
cated and dilatory; and this was • plan to diminish
those evils. The right honourable gentleman (Sir
C.
_Wood) did very quickly what he had to do; but
he did not always do it very well, and he wou'd
hays more time, and probably do things better, if his com-
munication with the India House was more direct. He
(Mr. Bright) proposed that the building ter the combined
departments should be in Downing-street, and, therefore,
as that was a favourite locality, the right hon. gentleman
would probably offer, on this occasion, less strin-
gent objections than he had urged when this suggestion
was last before the house. He (Mr. Bright) did aot object
to the increased salary voted to the President of the Board
of Control, if that official would take up a proper position.
Mr. Marchmont had defined the office to be the "penal
station of every cabinet ;" but he (Mr. Bright) did not wish
that to be the,case. A . penal station" at 6,0001. • year was
worth having ; and the nght hon. gentleman was no doubt
prepared for the future to discharge first class duties ; and
us the President of the Board of Coutrol was now on a
level with other Secretaries of State, and as directors were
now to have higher salaries, they were bound to work is a
more concentrated way, and the lax system of notes
and letter writing ought to be done away with.
The improvement would be obvious and immediate. As to
the expense that had been repudiated as an element in the
consideration of this bill, and it was a question which ought
not now to be started, more particularly es he believed the
arrangesneut he proposed would save 150,000/. a year in
salaries and pensions. (The hon. gentleman went into de-
tail, to justify this calculation.) The government here
should be merely a government of revision and not of detail,
and the enormous number of clerks now employed ought
to be quite unnecessary. The India House would bring
as much, on a sale, as would pay for a new build-
ing and leave • handsome surplus. The library and
the museum of the India House could be placed somewhere
where they would be accessible and advantageous to the
public. What, then, was the objection to the plan ? There
could be none ; and he called upon the government to
accede to it. It was true the directors were city men; but
they could come to the west-end by boat for 2d.
Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion.

---
Sir C. AVOOD replied, with regard to the increase m►de
in his salary, that he would undoubtedly endeavour to
deserve it by increased l►bour and asaiduity ; and,
in the next place, that if the two offices in
question were to be consolidated, they must un-
doubtedly be consolidated at the west-end; but
that be did not see how the consolidation was to be effected
while the government of India remained a double govern-
ment. It would certainly be mirehievous if they took away
front the directors even the appearance of independence,
and such might be a result of confounding their offices with
those of the Board of Control. Ile doubted if any expense
would be saved by the conjunction ; and he founded that
doubt upon the cost of the only available ground in
the neighbourhood of the ordinary government offices.
He thought it right to say thus much in answer to the
arguments of his hon. friend (Mr. Bright) ; but he would
not go further into the matter, as it had so lately been dis-
eased•

The house divided ; the numbers wets—
For the clause
Against it
'Sir C. WOOD then moved the following clause:—" In-
steed of the yearly sums allowed under the bye-laws of the
said compsuy to tht chairman, deputy chairman, and other
directors, for their attendance upon the business of the said
company, there shall be allowed to the chairman, deputy
chairman, and directors, under this act, the yearly sums
following (that is to say): To the chairman IMO/. a rar,
to the deputy chairman 1,A4)0/. a year, and to every other
director 1,000/. a year." When this question first came
before the house be bad not felt himself justi&•d in pro-
posing so large an amount of salary, but the government
were now of opinion that in bringing firward this propo-
sition they were only yielding to the opinion of

those hon. members who had spoken upon the
subject. Of course neither he nor his colleagues had
any direct interest in the matter; at the same time,
he did not hesitate to say that it was his opinion that
the inereand amount of salary ought to be paid. The
only question of course was—how to obtain the services of
those who were best qualified to serve as directors ? This
could only be done by remunerating them for the time and
attention they would be compelled to spend in the exercise
of the dude. of the otliix. After this explanation, he did
not think that her Majesty's ministers would be trunted
with having introduced this clause for the benefit of their
nominees. _

The clause haying been brought up and read, the house
went into committee upon it.
On the motioa to till up the blank for the chairman's
salary with 1,5001. a re:,
Mr. HADFIELD objected to the statement of the right
Ilion gentleman (Sir C. Wood) which cast the responsibility
of this increase of salary upon the house. Certainly
nothing which he (Mr. Hadfield) bad said could have led
the President of the Board of Co:Awl to entertain an
idea that the salary was too small. Ile thought
that the amount originally named was ample. There
bad never been any difficulty in obtaining di-
rectors when the salary was only 3001. a-year.
A thousand pounds in his judgment was altogether unne-
cessary, wasteful, and improper. There was another reason
to be urged, that this state el things could not last lung, the
house having reserved to itself annually the power of dis-
cussing this question, and it would very soon therefore
make an alteration. And it seemed that so for from stiffen
log by the alteration in the patronage they had benstited
by it. The increase to 5001. was a moderate thing, but an
increase to 1,0001. seeme.l Inconsistent. Ile moved, there-
fore, that the salary of the chairman be as at tint proposed
I,OOOL instead of 1,5001.

Mr. HUME seconded.
The committee divided:
For the amendment 99
Against it

The proposal of the goy( remit was, therefore, lost.
On returning to the galiery we found
Sir C. WOOD proposing that the deputy chairman should
have 1,0001. a year, and the other directors 5001.
This having been agreed to the house resumed, and the
chairman reported progress.
Mr. WISE moved the omission of clause 29. His
object was not to press his proposal to a division, but to
elicit from the right hon. gentleman an explanation.
Sir C. WOOD sold the only reason why he had not
entered into any explanation before was that no one had
objected to it. rhe company's forces wore precisely the
same in amount that they were 70 years ago, while the
royal troops had been increased to 30,000. It must be re-
eoPreted, too, that within the last few years there had been
a considerable addition to the Company's territories, and the
government considered this a ground for making some
augmentation of the Company's troops. It was not pro-
vided by the 29th clause that there should positively be
24,000 men, but that number was made the limit He had
further to state that the change was recommended by Lord
Dalhousie and approved by Lord Ilardinge, who could not
be supposed to be inditferrnt to the welfare of the British
army. (Hear, hear) The actual addition which was about
to be made was only 3,000 men.
After a few words from Mr. LOCKHART and Sir Da LACY
EVANS,

The amendment was negatived without a divisioa.
The ball then passed amidst loud cheers.
UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLANIII BILL.

ll) b._
The house moat tato committee on this bill,
On clause 1,
Mr. W. LOCKHART suggested an amendm4ut, to the
effect that the chair of Moral Philosophy, which was inti-
mately connected with Divinity, should be a member of the
established church.

The LORD ADVOCATE said he could not accede to
the suggestion. The chair of Moral Philosophy in Edin-
burgh was filled for 25 years by a professor who was not a
member of the church.

On clause 2,
Mr. SCOTT moved the following amendments :—Page 2,
line 2, after the word "declare," insert "upon the true
faith of a Christian;" page 2, line 2, after the word
declare," insert " believing in the Holy Bible containing
the Old and New Testaments as translated in the authorised
version of the Scriptures in general use." He contended
that one of the first and most positive qualifications for the
instruction of youth was a belief in the Christian religion ;
and how was this to be tested but by such a declaration as
he proposed ? Ile should certainly divide the house on his
proposition. (Cries of " Divide.")
The committee divided—
For the amendment

Against it BI-44
Mr. SCOTT—As the house had resolved upon sanction
log (open infidelity, he would leave the people. of Scotland
to judge of the conduct of their representatives who bad
supported that decision, and decline to propose any further
amendments to the bill. (" Oh, oh," and laughter.)
Lord W. GRAHAM wanted to know if the Right
Hoa. the Chancellor of the Exchequer was prepared to
adopt the same test for the uniteni!ies of Oxford und Cam•
bridge ?
Ins CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would be
prepared when the subject of the university tests of Ox-
ford and Cambridae was before the house, to state his opinion
upon it. (Cheers.)
Mr. CRAUFURD would, at a future stage of the bill,
take the opinion of the house whether them should be any
test at all.

After tome observations from Mr. Inclines; Col. Stull.,
and Mr. NEWDEOATE,
_ _

The clause was agreed to, as were clauses up to 10.
The remaining clauses were agreed to.
The house named.
POOR RELIEF CONTINUANCE BILL.

This bill passed through committee.
TRANSPORTATION BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN FACTORIES

This bill passed through committee..
DRAINAGE OF LANDS (IRELAND) ACT AMEND-
MENT BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
BETTING ROUSES BILL. —4"

Committee postponed till Monday.
ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) ACT CON-
TINUANCE BILL.
•

This bill was read a third time.
TURNPIKE ACTS CONTINUANCE (IRELAND)

BILL.
This bill passed through committee.
PILOTAGE BILL.

In reply to Mr.
Mr. CARDWELL said that this bill would come on upon
Monday neat.
CANTERBURY WRIT.
-- _ - -

Mr. K. SEYMER said that when he gave notice of his
intention to move that thia writ should issue he fully ex-
pected that the report of the commission would be in the
hands of members. Ho had from time to time proposed
the adjournment of the issue of the writ, but he did
not like upon his own responsibility to postpone the
matter any longer. He, therefore, moved that a new writ
should issue for the election of two members for the city of
Canterbury.
Lord J. RUSSELL would move as an amendment that
a new writ should not issue for Canterbury until the next
session of parliament.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE, although he concurred with much
that had fallen from the noble lord, did not think it would
be expedient to close the matter in the way proposed by
the amendment then before the house.

Lord J. RUSSELL had no objection to move the ad-
journment of the debate if that course would be preferred
by hon. members. (Hear, hear.)
The d.b.ae was adjourned accordingly.
INSURANCE OFFICES—INCOME TAX..

Mr. WILSON moved for leave to *leg in a bill to define
the insurance offices whose policies of insurance on lives
will entitle the party insured to a reduction of income tea.
Le►ve was given to bring in the bill.
The house then adjourned at 20 minutes p►ot 2 o'clock.
Mr. Foley his paired with Lord Lewisham from Ist Au-
gust, for the remainder of the session.