The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-15 00:00:00

THAMES EMBANKMENT BILL

On the motion for the third reading of this bill.
Yr. GRIFFITH objected to the form in which crows
clause had bees inserted in this bill, on the ground that
they revived the veto of the sovereign in matters affecting
the crown property, a power which bad long sinoe been
regarded as obsolete.
hfr. AYRTON said there were two points upon which he
wished to say • few words. On a former coomicat be had
stated that the parliameotery agents employed by the go•
verument for the promotion of this reason were solicitors
carrying on buidoces at Hertford. The right hm gentle-
man the First Commissioner not only denied the seetusey of
that statement, but imputed motives to him (Yr. Ayrtoe)
for having made it. He could only Day that he made the
statement on the authority of the Law List. bet he had sines
received • copy of the Hertfordshire Guardian, te which he
found martinis, stating that the Grin referred to were soli-
citors is Hertford, and had offices there, with their names
on the door. He trusted that the right hoe. gentleman
would therefore withdraw the imputation be bedside upon
him, and admit the accuracy of the statement
mode in this respect. The emend point
which he would refer was as to the fund for
defraying the Met of the proposed embank:seat. He had
asked the First Gomroncerear of Werke to Mate sot el what
food the expenses were to be and the right
parts
sallt
seatisstea simply referred him be the deem hi the

bill by whicii.the Treasury were empowered to hand over
eny surplus from the Loudowbridge Approaches Fund for
the purpose, but whether that fund would be snakiest or
not no onektiew. In fact, they were passing the bill almast
wholly in the dark upon a most essential point, namely,
where the fund was to oome from for the embankment.

Mr. COWPER said the hoe. and learned member corn
plained of his answers, but he thought he (the right hon.
gentleman) had greater reason to complain of the course
pursued by the lion. and learned member and others
who bad sought to divert the attention of the house
from the Thames embankment to frivolous and im-
material personal questions. All be knew was that
the persons employed by the government as parliamentary
agents had offices in London, and had for many
years acted in that capacity. He knew nothing whatever
of them as solicitors at Hertford, though he had since been
informed that II son of the parliamentary agent was a soli.
Mier at Hertford. But whether that was so or not was
perfectly immaterial, and had not in the slightest degree
influenced the selection of a parliamentary agent. As to the
foods out of which the embankment was to beconstructed,
be bad given the only answer which was possible. With
respect to the objection of the hon. member opposite IMr.
Griffith) he would simply reply that our legislation provided
that no property should be taken without the assent of the
owner, and the crown, as owner of the hereditary revenues,
was oily placed by this bill in the same position as private
iaclivid
Its bill was then read a third time and puss&
THE JAMAICA LO IN (SETTLEMENT) BILL.

Mr. C. ?ORTESCUE,in moving tbe second reading of the
Jamaica Loan (Settlement) Bill, stated that it was for the
purpose of withal' by compromise a very old debt due by
the *okay, of the history of which be pre a short sketch,
explaining the terms upon which it was proposed to remit
the arrears of the debt.

—Yr. VTWidradioppolied the bill, considering that
the people of Jamaica were perfectly capable of raying the
amount due, and moved to defer the second reading for
three months.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER reminded
the house of the effects of imperial Lgrlation, which had
placed the colony in peculiar difficulties ' • but while he felt
ey stron that Jamaica bad a claim to consideration, be
should have thought it his duty, he said, to stand out for
more &wearable terms for this country, but for the eircum-
stases that the governor of Jamaica, as the representative
of the crown, bad made a proposal for the remission of the
loan, which bad been adopted by the Assembly in a bill.
He therefore recommended the house to accept a compro-
mise that would insure the dinappeaninoe of the governor's
aalap from the estimates.

Slr H. WILLOW:MEV hoped the house would take
warning from this transaction, and be cautious in future in
lending money to colonise.
Mr. CAVE explained the circumstances under which the
riCi:lnutaseinenoo. onategn7dobyttrie conllnooey, o'nbts'erving arrant,
tntheree
was no chair* of the present proceeding being (hewn into •
precedent.
The discussion wee continued by Mr. Medfield, Mr. Scully,
air M. Farquhar, and Alderman Sidney.
The amendment was negatived, and the bill was read •
snood time.

The Divorce Court Bill sod the Public Offices F.:Minion
Billpmeod the committee. _

The Charity COMUliielollere Jurisdiction Bill was read •
second time, after • abort explanation of its object by Sir
O. Garr.

TlMhOare then went into committee upon the Lunacy
lion Bill.
ills SMITH moved amendments of the 3rd clause,
with the view of excluding two restrictions, one limiting
the inquiry in lunacy cases to two years from its date ; the
other declaring that the opinion of any medical practitioner
shall not be aiireble u evidence of the insanity of the
party
After much discussion the former amendment well
negatived upon a division by 86 to 50 ; the latter was
carried by 72 to 63.
The 7th clause, as to the employment of short-hand
writen, wu negatived.
The remaining clauses and certain new clauses were
agreed to.
Other bills were forwarded a stage, and the house
adjourned at *quarter to 3 o'clock.