The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 16, 1853.

might be some difficulties in the coastructiuu of the u.
chinery, but he thought those difficulties might be got over,
though it would require experience to construct such me-
shinery as to meet all possible contingencies.
1 The bill was then, by leave, withdrawn.
PETTY SESSIONS (IRELAND) ACT.—SUMMARY
JURISDICTION ,(IRELAND) Act.
The Marquis of CLANIIILCARDE said these bills were
only for the purpose of re-enactiag and consolidating acts
l which had passed in torwr %elisions, and for extending the
jurisdiction of magistrates in fame cases. With regard to
Ithe Petty Sessions Bill, the only flaw principle was in the
'eighth clause, which considerably extended the jurisdiction
of a single magistrate. That extension was given because
there were same parts of the country where it was exceed-
laxly difficult to procure the attendanosof • second maga-
. trate. By another part of the act it was intended to extend
the power of appeal. In the Summary Jurisdiction Bill
the principal point was a clause giving. the magistrates
power to deal with larceny where the Tame of the article
stolen did not exceed 3s. It was manifestly absurd where
the value of the property was so small to send the cue to
the petty sessions. Another clause gave power to the ma-
gistrate to adjudicate in the case of small tenements so that
the owners might recover pewseesion of them. By an act
already in force power was given where the houses were in
towns; this would extend the power to cottages in country
districts having only half an acre of land attached to the
holding. He thought this and other provisions in the bill
would induce landlords to erect a better class of dwelling
houses for the labourers then now existed. The noble mar-
uis concluded by moving the second reading of the Petty
Sessions Bill.
Lord MONT EAGLE objected to giving such lam rowers
to a single magistrate. The practical effect would be that
the powers would be yielded exclusively by the stipendiary
magistrates. He dre the indolence of the magistrates of
the country, who would not travel several miles to attend a
petty sections if the stipendiary magistrate could admi-
nister justice without them. There were some parts of
Ireland where it was very difficult to procure the attend-
ance of a second magistrate, and he should have no objec-
tion to allowing the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with the
sanction of the Lord Chancellor, to give power to one ma-
gistrate to act in these districts. The clause giving to
the migistrates a power over small tenements was beyond
measure important to the tenantry of' Ireland. The law
was in an absurd state as it now stood, and anomalous as
compared with the law of England. In this es well as in
other bills, he wished to take the law and the practice of
England as the guide for their legislation for Ireland. At
present in Ireland they had ens state of the law for market
towns, and another law for other places. The noble lord
wished to make the law the same all over. lie (Lord
Mentesole) said this was a benefit to the tenantry, because
under the present system the difficulty of getting nossession
of cottages had caused the destruction of many of them,
and had beenone great cause of suffering in Ireland. A
landlord did not venture to put a tenant into a cottage, be-
cause under the law, as it now stood, he had no means of
recovering possession.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he did not rise to oppose
the bills, but he agreed with the noble lord who had just
sat down, that the power imposed to be given to a single
magistrate should be accompanied with some safeguard. As
regarded the Summary Jurisilic•ion Bill, he felt anxious
that it should be considered by the members of the govern-
ment of Ireland, members of the House of Commons, who
were now in thiscountry. lie suggested that the second
reading should be taken now, but that the bill should not
be committed before Thursday.
After a few words from the Marquis of CLANRICAUDE,
The bill was read a second time and ordered to be com-
mitted.
SUMMARY JURISDICTION BILL.
This bill was read a second time and ordered to be com-
mitted.

-----
LAND REVENUES BILL.
This bill was read a second time and orlered to be
committed.

----
PIMLICO IMPROVEMENT BILL.
This bill was passed through committee.
TAXING OFFICER COMMON LAW BUSINESS
(IRELAND) BILL.
Thin bill wee reported with amendments, sad ordered to
be road a third time on Monday.

JUVENILE MENDICANCY (No. 2) BILL.
Tbi bill was read a third time and passed.

IDOLATRY IN INDIA.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition from
certain ministers of religion resident in Calcutta, of all
denominations, in which they admitted with gratitude that
much had been done on the part of the East India Com-
pany to prevent idolatrous practices ; but, nevertheless,
still more remained to be done, as they had heard, on good
authority, that • practice prevailed in India by which,
whenever the Governor-General or other great officer of
the company set out on a travelling expedition, offerings
paid for out of the public purse were made to the shrines
on the road. The petitioners stated that these things were
not mentioned in the parliamentary returns, and they
therefore prayed their lordships to institute a searching in-
quiry into these allegations. On the motion of the noble
earl, the petition was ordered to be referred to the com-
mittee sitting upon Indian affiin.
Their lordships then adjourned shortly after eight
o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY, JULY 1.5.
The Sramma took the chair at twelve o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con-
sidered and agreed to :—Bedale and Leyburn Railway;
East Kent Railway ; South Eastern Railway (Strood to
Matt:Wane) ; South Staffnutahire Water Works ; Spalding
Improvement; Victoria (London) Docks; Bills.
The St. George's Harbour Bill ; the Westminster Im-
provements (Dwellings of the Working Clause) Bill, and
the Westport Port and Harbour Bill were read a third time
and payed.

PUBLIC BUSINESS.
EASTERN UNION RAILWAY BILL.
On the motion for the third reading of the Eutem Union
Railway Bill.
Sir G. PECIIELL moved u an amendment that the bill
be read a third time that day six months, as the bill would
inflict an act of grow injustice on the preferential share-
holders of the company.
The house divided,
For the amendment
Against B2-56
The order for the third reading was then diacharged
and the bill was referred back to the committee for a special

rerert.
Tao clauses were agreed to after a long discussion, and
the house re•sumsd.
REMISSION OF THE
_CONSOLIDATED ANNIII-

TIES (IRELAND).
A bill for the remission of the Consolidated Annuities
(Ireland) was brought in by the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, and read a first time.
The house adjourned to six o'clock.

The house resumed at 6 o'clock.
SAVINGS BANKS.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY gave notice that, upon Monday
next, he would put a question to the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, in order to ascertain whether any of the money
Winsavings' banks had been invested in Exchequer
oad ilia, to what amount and under what circum-
Mane
OATHS TAKEN BY MEMBERS OF PARLIA-
MENT.
Sir G. GREY said, that without referring to what had
Oaken plan in former parliaments, it was well known that
a bill had been lately introduced for the purpose of remov-
ing*, disabilities imposed upon persons of the Jewish
kith by the wit to be taken by members of perils-
neat as it now stood. That bill, after receiving
the assent of this house, had been rejected else-
, where. Subsequently a bill had been proposed in the
other house of parliament by a noble and learned lord
(Lord Lyndhurst) of great weight and ability, the
eldest 'table& was to simplify and alter the oaths taken
W members. This bill, however, had not become law.
The ashk lord the member for the City of London (Lord
J. lhamiell) had stated that it was not the intention of go-
inuseat to bring the subject under the consideration of
Me house, in any shape, during the present session. In
that determinatioa he (Sir G. Grey) perfectly concurred.
He wished, however, to ask the noble lord—considering
the unsatisfactory state of the law upon the subject—whet
ther it was the intention of the government next session to
amend the law relating to this matter, either by a separate
bill or by a provision in the bill which was to be brought in
for the general amendment of the representation of the
United Xingdom.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the state of the law
with respect to the oaths taken by members of parliament
was such, that no one could consider it satisfactory. (Hear.)
As the house was aware a trial had taken place upon the
attempt of a gentleman to take his seat without taking the
oaths as they at present stood. One of the learned judges
upon that trial declared that he thought that the oath could
be well taken without the addition of the words on the
true faith of a Christian." Another learned judge stated
that it would be much more satisfactory if parliament would
settle this question, by declaring its opinion upon the oaths.
Since then the noble and learned lord (Lord Lyndhurst) to
whom reference bad been made, had proposed to
the ether house to put the law, with regard
to this question, upon a better footing, hat that
S=had led to no satisfactory result. He (Lord
11) thought it was not advisable, considering the
state of business and the vote of the other house, to bring
the question forward again during that session. He should-, I
however, certainly think it his duty to submit the question
to the house in the nest session of parliament. Whether
this were done in a separate bill or as part of a larger measure
for amending the system of representation, he should not
bring forward a bill for the relief of the Jews specially, but
to place the oaths taken by all members upon a simple
footing, doing away with the ridiculous intolerance and
practical absurdity at present existing. (Cheers.)
TREATMENT OF PRISONERS AT BIRMINGHAM.
Lord D. STUART wished to call the attention of the
noble lord, the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment, to the trostaient to which prisoners had been sub-
=d by the governor of the borough gaol at Binning-
Is impared that the noble lord had sent an inspector
of pima irmially down to Birmingham, who had made a
amen upon the matter. His report stated that a great
deal of cruelty had been exercised towards the prisoners.
He (Lord Dudley Stuart) understood that a counter state-
mut had been made to the noble lord (Lord Palmerston),
awl he therefore now wished to ask him, whether he
was prepared to give any further information upon the
subject I
I Lord PALMERSTON said it was quite true that in
consequence of representations made to him, he bad mused