The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-22 00:00:00

COMMUTED ARMY PENSIONS.
Sir D. L. EVANS moved for returns relative to com-
muted army pensions, comprising warrants and directions
Issued on the subjeet in 1832, and correspondence upon
the subject at different periods. The hon. and gallant officer
observed that this matter had been brought several times
before the house, and the case was a wry hard one on •
number of poor soldiers, who had served their country
bravely, zealously, and faithfully. These poor soldiers were
offered, some years since, four years' pension in advance by
way of commutation, together with grants of land in Canada.
When these poor ignorant men emigrated, they found their
grants of land worthless. Advantage had been tskenof them,
and they could get no redress. It was very much to the
discredit of the government to attempt to profit to the extent
of some 300 e sum, by withholding the pensions of the sur-
vivors of the poor men who bad been thus defrauded.
Mr. HUME said that, having been a party to the original
arrangement by which the pensioner represented by his
hon. and gallant friend had been wronged, he could not
abstain from giving his strong support to the plea put for-
ward on their behalf; for, when he had at first consented to
the commutation of their pensions, Ito bad not reflected how
little fitted a veteran soldier was to sit down for the remain-
der of his days in the back woods of Atnerins. lie hoped
the government would act generously. not to say honestly,
in the matter, and not, for the sake of a few hundred pounds,
suffer these old and deserving men to become parish paupers
in their age and decrepitude.
Mr. F. MAULE said that the papers required by the hon.
and gallant member would mostly be found in the library
of the house. But Le did not hesitate to admit that the
government, baring found the system of commutingpensions
for land to be a bad one, had discontinued and discounte-
nanced it. With regard to the individuals rem. genteel by his
boo. and gallant friend, he was prepared to ear, that pro-
vided they could be identified as the persons really entitled
to the pensions of which they were deprived, there would be
no difficulty in restoring them. Ile at least was not cue who
would refuse this boon.
Lord J. RUSSELL said there would be no difficulty in
restoring the pensions, provided the identity of the man was
proved.
After a few words from Sir D. L. EVANS, the motion was
by leave withdrawn.
CROWN LANDS COMPENSATION.
Mr. HUDSON drew the attention of the noble lord oppo-
site to the circumstance that he, being recently in charge of
a railway bill which would require for its ulterior purposes
some portion of the ' lands of the Duchy of Lan-
caster, bad been told, at the moment when the
remaining formality of giving the assent of the crown to
it remained to be fulfilled, that, unlen he signed a paper
which was presented to him at the same time, by which he
bound hin:self to pay whatever price might be required for
the duchy lands, the royal assent would be withheld. He
did not consider the discourtesy with whicot lee had been
treated by the Chsneellor of the Duchy of Lancaster a suffi•
cient ground for bringing the subject under the notice of the
house ; but he certainly thought he was justified in asking
the noble lord opposite whether the practice of rendering the
assent of the crown to measures passed by the two houses of
legislature contingent upon the price exacted for lands under
its control or in its possession was to be sanctioned in future,
as his experience previous to the case which he had men-
tioned had given him no reason to think it ought to be, or,
indeed, would be ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he had no knowledge of
the circumstances to which the hon. member referred.
All he knew on the subject of crown property was, that
these in charge of it were bound by the duties of their office
to see that the rights of the Queen were takes due care of
before the royal assent was given to private bills effecting
them.
The subject then dropped.
VENTILATION,—DR. REID.
Mr. R. YORKE moved for certain correspondence and
minutes of proceedings taken in committee in 1346, relative
to the disputes which had prevailed in regard to the rival
plans of Dr. Reid and Mr. Barry fur ventilating the new
houses of parliament. The hon. member said that the noble
lord at the head of the Woods and Forests had acceded to',
his motion and therefore that all he had to do was to express
the deep sense of gratitude entertained by him towards Dr.
Reid fur the plan of ventilation introduced by him.
Sir It. Notts and Mr. lItNDLSY both concurred in this
sentiment.
Viscount MORPETH likewise agreed in the estimate of
Dr. Reid's services, and hoped that the proposal which
would be sent in by him for ventilating the Commons House
of Parliament would be such as could be accepted.
The return was then ordered.
The hours adjourned at balf-past five o'clock until to-
morrow (this day), at one.