The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-03 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TucsDAY, APRIL 2.

IN the Horns of COMMONS,
Mr. W. PATTEN, having presented a petition
from a number of electors of Lancaster who, he
said, were uncontaminated by the corrupt practices
carried on at the last election for that borough,
against the proposed disfranchisement of that
borough, moved that the mayor and corporation of
the borough, who had also petitioned, be heard by
counsel at the bar of the house.

Mr. WALPOLE opposed and the Marquis of HAR-
TrNoToN supported the motion, though he admitted
the justice of the report of the commissioners.
After a few observations from Sir It. Palmer,
Mr. D. Griffith, Sir George Grey, and tho Chan-
cellor of the Exchever, the latter of whom said
if they were to put down bribery they must make
the report of the commission final, the motion was
withdrawn.

Mr. CRAW FORD obtained leave to bring in a bill
for the preservation of Bunhill-fields burial ground
as an opt.ai square. . .

Lord. Am BiatEv moved for leave to bring in a
bill to amend the act of 21st Geo. 111., chapter 49,
for preventing certain abuses and profanation' on
Sundays. In 1865 and 18n6 lectures were given
a'. St. Martin's-hall on Sunday evenings by Pro-
fessor Huxley, Sir J. Bowring, and others, which
were stepped by notice from the chairman of the
Lord's Day Observance Society, who threatened to
indict the keeper of the hall, and to proceed for
penalties against the chairman of the meeting.
The bill did not interfere with places of amuse-
ment, but it repealed so much of the act as related
to the delivery of lectures on Sundays at places
where money was taken at the doors.
Mr. B. HOPE said the question was a very wide
one, and lie suggested that the bill should be re-
ferred to a select committee.

Mr. KINNAIRD joined in this suggestion.
Lord .tNIBERLEY said he would consider whether
he would adopt the suggestion.
Leave was then given to brinn•* in the bill.
Mr. DENT called attention to the sixth report of
the Children's Employment Commission, and
moved that the employment of women and chil-
dren in agriculture should be regulated as far as
may be by the principle of the Factory Acts.
Mr. Fawcwrr seconded the motion, which, after
some observations by Mr. A. PEEL, Mr. POWELL,
Mr. W. E. FOR.STIR, Mr. GREENE, Mr. WALPOLE,
Sir H. VERNEY, and Mr. NEWDEGATE, was agreed
to.
Mr. CRAWFORD moved that it is expedient in the
interests of the public that in cases w ere adequate
security can be given the State should assume the
responsibility of the debenture debt of railway com-
panies unable to meet their engagements, upon con-
ditions providing for the eventual acquisition of
much railways by the State. At the present
moment railway companies were experiencing
the greatest difficulty in renewing their de-
bentures, this difficulty having arisen from
the judgment of Lord Cairns. All kinds of
suggestions had been made to remedy the evil.
The real remedy, he thought, was to be found
in the proposition he was about to submit. He
proposed that any company unable to meet its
engagements should apply to the government,
which, if it saw lit, and was satisfied with the
security, should grant the required assistance, that
it should issue obligations running for 50 years,
which should be a first charge after payment of the
working expenses. Then to prevent the company
from wasting its resources he proposed to give the
government a veto on expenditure on capital ac-
count, which might be easily done, ;or it was al-
ready done in India. He also proposed that a
company which obtained the assistance of the
state should surrender the freehold of the
land to the government which should then grant
a lease of the land for a long period—say 99
years—to the company. The credit of the go-
vernment would enable the companies to raise
money at 1 per cent. less than they could raise it
on their sown security, and ho proposed that
the companies should be required to Invest that
1 per cent. every year in consols, by which
means, at the end of fifty years, the obligations
of the companies would be paid off. By laying by •
very small sum in addition, the companies might
at the end of the 99 years' lease be in possession
of a sum equal to their capital. The state would
be in possession of the railways, worth near 500
millions sterling. On these grounds, he submitted
that the plan was worthy of consideration.
Mr. S. CAVE said the best way of getting out of
this difficulty was the issue of debenture stock at
any rate of interest which would succeed in float-
ing it. He did not think that the government
should guarantee the debenture-debt of railway
companies. If they assisted one company they would
excite the jealousy of others. Government should
do nothing which individuals could do.
Mr. T. HANXEY considered the proposition of '
Mr. Crawford of so startling a cFaracter thrt he
could not conceive how that house could possibly
sanction it.

Mr. Alderman SALOYONS differed so far from
Mr. Crawford that he would not relieve insolvent
railways. If railways were insolvent let them be
sold. He thought, however, every one must admit
that something should be done to assist solvent
companift.
Mr. J. B. Stairs thought they might take a les
son from the United States. There, instead of
applying the traffic receipts to the payment of
dividends, they applied them in the purchase of
their osn debenture bonds, which they transferred
to the shareholders in payment of their dividends.
Mr. tivot-artimo attributed the difficulty to
the facility with which that house had granted bills
for new railways.
Mr. LAING thought this was one of those ques-
tions in which government could not be expected
to take the lead, but he thought the discussion
would do good, and in the meantime he looked
forward to the companies being free from the
trammels they were now under, as a relief from
the immediate pressure.
Mr. WATKIN considered this a good opportunity
for the state to take advantage of the receipts of
the railway companies, in order by a mere using of
the credit of thestate to take measures whereby the
national debt might be either very materially re-
duced or paid off. This had not escaped the notice
of the government of France, who had to legislate
in respect of railways, that by that means the debt of
that country would be paid off in 5 years.
Sir S. NORTHCOTZ remarked that the introduc-
tion of the argument that this proposition would
enable them to pay off the national debt made him
look more suspiciously on it. Why should the
railway companies pay the government one per
cent. to finance their affairs if they had already a
good security to offer 1 Until this question was
answered he thought they were not in a condition
to come to a decision on the subject.
Mr. GrAntrrors said, considering the vastness of
the proposition and of the interests involved, the

house ought not to commit itself by a specific vote
one way or the other. There were many consider-
ation which might lead to separate legislation in
reference to the Irish railways.
Mr. CRAWFORD then withdrew the motion.

Lord ELCHO obtained leave to bring in a bill to
amend the law of master and servant, abolishing
imprisonment for breach of contract.
Sir J. PAKINCTOS obtained leave to bring in a
bill to amend the 28 and 29 Viet., cap. 61, for pro-
viding a further sumtowardsdefrayingtheexpenses
of constructingfortilications fortheprotection of the
royal arsenals and dockyards, and the porta of
Dover, and Portland and for erecting a central
arsenal.

Mr. DENMAN moved the second reading of the
Attorneys, &c., Certificate Duty Bill, the object of
which he explained to be to reduce the duty from
its present to a nominal amount.
Mr. Bess thought this the last license tax that
ought to be repealed.
Mr. AYILTON moved the adjournment of the
debate, and on a division the adjournment was
carried by 101 to 100, and was then fixed for
to-morrow.

The Policies of Insurance Bill was read a second
time.

The Salo and Purchase of Shares Bill passed
through committee.

The- Houses of Parliament Bill and the National
Gallery Enlargement Bill were read a second time
and referred to a select committee.

The house adjourned at half-past one o'clock.