The Express.
London, England, 1860-06-05 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES.

TAX Bute.—THE Pins Dl7l7.—The commit-
tee appointed to search the journals of both houses of
parliament, in order to ascertain and report on the practice
of each house with regard to the several descriptions of
tell, imposing or repealing taxes, met yesterday for the
purpose of choosing their chairman and considering the
course of proceeding. The committee consista of the fol-
lowing members: The Attorney-General, Mr. Bentinck,
Mr. Bouverie, Mr. Bright, Sir H. Cairns, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, Mr. Collier, Mr. Disraeli, Mr. S. Fatcourt,
Sir J. Graham, Sir G. Grey, Lord Ho ,t6im, fillr W. Heath-
cote, Mr. Henley, Mr. Massey, Mr. More O'erll Sir J.
Pakington, Lord Palmerston, Colonel Wilson Patten, Lord
J. Baseell, and Mr. Walpole. The committee sat until
about half-pest one o'clock with dosed dean, and then ad-
joarned.
liimentAxeous Fammorrumt.—This parliamentary com-
mittee assembled nun' yesterday at one o'clock, and were
engaged until four, chiefly in investigating different items
in the accounta of the law courts and other branches of the
civil service expenditure. The committee adjourned at half-
past 3 o'clock.
Eixerune Codirrrizza.—The general committee of elec.
tionii met yesterday, and struck the committees for Lon-
donderry, Warwick, and Oars. The committees will pro-
ceed forthwith to try the validity of the returns for those
places respectively.

Pommes AND COLONIAL MAIL/I.—The Ceylon
left Southeamtea 7e 'b7 with the Oda-utto and Chine
ioaib. Elbe twat eat about 70 pesiesgers, amongst whom
win Priam Mohammed, Lord sad lady Haddo, Captains
Cas, Oar* Noel, Holdaworth, Pond,Connielmel, arid
Or ; IMPoleamin Alabama, Beans, Chiltoo, aaC
; imi Boalgoa Collins, and Hyatt-
MAmeagtO how map was 864 boxes of treasure—
-210,7011. eaaskted of 29C078/. worth of
sail liar Aver, SAM& worth of sovereigns and other
geld ea% sad 2,8421. Ida. 6d. worth of watches, jewellery, I
add potties et the dollars and bar silver was for
atiraThe lboobarg and American steamer left
also yaks*, Jr New York. She took out
lwaseamon sad a esesideesble
Malradaiaras, Mamma, AIDCSIDNOOLIDININIS
P.ALLWAT.—The toad this eampany's railways,
lacilatNag mak, MilUKk , bom Jas. Ito MAT 27,
matomoted to wan. for the col,
remark* period of M t propertisa at the South
havina assuipla assmft to Yds wawa" boas dm. 1 to
Noy tZ anemia to 10,1 MA, am amid 11,7161. far the
=oflapaled of 1886, and the aware is SAM as
CILYIN vas PAIAOI.--01r1 SIMIAN* DAY.IIIIOIC-
DAT. Ave 4.-Idmilisee on myna* 3,871; ditto by
swat tickets, WM 'Wes, 4,461.

• (Before the Lords Justices of AppeaL)
IMMPSON T. WEBTMLNITTICH PALACE HOTEL COMPANY (LIMITED),
This was an appeal from the refusal of Vice.Chanoellor
fir W. P. Wood (reported in our impression of Friday last)
at • motion for an injunction to restrain the defendants,
ilhe company, from panting a lease to the Right Hon. Sir
Merles Wood, for the occupation by the India Board of
any portion of the hotel now in course of erection in Vic-
fosieetreet, Westminster. NA from expending any of the
funds of the:h=enialky in meii . alterations for that pur-
pose. It that the on of the company had,
Si January esteem& Mae an amassment for leasing •
postion of the hotel to the Secretary of State in Council for
4iian for threeyeare ortisia, with the option of an additional
term of one or two years, at an annual rent of 6,0001.,
as sompeny :mirth( to • themselves a monopoly for the
!ripply lndia Board during their tenancy of Fowl-
elelhesyfeei fee:, sad sitheelinients; A rem/intim hid been

I;llcontiA , for tbreParTmee of taking the
matter into err bat the anangeeasst
approved of by a ecusigsmble minority of the sha=ire,,
whisk 'dr Viee.Chancellor had Maud to
acoar"tadeo wee ands ea their behalf. The ground of the
appeal war that the pad arrangement was not lane-
netted by the memorandum of association, and if carried
oat, would obstruct rather than forward the objects et the
association ma 'petalled is seek noseaseusdimi.
Mr. 0. Y. Giffeall, Q.C., and Mr. Jewel aPPWIdin suP-
port of the appeal ; and Mr. Holt, Q.C., Sit Hugh Cairns,
and Mr. Cotton emir*.
At the conclusion of the argument their lordships amid
they would dispose of the case on Holiday nut.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.-Tors 4.

--- --
*Binge at Nisi Prias in tondo.—(Before Mr. Justice
Keating ands Ccenmon Jury.)

MEE r. JILAGEIL—SLANDEE.
The plaintiff was • master mariner, and owner of the
schooner Concord, and the defendant was a merchant in the
city. The defendant had ceasigned to him a cargo of grain
hem Antwerp, the quantity being described in the charter
party as 450 qquarters, whilst it turned out when the cargo
was discWged that there were only 438 quarters. Freight,
however, was claimed for 440 quarters. These circumstances
gave rise to some dispute, and on the 23rd of March, whilst
the plaintiff was talking to Mr. Wigan, • broker, the defen-
dant mid the plaintiff was • 3 thief, and had embezzled
1 his cargo. The present action was brought to recover
damages for this slander, and the only plea was not guilty.
The jury found for the plaintiff—damages 26/.
ellttings in Banco.—(Before Lord Chief Justice Erle and
Justices Williams and Byles.)
THE MERSEY DOCK AND HARBOUR BOARD r. JONES AND
OTHEBB.—RATHLBILITY Or THE MERSEY DOCES.

This matter came before the court upon a special ems,
which stated that the action was one of replevin to recover
certain property of the plaintiffs which had been seised for
poor's rate ; and the question to be determined was whether
the docks, wharves, manse, and other property of the plain-
tiffs (exclusive of warehouses and dwelling-lioness) were
liable to be rated to the support of the poor of LiverpooL
The property in question had been created at an expense
of about 12,000,000 f., the gees income being about 500,0001.
The tateabla value was set down at about 176,0001., and the
rate of 2e. 4d. in the pound imposed amounted to no lees
than 20,580 f. It was stated that the first of these docks
was constructed so long ago as the time of Queen Anne, sad
that since that time about a doyen acts had been passed in
reference to the docks. Until lately the docks had, in so.
oordance with severed decisions of the Queen's Bench, been
held to be public property, and as such not liable to poor'e
rate, but recent decisions having given rise to doubts as to
the soundness of thaw formerly arrived at, the present pro-
ceedings were taken in order to have the question decided.
Bir F. Kelly, Mr. Parker and Mr. Quinn appeared for the
plaintiff's ; and Mr. Bovill and Mr. Mellish for the de-
fendants.

The Tame was not soseluded when the oawt roes.