Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL SURVEY.

The Duke of Buceleuch moved the appointment of a
commission to inquire into the whole subject of the
National Survey, and the scales upon which it should be
made and published.
Lord Panmure consented, and the motion was agreed
to.

The House adjourned at five minutes to eight.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THIIRSDAY.

The House met at noon.
The Finsbury Park Bill was read a third time and
passed. : BS
Mr. Clive, Chairman of the Galway Election Committee,
moved that the evidence taken before the committee be
printed, and laid before the house.
The motion was agreed to.
The members appointed to serve on the Falkirk Burghs
Election Committee were called to the table and sworn.

The Speaker stated that he had received a communica-
tion from Sir E. Dering, to the effect that the state of his
health was such as to incapacitate him from serving upon
the Huntingdonghire Election Committee, to which he had
been appointed.

After some discussion as to the question :of privilege,
Dr. Latham was called to the bar to prove the state of
the hon. baronet's health, and his statements being
satisfactory, Sir E. Dering was exemptedhlfrom serving
upon Election Committees.

Mr. Cobbett drew attention to the petition presented by
him on the previous day, from Mr. Merry, M.P., member
for the Falkirk burgh, complaining that the recognisances
in connection with the petition against his return had not
been properly entered into, and moved that a committee
of five members should be appointed to investigate the
matter.

Slr G. Grey said the petition was presented too late for
the House to interfere.

The motion was withdrawn after a brief discussion.

•TIIE 3LIGO ELECTION.

Mr. Butt presented a petition from Mr. P: Somers,
complaining that actions had been commenced in a court
of law against the returning officer, for refusing a vote at
the Sligo Election. Oa the motion of the hon. member, a
resolution agreed to in 1703, having reference to the
subject, was read by the clerk at the table.
Mr. J. Butt then moved that the proper officer of the
Queens Bench in Ireland, return to the House a copy of
all proceedings mentioned in the petitions presented by
Mr. Somers. He contended that an action brought against
a returning officer for refusing a vote pending an inquiry
by the House, as to the validity of the retnru, should be
considered as a breach of privilege, and that the person
bringing such action should be committed for contempt.
He suggested that the further proceedings in this case
should be postponed till Monday, and if that course were
adopted he would then move that a committee should be
appointed to investigate the subject, and report as to the
course which the house should pursue.

Sir G. Grey did not this& IL would be advisable that'
they should delegate the decision in this case to a com-
mittee, and therefore proposed an amendment, to the effect
that both petitions be refered to a committee to be
appointed to inquire into the subject, and report to the
house how far, in their opinion, the privileges of the house
had been interfered with by the proceedings in. question.
Mr. Hildyard argued that there was no pretence for
declaring that the privileges of the House had been inter_
fered with.

Mr. Henley concurred in the proposal of the Home
Secretary.

Mr. M‘Mahon urgei that the subject ought to be dis-
posed of as other election cases, and without reference to
the resolution of 1703.

Mr. I. Butt would not oppose the motion of Sir George
Grey. He wished to know whether it was true, as stated
in the papers of that morning, that the Crown Solicitor
had been directod to prefer bills of indictment against the
Mayor of Sligo?
The Attorney-General for Ireland said he had given
instructions to the Crown Solicitor, that, except for
breaches of the peace, there should be no Crown prose-
cution. He apprehended that the statement appeared to
have reference to bills of indictment prepared by a pri-
vate individual. It would ba for his consideration
whether such proceedings should not be stopped pending
the inquiry before the select committee ; but as to the
question of privilege, though he entertained a decided
opinion on the subject, he should refrain from giving
expression to it for the present.
After a few words from Sir W. Heathcote, the original
motion was negatived, and the amendment was agreed to.

141 r. Marshall took the oaths and his seat for Eas
Cumberland.

The House then went into committee upon the Lunatics
Scotland Bill, and progress was made as far as the 16th
clause, when the chairman was ordered to report progress.
The House then resumed, and the other business on the
morning list having been disposed of, the sitting was
suspended.

THE EVENING.

QUEEN'S COUNTY ELECTION.

The Speaker announced a commuuication, stating that
it was-not intended to proceed with the petition complain
ing of the late return for Qaeen's County.

THE WRIT FOR GALWAY,

Col. French moved the issue of a new writ for Galway,
in the room of Mr. O'Flaherty, whose election had been
declared void.

Lord Lovaine moved the suspension of the writ till
Thursday next.
Sir. G. Grey. concurred in this amendment.
The evidence taken before the committee was ordered
to be printed in the meantime.