The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-24 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

[By the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph.l

HOUSE OF LORDS.-MONDAY.

The Lord Chancellor took his seat at five o'clock.

The Earl of Eglintoun presented a petition from a
place in Ayrshire, praying for the imposition of restric-
tions on dram shops.

DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL.

Lord Lyndhurst said that, understanding the second
reading of this bill was fixed for Thursday next, a day on
which he (Lord Lyndhurst) could not possibly attend,
he wished to know whether his noble and learned friend
would have any objection to postpone it.
The Lord Chancellor said, in consequence of tha inti-
mation of his noble and learned friend, he should post-
pone the second reading to Friday.
Lord Campbell expressed his strong disapprobation of
a clause in that bill, which would enable persons to live
separate with Out the intervention of a court of law, and
thought it his duty to enter his solemn protest against
it. He hoped no bill containing such a clause would
pass that house, and he should give it his most strenuous
opposition.

Lord Lyndhurst having expressed his inability to
attend on Friday evening,
The Lord Chancellor agreed to take the second reading
on Tuesday next.

SUPPLY OF GUANO.

Lord Polwarth moved for any papers or correspon-
dence relative to the cession of the islands of Haski,
Jibleea and Ghurzoad, by the Imaum of Muscat to her
Majesty, and their erection into a colony ; and also called
the attention of the house to a license granted on the
20th February, 185.6, by the Commissioners of Emigra-
tion to John Ord and others, giving them the sole and
exclusive right to raise and take away guano from these
islands during five years.
The Earl of Clarendon said there was a strong desire
on the part of her Majesty's Government to give their
lordships every information respecting these islands.
The Government had the same feeling as the agricultural
classes of the country on the subject of the supply of
guano. When the islands were first brought under the
notice of the Government by Mr. Ord, they sent out that
gentleman with Captain Freetnantle with instructions to
discover to whom the islands belonged, to endeavour to
procure the settleMent of them, and to ascertain whether
the accounts received were correct. It was found that
there were but few inhabitants upon the islands, and they
told them thatthey were subjects of the Imaum of Muscat.
Upon application to the Imam, it was ascertained that
he had no objection to ceding the islands to Great
Britain. Captain Freemantle, however, discovered that
on the islands the supply of guano was small in quantity
and inferior in quality ; but that one of them would be
very important as a coaling station. The government
accordingly offered this island as a coaling station to the
East India Company. With regard to the licence given
to Mr. Ord, that gentleman was prepared to guarantee
that the supplies of guano, immediately upon their
arrival in this country, should be put up to sale at
auction. The cargo would be consigned to one of the
most respectable merchants in Liverpool, who was pre-
pared to enter into bond that the sale should be con•
ducted properly. No monopoly whatever was contem-
plated.
After a short conversation, the motion was agreed to.

The lord Chancellor moved the second reading of the
Probate and Administration Bill, the object of which
he stated to be to remove from distribute courts all the
functions which they at present possess, except that of
registration, and to create a central court in London,
under a Vice Chancellor. After some considerable
discussion, the bill was read a second time, and ordered
to be referred to a select committee.
The house adjourned at eight o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

The Speaker took the chair shortly before four o'clock,

NEW MEMBER.

Mr. P. NV. Martin took the oaths and his seat for West
Kent, in the room of Sir E. Filmer, Bart., deceased.

SECOND READINGS,

The following bills were read a second time and ordered
to be committed :—Banff, Macduff, and Turriff Extension
Railway; Besselsleigh Road, Bourn and Essendine Rail-
way, Cannock Mineral Railway (No. 2,) Chesstow Gas,
Coniston Railway, Doncaster and Wakefield Railway ;
Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee, and Scottish Central
Railway Companies ; Forth and Clyde Junction Railway,
Fownhope and Holme Lacy Bridge, Guildford Water,
Hamilton and Strathaven Railway, Margate Water,
Newtown and Machynlleth Railway, Shropshire Uaion
Railways and Canal, London and North Western Railway,
and Shropshire Canal Companies; Times, Athenaeum,
and Beacon Assurance Companies' Amalgamation ; Wea-
ver Navigation, Wexford Free Bridge; Wimbledon and
Dorking Railway, Mayor's Court of the City of London.

NEW WRIT FOR GLASGOW.

On the motion of Mr. Hayter, a new writ was ordered
for Glasgow in the room of Mr. John M Gregor who has
accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.

PETITIONS.
Sir Erskine Perry presented a petition from the indigo
planters, landed proprietors, merchants, and traders in
Calcutta and Bengal, on the administration of justice in
that province, and on the reforms proposed by her Majesty's
Indian Law Commissioners in England.
A large number of petitions were presented against the
proposed alterations in the tea duties.

TESTAMENTARY COURTS IN IRELAND.

Mr. Deasy asked the Attorney 'General for Ireland
whether it was his intention to introduce during the present
session any measure for the reform of the Tea tamentlry
Courts in Ireland.

The Attorney-General said such a bill would be intro.
dosed this session.

ABSENCE FROM COMMAND.

Colonel Somerset asked the Under Secretary for War,
whether, by warrant of the 6th day of October, 1854, a
lieutenant colonel, in command of a regiment, being absent
with leave from his command for a period less than one
month, loses that time towards the three years of actual
command necessary to entitle him to the rank of colonel.
Mr. Peel said that under a warrant of 1854 an officer
was to serve for three years to qualify for the rank of colonel.
If he were absent more than three months during that term
he had to serve for that excess of time before he could be
qualified.

THR CURIA. MURIA. ISLANDS,--EXPORTATION OF GUANO.

Mr. Scott asked her Majesty's Government what was
the date of the treaty whereby the Imaum of Muscat
ceded to her Majesty the group of Curia Muria Islands,
valuable for their deposit of guano ; and whether th.re
was any objection to lay the treaty on the,, table of the
house.

Lord Naas said he had a similar question, viz., under
what authority the Emigration Commissioners granted to
Captain Ord and others the exclusive right of raising and
xporting guano from the Islands of the Curia Muria
Group ; and, whether the opinion of the law officers of the
Crown had been taken as to the power of the commissioners
to grant such a license ?

Mr. Labouchere said there was no treaty, but there was
an instrument dated July 14, 1854, which there would be
no objection to lay upon the table. With regard to the
question of the noble lord, he had to say that the Emigra-
tion Commissioners had only acted as agents for the
Colonial Office. Two of the commissioners were dis-
tinguished lawyers employed by the Colonial Office, upon
whom the whole of the responsibility rested. The govern-
ment had not consulted the law officers, because they had
no doubt that the privilege allowed was the undoubted
prerogative of the crown.

THE ORDNANCE BROKERS.
Mr. Brady asked the Under Secretary for War whether