The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-29 00:00:00

SECOND READINGS.

On the motion of Lord REDESDALE the fallowing
bills were read a second time :—Aboyne, Ballater,
Braemar, and Cairnwall Road ; Gateshead Quay ; Severn
Valley Railway ; Executor and Trustee Society ; Hali-
fax Gaslight and Coke Company.

THIRD READINGS.
The Leek Improvement and Livesay Estate Bills were
read a third time and passed.
ASSIZES AND SESSIONS BILL.

The house then went into committee on this bill.
After a short discussion, clauses from 1 to 24 were
agreed to.
The other clauses of the bill, with some verbal amend-
ments, were agreed to, and the bill reported to the
house.

The Woolner Forest Bill was read a second Vine.
The Spirits (Ireland) Act Amendment Bill passed
through committee. _

The report on the Friendly Societies Bill was then re-
ceived.

THE MILITIA (No. 2) BILL.
On the order of the day for the third reading of this
bill,

Lord MALMESBURY said that be hoped the noble
lord the Secretary-at-War would introduce some amend-
ments into the second clause. One of the greatest incon-
veniences sustained in the various towns and parishes
throughout the country was the inequalities that existed
in the valuation of property, and the assessment of the
rates. 11.10 uuwe lulu, seeing that al-pates as to the
proportion which each parish i❑ a county should clntri-
bute to the expenses of the militia would very probably
arise, proposed that the Government should appoint an
umpire to settle the proportions which each parish should
contribute. He thought, however, that it would be
much better to take the income-tax valuation as the basis
of contribution.

Lord PANMIIRE objected to the amendment, on the
ground that to introduce it into the bill at this stage
would be a violation of the privileges of the House of
Commons.

Lord BERNERS complained of the complicated and,
at the same time, loose manner in which several of the
clauses were framed. He thought it was highly desira-
ble that some provisions should be introduced into the
bill in order to secure a more equal and just system of
assessment and rating than would be obtained by the
bill as it stood. His lordship concluded by moving some
amendments, with a view to obtain this object. In con-
sequence, however, of the low tone in which hie lord-
ship spoke, their purport did not reach the gallery.
The amendments were negatived without a division,
and the bill was read a third time and passed.
The Accident on Railways Bill passed through com-
mittee.

The National Gallery (Dublin) Bill passed through
committee.

Their lordships then adjourned at eight o'clock.

ROUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.)

The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.

The Lords' amendments to the following bills were
considered :—Ayr Harbour, Exeter and Exmouth Rail-
way, Glasgow Water, and Electric Telegraph Company.
The following bills were read a third time and passed:
—Royal Conical Flour Mill Company ; Westminster
Land Company ; Westminster Terminus Railway (Clap-
bam to Norwood) ; Airdrie Rural District Police (No,
2) ; Birkenhead and Liverpool Docks (Trust Property
of Birkenhead Dock Trustees, &c.) ; Bradford Corpora-
tion Water ; Connaught Mining Company ; East Kent
Railway (Extension to Dover) ; Liverpool Docks ; New
River Company and Trustees of the River Lee (No. 2) ;
Westminster Improvements.
DUBLIN ROADS BILL.

On the motion for the third reading of the above bill,
Mr. M`CARTNEY moved that it be read a third
time that clay three months.
Mr. HAMILTON opposed the amendment.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE said he felt bound to oppose the
third reading of the bill.
After some further discussion, the house divided.
For the amendment
Against it

The bill was ultimately read a third time and passed.
Petitions were presented from Chatham in favour of
the bill for preventing the sale of beer on Sunday ; from
three towns in Derbyshire, and other places, complain-
ing of taxing lead miners for poor rates, against tha
grant to Maynooth, &c.
METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT BILL.
The house then went into committee on this bill ; the
reserved clauses were taken first.
On clause 36, relative to the salary of the chairman
of the board.

Lord SEYMOUR was of opinion it would be better
to pay the chairman of the board a fixed salary. There
should be a properly constituted court of appeal in cases
o idisputed rating.
Lord EDRINGTON concurred in opinion with the
noble lord the member for Totnes.
Captain DIJNCOMBE considered all the members of
the board should be paid. That could be done at
an expense of 5,0001. per annum, equal to a rating of
about one-tenth of a penny in the pound.
Sir D. HALL suggested that the house should decide
first on the amount of salary to be paid to the chairman
of the board, and after that the number to constitute the
board, and whether or not they should be paid, when he
-would prepare a clause to effect that object.
Mr. HENLEY thought the more the committee en-
tered into the consideration of the bill the more the
difficulties thickened. He was afraid they were about
to constitute a board eminently deliberative, but with
very little executive powers.
Tho clause, ae further amended, was then ordered to
sta,od part of the bill.
On clause 29,
Some discussion, in which Mr. Henley, Lord Seymour,
Mr. Witliatos, "Wilkinson, Sir J. V. Shelley, and
Lord Ebrington joined, took place in reference to the
propriety of notice being given to all the members of
the Metropolitan Board before any matter of impor-
tance was brought forward for disettssion, and also as
to the desirability of the quorum being fixed at 9.
The clause as amended was afterwards agreed to.
Clause 125 as amended was also ordered to stand
part of the bill.

Several new clauses, having reference to rating of pro-
perty, were then added to the bill.
Some discussion took place upon several of the post-
poned clauses of the bill, and at 4 o'clock the further
consideration of the measure was postponed to Tuesday.
The house then adjourned to six o'clock.

The house resumed at six o'clock.
THE HOUSES OP PARLIAMENT.
Lord SEYMOUR asked the Chancellor of the Ex'
Chequer whether the amount of remuneration to be paid

to the architect of the New Palace, Westminster, had
been decided upon by the Treasury ; if not, whether any
further progress towards the settlement of his claims had
been made since the promise given to the house upon
that subject in the year 1853 ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said Vie
claim of Sir Charles Barry had been under the considera-
tion of the Treasury, and was now likely to be speedily
adjusted. As soon as that was completed, and embo-
died in a Treasury minute, there would be no
objection to produce it. There had been a payment to
Sir C. Barry on account, but be Wa3 unable to state
the amount.
ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS TO PRISONS.
In answer to a question from Mr. SPOONER,
Sir G. GREY said that no Roman Catholic priest
was in the receipt of pay from the Government for his
attendance as chaplain at any of the Government
prisons.
Mr. T. CHAMBERS asked the First Lord of the Trea-
sury whether any steps had been taken, in consequence
of the report of a select committee of that house, appointed
last session to investigate the claims of Yuille, Shortbridge,
and Company against the Portuguese Government for breach
of treaty ; and whether he would have any objection to lay
upon the table of the house the communications which
have passed between the two Governments upon this sub-
ject?
Lord PALMERSTON said the communications were
still going
on between the two Governments on this sub-
ject. He would let the hon. and learned gentleman know
when the correspondence was concluded, and he should
have great pleasure in delivering it up to him.
OFFICE OF GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA
Mr. GAYLEN, adverting to the probability of the office
of Governor-General of India becoming vacant, said he should
to-morrow (this) evening ask the noble lord at the head of
the Government if it was his intention, in selecting the
individual to fill that important and responsible office, to
abide strictly by the spirit of the resolution lately come to
by that house, and only to sanction the appointment of a
person whose antecedents and whose experience and suc-
cess in the public service entitled him to the public confi-
dence. (Rear.)
TENANTS' IMPROVEMENT COMPENSATION
(IRELAND) BILL.

The house went into committee on this bill.
Lord SEYMOUR deprecated further time being spent
on a bill like this, which, from the number of amendments
of it of which notice had been given, there was no chance
of passing during the present session. He moved that,
Mr. Fitzroy report progress in order that he might after-
wards move that the order for the committee on the bill
be forthwith discharged.
Mr. NAPIER said a bill had that morning been sent
down from toe House of Lords, relative to leases and sales
of settled estates. That bill was introduced by the Lord
Chancellor on the part of the Government, anal theoperation
of the bill was extended to England and Ireland. That bill
and the one before the house were irreconcilable, and if
the Government intended to support certain parts of that
bill, giving a jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery which
the bill now before the house did not recognise, the house
would only waste time in proceeding with the bill.
Lord PALMERSTON said he hoped, if the present bill
should pass in a shape that it could be supported by the
Government, there was a fair prospect of its passing toe
other house, and becoming law in the present session
With regard to the bill referred to by the right bon. gentle-
man (Mr. Napier), its extension to Ireland was inserted
quite in the last stage of its progress through the House of
Lords, and if the passing of the present bill should eppes r
to render its extension to T-reland unnecessary, there would be
ample time to omit the provision for such extension. With
regard to the motion of his noble friend (Lord Seymour),
if he felt that there was in the present bill 'ratter requir-
ing a good deal of discussion, he had better let the house
discuss it •• at once—(a laugh)—rather than interpose a
debate as to whether it should- be discussed or not, be-
cause that would only be wasting the time of the house
under the pretext of saving its time. A similar measures
had passed its first stage is the other house.
Colonel DUNNE opposed the bill on the ground that it
was another indication of the rule which prevailed, of pas-
sing one law for Ireland and another for England.
After a few words from Mr. FRENCH,
Mr. E. ELLICE supported the motion that the chair-
man report progress, considering it was a very proper pro-
test on the part of his noble friend (Lord Seymour) against
the way in which much of the business of the house was
transacted, and in which their time was wasted by ini,iat-
ing and discussing measures which then: was no possibility
of carrying. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. VANCE objected to the bill as an agrarian measure,
and as tending to the confiscation of property.
Sir J. WALSH wished to know what the feeling was of
the hon. gentlemen who introduced the bill as 'to its pre-
sent shape • for he suspected they had now become utterly
indifferent to its passing.
Lord SEYMOUR consented to withdraw his motion
after the appeal which the noble lord (Lord Palmerston)
had made to him.
Sergeant SUEZ said the bill was not now worth having
after the amendments which the Government bad made
to it. (A laugh.) It was not only useless, but it was
worse, for it would be positively mischievous.
The committee refused to allow the noble lord the mem-
ber for Totnes (Lord Seymour) to withdraw his motion,
and they divided upon it, when the numbers were—
For the motion, that the Chairman report
progress
Against
Majority

J 7
-22

The committee then resumed the discussion of the bill.
On clause 4 being proposed,
Sir J. WALSH moved the addition of a proviso to the
end of the clause, which would provide that no such notice
as that required in the clause should be valid, nor should
any tenant referred to in the clause be entitled to any
compensation for improvement in any case wherein such
tenant should owe an arrear of rent for his holding at the
time of serving the notice.
Mr. HORSAIAN objected to the proviso, as by a clause
which he was about to propose the landlord woad be pro-
vided with ample remedy against any tenant in arrear of
rent, and would be provided with power to evict any tenant
in arrear, and such tenant so evicted would not be per-
mitted to make any claim for compensation. •
After some itiAcn,ision, in which Mr. Maguire, Mr.
French, Mr. V. Scully, Colonel Dunne, and Sergeant Slice
took part, the proviso was amended by the addition of the
words " exceeding one year," the effect of which was to
limit the operation .£4-1... au.
arrears for more than one year's rent-
Oa the motion that the proviso thus amended be added
to the clause, the committee divided, when there appeared,
For the proviso 6O
Against it B9
Majority against the proviso —29
The clause as originally framed was then agreed to.
Clause 6 was next agreed to after some verbal amend-
ments.

Clause 7 was agreed to with the addition of the words
" that during such improvement the landlord, or his agent,
will have power to enter on the premises and ascertain the
value of such improvement."
On clause 8, which enacts that tenants who have exe.
cuted alterations shall make a declaration thereof.
Col. DUNNE proposed an amendment, requiring the ap-
proval and consent to such works or amendments and to the
execution thereof, signified by the landlord in handwriting
as preliminary to the registration of such declaration.
Mr. HORSMAN opposed the amendment. If lie under-
stood its operation it would bs, that the tenant would lose
his money in case the landlord should think proper to
withhold his approbation. The declaration was to be de-
posited with the clerk of the peace, and should the land-
lord refuse his approbation the declaration could not be
deposited at all.

The amendment was withdrawn, and clause 8 was or-
dered to stand part of the bill.
On clause 9,
Colonel DUNNE moved to leave out from the words
" notice"" to " requiring," for the purpose of inserting the
words, and every tenant who has executed any improve-
ments as aforesaid shall, if he intend to register them, servo
on his landlord or his known agent a notice to that eff ct,
and a detailed specification of the work and cost of such im-
provements, at least three months before he registers them,
and requiring the landlord to give his certificate that such
improvements have been suitable to the farm, and have
been properly executed, and at a fair price, and in a man-
ner satisfactory ; and, should the landlord give such a cer-
tificate, signed under his hand, then the tenant may regis-
ter such declaration as aforesaid, on obtaining the signa-
ture of a justice of the peace; but should the landlord re-
fuse to give such a certificate, it shall be lawful for the."
Mr. KEOGH opposed the amendment, which was part
of the former amendment on clause 8, and was not appli-
cable without it.
The amendment was negatived without a division, and
clause 9 was speed to.
In clause 10,
Mr. HORSMAN proposed to insert the words, " except
for non-payment of rent."
Mr.
"breach of coven CAIRNS likantewise proposed to insert the words,
Mr. I. BUTT thought the question should be kept
separate. The exception for non-payment of rent was a
very important one, and should be discussed separately.
Mr. CAIRNS agreed to the suggestion, and withdrew
his amendment till the first was disposed of.
Mr. DEASY objected to the insertion of the words pro-
posed by the Secretary of Ireland, which he thought would
be productive of injustice to the tenant, and were not ne-
cessary for the security of the Landlord. He should feel it
his duty to take the sense of the committee on this amend-
ment.

Mr. HORS lIAN said his amendment only restored the
bill to its original shape on this point.
Captain MAGAN did not believe the bill would be of
use to the solvent tenant, and if it would do anything it
would create dissensions between the cantankerous land,
lord and the insolvent tenant. Should the Government
persist in making the proposed amendment he would have
nothing more to do with the bill.
Mr. P. URQUFIAItT opposed the amendment.
Colonel GREVILLE said it would be better to give no
compensation at all than to limit it in the way it was
proposed.
Mr. COGAN opposed the amendment on the ground
that if it were adopted it would make the bill illusory, and
of little practical effect. He hoped, therefore, the Govern-
ment would reconsider the matter.
Mr. P. O'BRIEN said these amendments would render
the measure totally unworthy the attention of Irish metn-
hers, because they would have, the effect rather of advancing
the landlord interest than. 'giving the tenant some prospect
that he would obtain compensation for his improvements.
Mr. L. DAVIES said there was a general desire to
as,imilate tho laws of England and Ireland, and believing
that t'ais amendment was a step iu that direction he should
Stil:oport it.
_ _

Mr. M'M A.TIO N. argued against the amendment, as being
unjust and oppressive upon the tenant. In Ireland it was
not an uncommon practice to allow tenants to run in arrear
of rent while they were making improvements upon their
farms, and when tho landlord found that they bad ex-
pended all their capital in that way he came down upon
them for his rent, in order to reap the advantage of the
improvements without paying anything for them.
Mr. Sergeant O'BRIEN insisted that a distinction ought
to be drawn between the tenant who wilfully and designedly
neglected to pay his rent and the tenant who was prevented
from doing so from some unavoidable cause, over which
he had no control whatever. Now, this amendment re-
cognised no such distinction, while as for the evil which it
proposed to remedy it was already sufficiently guarded
against by the existing law. If an amendment of this sort
were allowed to pass as an act of justice the committee
ought to insert another to prevent the unjust landlord from
taking advantage of his honest but necessitous tenant.
Mr. I. BUTT said the arguments of the learned sergeant I
Were so forcible that they would induce him to oppose the
!l
amendment. The pr nciple of compensation t' the tettat,t beeu over and over again admitted, and iu that spii
it
they ought to approach the details of this bill. As for this I
amendment he was convinced that for every dishonest i
tenant it would punish there would be twenty cases where
it would be unjustly enforced by oppressive landlords