The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-13 00:00:00

THE SUNDAY BEER ACT.

Mr. ALCO6IC asked the Secretary of State for the
Department, whether, inasmuch as it seemed improbable
that the Committee on the Beer Act will be able to re-
port duringthis cession, it was his intention to introduce
a bill in order to modily the restrictions of the Beer Act
of last sessiun ?
Sir G. GREY said as he was not a member of the
committee, and as the committee had made no report to
the house yet, be was not enabled to say when the la-
bours of the conunittee would be concluded. The house
had confided the inquiry to the committee on the mo-
tion of the honourable member for Bristol—
(hear, hear) --and it was certainly not his (Sir
G. Grey's) intention to interfere with that inquiry.
SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES.

In reply to Sir H. WILLOUGHBY,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
would be necessary to propose to the house a sup-
plementary estimate for the naval department before
the end of the session. In the expenditure of the past
quarter there was a considerable excess over the estimate
agreed to by the house. It would be aleo necessary,
probably, to propose a supplementary estimate for the
military department ; and if the house should agree
to these supplementary ef:titnates, it would be
necessary for him to submit the ways and means by
which he should propose to meet the increased expendi-
ture. (Hear.)

•
INQUIRY INTO THE CONDUCT OF THE
POLICE.

In reply to Mr. T. DUNCOMBE,
Sir G. GREY said a commission bad been appointed
to conduct the inquiry into the conduct of the police
in Hyde•park, consisting of the Recorder of London,
Mr. Armstrong, the Recorder of Manchester, and
Mr. Henderson, the Recorder of. Liverpool. Tne
inquiry would be an open one, but it would be
left to the discretion of the commissioners whether
counsel should be heard on either side or not. The
arrangements were not yet quits complete, but he be-
believed they would be advertised in to-morrow's papers.
(Hear, hear.)
TIIE DECIMAL COINAGE.

Mr. RICARDO wished to ask the noble lord at the
head of the Government a question upon the resolution
of the house passed a few weeks since in reference to de-
cimal coinage. It was said that a third commission was
about to be issued to inquire into the matter, and what
ho wished to know was whether the commission would
be empowered to go into the whole matter, or simply to
carry out the views of the house as expressed in the re-
solution to which he referred ?
Lord PALMERSTON replied that the commission
which would be appointed would have to consider and
report upon the whole subject, and to make such recom-
mendations as should seem to them to be desirable.
THE CONDUCT OF THE POLICE AT TILE
HYDE-PARK DEMONSTRATION.

Sir F. TIIEHIGEIt sail, ho understood an inquiry
was about to be instituted by the Home-office
into the conduct of the police on the oc-
casipn of the late Hyde-park demonstration,
and as he believed the commissioners to be appo nted
would have the power of examining witnesses on oath,
he wished to ask the right hon. baronet the Secretary of
State for the Home Department whether he had con-
sulted the law officers of the. Crown as to the authority
of the Government to empower the commissioners to
arbtinister the oath to witnesses without a special Act
of Parliament ?
Sir G. GREY replied that he bad not consulted the
lea officers of the Crown in the matter, but he had
bee 9 guided by precedents, of which there were several
just 'iying the course the Government had taken.
Si r F. TIIESIGER mentioned that when he had the
hone ur of holding the office of Attorney-General, a
question arse under similar circumstances, and he had
held thrit the commissioners could not administer an
oath to witnesses unless empowered specially by act of
Marlin men t.

COLONIAL POSTAGE.
Sir S, NORTLICOTE gave notice that on Monday
he should put a question to the Under Secretary of
the Treasury in relation to the postage of letters and

newspapers. to the colonies.
INTEL-!,r.JIGENCE FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.
Mr. P ALK wished to ask the noble lord at the
head of the Government whether any intelligence had
been received from the seat of war of a later date

than that already published ?
Lord PA_LMERSTON said that the Govenment had
received intelligence daily. It was not of any import-
ance, but it contained satisfactory information that the
health of tile army was good.
SUNDAY GATHERINGS AT THE WEST END.
Lord H. VANE said he had been requested by seve-
ral gentlem en resident in Belgravia, in which neigh-
bourhood he himself lived, to ask the Government whe-
ther, in the event of large bodies assembling in that part
on 'Sunday next any arrangements had been made for
the protection of the inhabitants, or whether, if such
means had not been taken, the inhabitants would be at
liberty to take steps for their defence.
Sir G. GREY said that no information of any cer-
tainty had reached him that there would be
a repetition of the scenes of the last two Sun-
days. It was possible large numbers of people
might assemble, but every precaution would be
taken by the Government to prevent any outrages being
committed. He could not, at the same time help saying,
. that these questions so frequently repeatedly tended to
produce the very evil sought to be avoided. (Hear.)
Mr. PALK, amidst cries of "oh," and "order," said
be thought those questions were most proper, when it
was remembered how defective the police arrangements
were last Sunday ; and that a nobleman, whilst laying
seriously ill in bed, was alarmed by his windows being
broken by a shower of stones.
BILLETING OF THE SCOTCH MILITIA. —THE
AL DERSHOTT CAMP.
Mr. COWAN asked the First Lord of the Treasury,
if there be any intention on the part of the Government
to put an end to the system of billeting the militia
regiments upon private families in Scotland ?
Col. KNOX, before the question was replied to, called
the attention of the Government to the fact that, al-
though an encampment of Guards had been at Alder-
a.hott for two mouths, where they were specially sent for
the purpose of being trained in the practice of firing ball
iartridge, no firing ground bad yet been provided. This
v, *as the more to be lamented, inasmuch as the regiments
w, ere liable at any time to be drafted to the Crimea.
.r...ord PALMERSTON, on the latter point, said he
sho t Id make it his duty to call the attention of his noble
frie» d at the head of the War Department to the subject ;
but the hon. and gallant member must be aware that
it wta t a difficult matter to obtain a sufficient space of
grout IA for ball practice. As to the Scotch militia being
billeted in private houses, he was aware of its evil con-
sequences and inconveniences ; hut the necessity had
arisen from the fact of a large number of barracks having
been done away with at the close of the last war.
The tnatter, however, should be represented to the
noble lord at the head of the War Department.
After some further observations from Mr. H. BAILLIB,
Mr. L. DAVIS, and Sir J. WALSLI, the subject dropped.
THE LATE LOAN.
Mr. DISRAELI wished to ask the Chancellor of the
Exche luer whether, when the Government contracted
for the last loan of 16,000,0001., an arrangement was en-
tered in to by the Government with the parties contract-
ing the loan that no further sum should be asked
for until all the instalments had bean satisfied, he asked
this que becau§e, from bean crass stated by tbe
right hon. gentleman the other night, it had been
rumoured that another loan was shortly intended t• be
proposed.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that at the tii ne of obtaining the loan of 16,000,0001. an
engagement :had certainly been entered into by the
Government with the parties granting the loan not to
attempt to raise any further loan until all the instal-
ments of the last loan had been satisfied, and the Go-
vernment wera determined to finfil strictly that engage.

merit.
RAGLAN'S ANNUITY BILL.
LADY AND LORD
This bill was read a third time and passed.
TENANTS' IMPROVEMENTS COMPENSATION
(IRELAND) BILL.
The house then went -into committee on this bill, re-
suming at clause 15, and were
LEFT SITTING.

MEETING OF T.IIE LOND9N AND SOUTH-
WESTERN BAIL-WAY COMPANY.
(THIS DAY.)

A special general meeting of the proprietors of this
railway was held this afternoon at the Company's Office,
Waterloo station— Mr. Chaplin, the chairman of the
company presiding.—for the purpose of again taking into
consideration, and of approving or disapproving a bill
now before Parliament entitled " An Act for authorising
the execution of works by the company for regulating their
capital, and for other purposes." And further for consider-
ing the provisions of a bill now before Parliament for
making a railway from the Manor-street terminus of the
authorised Westminster terminus railway, wherein cer-
tain powers are intended to be conferred on the corn-

pany.
It will be recollected that about a month since a
meeting of the proprietors was held relative to the
first portion of this notice, (the object of the act
amongst others being to empower the directors to
extend their line from Yeovil or Dorchester to Exeter).
Whon the shareholders present expressed themselves
streagLy against the proposed extension, and the result
of toe poll being in their favour, it was thought neces-
sary and desirable by the directors this second meeting
shod be held, in the hope the shareholders, on re-
consic:ering the subject, would assent to the bill.
noticeTle cSoEncvlieEnThAllglY(Mr. L. Crombie) having read the
the meeting and the directors' report,
and the Solicitor the heads of the two bills,
The CHAIRMAN said he appealed to the meeting with
confidence to approve of this bill. After alluding to the
meetings that had already been held, with reference to
this question, he hoped that harmony would exist, so es.