The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-07 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(TIIIS DAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.

Mr. HORSMAN, the new Secretary for Ireland,
,00k the oaths and his seat on his re-election for Stroud.
PETITIONS.

Mr. PARKER presented a petition from Preston in
favour of the Public Libraries and Museum Bill. Also
a petition from the same place, praying for the repeal of
the Beer Act of last session.

Sir J. WALMSLEY presented a petition from the
vestry clerk of Mile-end, praying that the day of humi-
liation may be fixed for Good Friday, instead of Wed-
nesday, the 21st inst. _ _

Colonel DUNNE presented a petition from an army
hay contractor, complaining that his contract had been
annulled in consequence of his having supplied Irish
hay, and alleging that the troop horses had from this
circumstance suffered greatly for want of forage. The
petitioner prayed that his complaint might be referred to
the committee now sitting upon the state of the army
before Sebastopol.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUM BILL.
The house went into committee en this bill.
On clause 1,

Mr. BUCK said this b'll would lead to a great in-
crease of local taxation, and it would be very oppressive
on small towns. He therefore moved that instead of
being made applicable to places containing a population
of 5,000 persons, the bill should be limited to places
where the population amounted to 10,000 and upwards.
Mr. MITCHELL suggested that the bid should be
extended to places containing 4,000 inhabitants, so as to
make it embrace rural districts.
After some conversation,

Mr. CARDWELL observed that the bill was merely
a permissive one, and he hoped its operation would
be made as extensive as possible.

Sir S. BIGNOLD and Mr. BAINES bore testimony to
the usefulness of the former measure, and declared that
wherever these institutions were established they had
been attended with great benefits.
Mr. HENLEY also thought that these institutions
were productive of unmixed good. At the same time
just means ought to be taken to prevent parties from
being taxed against their will.
Mr. SPOONER gave it as his opinion that the bill
would act oppressively in the case of small towns that
were connected with extensive agricultural districts, be-
cause those who lived in the out localities would be
taxed for a thing from which they could derive
no benefit whatever. The library was to be
established in the town, and they would he too far off
to avail themselves of it.

Sir E. PERRY said that objection could be remedied
by simply making these institutions lending libraries.
Mr. HENLEY suggested that the rating clause
should be so framed as to draw a distinction between
land and houses.

Mr. EWART said he would consider the suggestion,
and adopt it if possible. He had no objection to engraft
the system of " Lending Libraries " in the bill.

The amendment was then withdrawn.
The elau,e was agreed to, as were clauses 2 to 16, in-
clusive. Clauses 17 and 18 were struck out.

On clause 19,
Mr. HADFILLD moved the omission of the words,
" with the approval of her Majesty's Treasury."
The carutoittee divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment 25
Against it 64
Majority —39
Some discussion then arose as to whether the bill was
applicable to Ireland, and ultimately it was determined
that it would be as well that a separate bill should be
brought in for Ireland.
The clause was agreed to.
On clause 22,
Mr. E WART proposed to insert words providing that
these libraries should include newspapers.
Mr. Spooner, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Fitzgerald, and Mr.
Whiteside objected to the proposal.
The A.I7OIINEY-GENER AL supported it, believing
that the attraction of a newspaper was the best antidote
against the beer house. The objebt of these libraries
was t 9 wean the working classes from intemperate habits,
and the best way t..) do that was to give them the oppor-
tunity of obtaining political knowledge, which always
had great charms for them.

The committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment.. 64
Against it
Majority
The amendment was accordingly agreed to
Sir E. PERRY moved the insertion of a proviso to
the clause providing that all libraries to be established
under this act should be lending libraries.
Lord STANLEY thought it would be difficult to
make those lending libraries which contained works of
reference.

Mr. EWART thought it would .be much better to
leave this matter to the discretion of the managers of the
libraries themselves.

Atter a shurt conversation the committee divided,
when there appeared,
For the proviso
Against it...

32
59
Majority —l7
The proviso was accordingly rejected, and the clause
agreed t ).
On clause 24, which provides that the libraries and
museums should be open free.
Mr. CHILD moved the insertion of words to limit
the free (Teeing to certain times.
Mr. E\VART said the bill wal based upon the princi-
ple that these institutions should be open to the public
free of all charge, and he could not adopt the amend-
ment.
The amendment was negatived without a division, and
the clause agreed to.
Mr. MUNDT moved the insertion of the following
clause, viz. :—lf may persoa shall give to any borough,
district, or parish having respectively such a population
as aforesaid, any books, collections of mineralogy, na-
tural history, or works of science or art, sufficient in the
opinion of the council, board, or vestry, as the case may
be, for the establishment of a library or museum, then
this act shall be considered to have been duly applied
' for, and shall take effect and come into operation in
such borough, district, or parish without taking the
proceedings hereinbefore made necessary for its adop-
tion, and such library or museum shall be considered to
have been duly established u*der this act.
Sir B. HALL objected to the introduction of the
clause, because it would have the effect of taxing the
ratepayers without their consent, the converse of
which was the main feature of the bill.

The clause was negatived.
Mr. ENVART moved the insertion of the following
clause, viz. :—No person shall be assessed or rated to
any county, borough, parochial, or other local rates or
cesses, in respect of any land, houses, or buildings, or
parts thereof respectively, belonging to any library or
museum established under this act, and occupied by it
for the transaction of its business, and for carrying into
effect its purposes.
Mr. BAINES opposed the clause as being unsound
in principle, and likely to be unjust in operation.
The clause was withdrawn.

The preamble was then agreed to, and the house hay-
ing resumed, the bill was ordered to be reprinted and
zeconsidered on Wednesday next.
JUDGMENTS EXECUTIONS, Ezo., BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Mr. MACARTNEY moved that the bill be read a
second time that day six months.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL should not like to re-
ject the principle of the bill, though he thought its
details were open to amendment, and, therefore, if the
bill was read a second time it ought to be referred to a
select committee.
Mr. NAPIER objected to a select committee, because
it would be nothing less than shelving the bill. Be-
sides, the bill was referred to a select committee last

year; and found to be impracticable. He bad no alter-
native then but to say no to the second reading rather
than allow the measure to be continually hanging over

them.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the bill proposed
to consolidate the law of judgments both in England
and Ireland—a very laudable object no doubt ; but as
the bill had been once found to be impracticable by
a select committee, he did not see the advantage of refer-
ring it to such a tribunal again.
After a few words from Mr. WHITESIDE, Mr. F.
FRENCH, and Col. DUNNE, who oppo,ed the bill,
Mr. DUNLOP thought it only right that judgments
obtained in one part of the United Kingdom should ex-
tend to the whole, and he hoped all parties would unite
for the purpose of framing a bill to meet the case.
Mr. BAILLIE observed that the law of Scotland and
England was so very dissimilar that he did not see how
a bill could be framed to suit both.
Mr. I. BUTT declared the details of the bill were
grossly defective, but the question was far too important
to be left in the hands of a private member. If legisla-
tion was needed, it should be brought in by the Govern-
ment.
Mr. CRAUFORD, who had charge of the bill, said
its supple object was to substitnte a registritin instead